Senior exhibit "Elemental Blue" to open at MSSU

 (From Southern News Service)

Works created by three graduating seniors will be featured in “Elemental Blue,” a senior capstone exhibit set to open Monday, April 26, in the Spiva Art Gallery.

The students – Ashton McGehee, Joplin; Madalyn Richardson, Houston, Mo.; and Edward Williams, Coffeyville, Kan. – are students in the Bachelor of Fine Arts-Design program.

A come-and-go reception will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 30, in the gallery.

McGehee will exhibit her interactive design for a mobile application that helps unhoused individuals navigate the bureaucratic processes of applying for help. Her app will be displayed so viewers can interact with the app firsthand to learn about local resources for housing, employment and addiction programs, as well as their requirements and restrictions.

Richardson’s work will show how emergent literacy is affected by children’s interaction with print and digital mediums while reading, and which combinations are most appropriate for early learners. The exhibit will feature a print and digital children’s story along with information detailing how designers, parents and educators can adapt the most beneficial combination.

Williams’ contribution to the exhibit is inspired by and reflects the aesthetic of traditional 8 or 16-bit 2D platform games. “Average Fedora Person” features a simplistic pixel character, defined by his jaunty fedora, that players can move around and collect coins while attempting to avoid or combat enemies. Developed for the Godot game engine and utilizing Pixel Studio, it is specifically designed to run using limited CPU needs, making it more available to universal audiences.

The exhibit will run through April 30. Gallery hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Face coverings and social distancing are required for all visitors.

For more information, contact Dr. Christine Bentley, 417-625-3066 or Bentley-C@mssu.edu.