Art exhibits open in galleries at Pittsburg State University
Two art exhibits have opened in galleries in Porter Hall, home to the Art Department at Pittsburg State University, and public receptions are planned with both artists.
Elnora Nokes: “The View from Inside”
An exhibit of works created by a two-time Pitt State graduate is on display in the University Gallery through Oct. 18, and a reception will be held Aug. 24 from 5 to 7 p.m.
“The View from Inside,” by Elnora Nokes (BSED ‘83, MS ‘87), is comprised of collage and mixed media pieces inspired by the landscape and the forms, textures, colors, and shapes of the built environment.
Nokes, a retired longtime art teacher living and working in Olathe, Kansas, was a Pittsburg resident and involved in the early days of the Pittsburg Arts Council as well as youth art workshops. She taught in the Carl Junction School District for 14 years, as well as several years in the Joplin Area Catholic Schools and Andover, Kansas.
She uses personal and found photographs, handmade papers, magazine pages, found objects, and acrylic and watercolor paints to create abstract landscapes and still life collages. Her work has been shown and won awards in juried exhibitions across the country as well as several galleries in the Kansas City area.
She is a member of the Kansas Art Education Association and the Missouri Art Education Association.
Evan Stoler: “While Supplies Last”
In the Harry Krug Gallery, an exhibit of works created by Evan Stoler will be on display through Sept. 28. A reception will be held Sept. 27 from 5 to 7 p.m.
“While Supplies Last” challenges viewers to question the textures, patterns, and organic entities placed before them as he strips supplies of their commonplace function.
Inspiration for the creations is drawn from various crafts involving textiles, wood, and paper, for example.
“My work is a testament to the monotony of the daily grind and revealing the beauty in the mundane,” he said.
Stoler earned a Bachelor’s in Studio Art in Biology in 2016 from Denison University in Ohio. He has shown collections of work in Chicago, Milwaukee, and Omaha galleries, and was nominated as “Outstanding Emerging Visual Artist” in 2022.
Both galleries are open to the public. The Harry Krug Gallery is open 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday. The University Gallery is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.