Pictured above: “Maria Maria” by Ruby Walker

AMES, Iowa – Artwork by 11 Iowa State University students will be presented in the “Bloom” exhibition Oct. 3–Oct. 22 on the third floor of Mainframe Studios, 900 Keosauqua Way in Des Moines. 

A painting of a hand resting on a surface
“Hand” by Zack Bukovich

Curated by ISU College of Design gallery manager Rachel Connell, the show will include ceramics, digital illustrations, drawings, interactive art, paintings, photography, and poetry by students from five majors: creative writing and environment, human computer interaction, industrial design, integrated studio arts and integrated visual arts.

An opening reception will be from 5–8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4, in tandem with Mainframe Studios’ First Friday event. In observance of World Mental Health Day on Thursday, Oct. 10, October’s First Friday theme is “A Night of Growth and Recovery,” and the Iowa State student exhibition celebrates the adaptive arts, mental health and wellbeing.

Participating students are:  

  • Brenna Akason, senior, industrial design
  • Tarfa “TJ” Benson, graduate student, creative writing and environment and integrated visual arts 
  • Zack Bukovich, graduate student, creative writing and environment and integrated visual arts

    A sculpture of an individual with brown hair, a bruised left eye, a tear coming from their right eye and a lip piercing
    “Self-Portrait” by Camila Cebollerovisual arts 
  • Camila Cebollero, senior, integrated studio arts 
  • Corinne Dengler, graduate student, integrated visual arts
  • Ehyun (Iris) Kim, sophomore, industrial design
  • Sam McCauley, graduate student, integrated visual arts 
  • Shalini Singh, graduate student, creative writing and environment 
  • Ruby Walker, graduate student, integrated visual arts 
  • Tian Yao, graduate student, human-computer interaction 
  • Hang Yuan, graduate student, integrated visual arts 
A drawing of squirrels dining, drinking and gathering at an art gallery inside a tree
“Evening” by Kim (Iris) Ehyun

“Bloom” is the third Iowa State student exhibition to be installed at Mainframe Studios, following the “Contemporary Lens” show in August and “Effervescence” in June. The next exhibition will be in November. 

Contacts 

Rachel Connell, Gallery Manager, College of Design, raconn@iastate.edu
Lauren Johnson, Communications Specialist, College of Design, laujohn2@iastate.edu