The Alumni Homecoming Art Show in Kirkland Fine Arts Center’s Perkinson Gallery had its reception on September 27 from 4-6pm, bringing several curious alumni back to campus in the process, eager to see the incredible art displayed within.
The exhibition was a celebration of creativity and connection that fostered meaningful conversations among alumni, students, and faculty reconnecting at the heart of Millikin’s artistic community and sharing updates on the student facilities.
Every year, the School of Art and Creative Media hosts a free Alumni Art Exhibition during Homecoming. Open to the public, it features the artwork of past and present alumni that showcase a range of artworks.
Blue Connection students and the Gallery Director, Ed Walker, planned and executed the show where SACM Alumni were delighted to come back. The Blue Connection, Millikin’s student-run retail art gallery, is a class student run-venture where students emphasize strategic planning, opportunity recognition, and ownership to the functions of a real art gallery.
Ed Walker appreciated the Blue Connection’s class who helped curate the show. Junior Transfer BFA Art Therapy Major Antehya Spence, on the marketing team for Blue Connection, was in awe of the turnout of the event.
“I didn’t know that Blue Connection did this kind of stuff. I think if people knew how fun the behind the scenes were and seeing people value the event, they would be interested in taking the class,” Spence said.
The Alumni Show is done to provide a specific event for alumni to participate in homecoming festivities. This show can be a one-person show, a group show, or a two-person show, depending on the availability and body of work of the alumni. The flexibility of the gallery allows for different types of shows each year, ensuring it remains an event geared towards alumni. This year’s group show was logical due to Professor Emeritus Lyle Salmi’s collection of pieces, which were added.
“The number of alumni attending varies every year,” Walker said. “Unfortunately due to the rainy forecast, the weather may have hindered travel, but the Exhibition will be up until the following Monday.”
Alumni are always welcome to stop by. Nonetheless, the event serves as an opportunity for current students to network with alumni, learning about their experiences and career paths. The close connections between recent and past graduates are highlighted as a strength of the department.
“This exhibition is meant to be a celebration of achievement of both alumni and current students,” Walker said.
Regardless of whether the alumni were art majors or not, the exhibition allows them to appreciate the alumni work and reminisce about their time at the University.
Cat Frank, a BFA Art Therapy Alum who graduated in 2023, was happy to be back reconnecting with current faculty and students.
“I was surprised to receive an invite,” Frank said, “But I was more surprised to see my own work displayed in the gallery.”
Frank’s featured artwork titled, “Skull” is a dry point printmaking technique of a human skull.
It matters that having fun and celebrating during the homecoming show encourages attendees to enjoy the art and each other’s company. The event is not a solemn occasion, but a time to appreciate and enjoy the achievements of the art department.
Not only was the Perkinson Gallery on display, but the studio gallery and art studios were open for gallery tours and Alumni to roam around. The studio spaces have downsized over this past summer, and not only was it necessary, it has enhanced the overall experience for visitors and art students.
Even so, the current students were enthusiastic to show recent and old alums updates on the studio life.
“If people want to walk through something that they haven’t been through in years, they can go back through the drawing studio and say, ‘we used to sit over here’ or ‘i remember that skeleton’ and that’s good because it evokes a sense of nostalgia,” Walker said. “When alumni come back, it feels like Millikin is home.”
Walker mentions new things that are happening in Kirkland Fine Art Center such as the renaming of the lower gallery that is across from the Perkinson Gallery. The lower gallery is being renamed the Robert Crowder Gallery, in an ongoing effort to support the University and keep Crowder’s legacy alive. Next year, the gallery will undergo renovations, including new carpeting and lighting, to make it more hospitable in future exhibitions.
