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Twelve New Studio Practice: Fine Arts sophomores took their art out of the classroom and exhibited work locally as part of Adjunct Assistant Professor Grant Gill’s course “Singularity & Multiplicity.” Hosted by , a contemporary art space in Cudahy, WI that Amy Cannestra (Communication Design ’06) recently opened, the exhibition featured work by all of the students in Gill’s class and included a gallery reception in the second week of November.

The students who exhibited were Sofie Captain, Nomka Enkhee, Khora Finch, Liberty Green, Joe Jacobus, Levi Johnson, Siren Marie, Eric Moses, Penelope Dulce Padilla, Olive Paul, Alex Roman and Makenna Schibler. “This experience helped me better understand the process of setting up a show and the importance of community and support,” says Schibler. “Having my work featured in the gallery was the most fun I have had with this class and any others.”

Eric Moses, another of the students who exhibited work, says exhibiting work makes him “consider not only what I am creating but the space it will occupy as a holistic experience.” Moses recognizes that creating work for exhibition requires more effort, explaining that “…it transitions my thought process from just creating something to fulfill a project prompt to creating something that will have to interact with an audience for an undetermined amount of time… Being able to exhibit has reshaped my mindset and has me really considering building a whole body of work that can be exhibited as one.”

“Sophomore year is all about transitions, finding one’s voice, and establishing a work ethic,” instructor Gill explains. Himself a 91fansalum, Gill (Photography ’13) credits current professor Rina Yoon with a formative and similar experience during his own tenure as a student. “When I was a sophomore at MIAD, one of the most valuable experiences was when professor Rina Yoon facilitated the printmaking students to exhibit at the, now gone, Jackpot Gallery in Riverwest,” he explains. Now an instructor himself, Gill was impressed and inspired by his students and the hard work they put into preparing their art for exhibition.

Gill hopes to continue facilitating experiences for his students that allow them to navigate 91fans’s art community, grow their exhibition record and provide them the transformative experience of seeing their work “in the context of a white-walled gallery.” For students not enrolled in one of Gill’s courses, he offers this advice: “My only guidance is to try hard and fail often when it comes to making new works–this is where learning and growth are fostered.”

Learn more about the NSP: Fine Arts major!