Department of Art • YSU

09/24/2026

Yesterday, electronic musician Ótal and artist Ella Medicus presented a unique live performance of the album “Fjöður, a Sonic Portrait of Akron” and gave our music and art students insights into their creative processes. ✨

The live electronic music performance took place inside the McDonough Museum of Art and was presented by Akron Soul Train, a nonprofit organization that supports local artists through art residencies.

Before the performance, Ótal gave our Electronic Music Ensemble a look behind the modular synth board, sharing his expertise in sampling sounds from nature and re-synthesizing them within a modular environment.

After the performance, Ella Medicus joined our Intro to Digital Media class for a Q&A, sharing insights into her creative journey and the process behind creating live concert and event visuals, also known as “VJing.”

Thank you to Ótal and Ella Medicus for spending time with our students and sharing your knowledge and creativity! 👏

09/21/2026

We’re thrilled to present an exciting professional development opportunity for art educators!

Join us for our Graphic Design and Type Design Workshop on Friday, October 9, from 9:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. in Bliss Hall, and explore the fundamentals of graphic design and visual communication!

Through hands-on activities focused on typography and type design, educators will learn more about working with type as a creative and communicative element and consider ways to bring these concepts into their own classrooms.

This workshop is free, but space is limited, so early registration is encouraged! Register at https://forms.gle/eKDvNnRyn48EMzQT9

09/17/2026

Yesterday, we had the pleasure of welcoming guest artist Steve Ehret to campus! ✨

As part of the Department of Art Lecture Series (DALS), Steve shared insight into his creative process and the influences behind his work with oils, mixed media, and mural projects. He also joined Professor Dragana’s Painting Studio class for a hands-on mural workshop!

We greatly appreciate Steve Ehret for visiting the Department of Art, spending time with our students, and sharing his experiences as a working artist, muralist, and creative professional. 🎨

09/14/2026

Congratulations to Professor Dragana Crnjak on her solo exhibition and opening reception of “Forest” at the Medici Museum of Art👏

Dragana’s acrylic artwork explores the forest as both subject and metaphorical structure. Rather than focusing on fixed images, the exhibition invites viewers to take a moment to contemplate a deeper experience that exists between memory and anticipation.

“Forest” will be on display through January 4, 2027. Be sure to visit and experience Professor Crnjak’s work for yourself! ✨

09/08/2026

Step into the Student Project Gallery and explore an exhibition by Emily Drees, a senior Interdisciplinary Studio Art major! ✨

Emily’s multimedia display invites viewers to consider the spaces we create, consume, and leave behind. Her work explores, “how consumer driven spaces have become forgotten to time and how they will remain in stationary futures hereafter.”

Check out the exhibition, located in the lower level of the Bliss Hall basement, now through Friday!

Want to see your own work in the gallery? Students can sign up for two-week exhibition slots on a first-come, first-served basis. Sign-up sheets are available on the gallery door and open to all art students, as well as any student enrolled in an art course. 🐧

09/05/2026

Discover what’s possible at YSU’s Department of Art! ✨ Join us for YSU Art Day on October 21, 2026, and experience the people, programs, and opportunities that make the Department of Art special.

Prospective students and their families will have the opportunity to meet our expert faculty, participate in hands-on activities, hear from current art students, explore our facilities, and so much more!

Whether you’re interested in photography, graphic and interactive design, painting, ceramics, digital media, or printmaking, come discover how YSU’s Department of Art can help turn your passion for art into your career. 👏

➡️ Make sure you register by October 14! Learn more and register at ysu.edu/Art-Day

Pursue passion. Shape your future.Join us for a day of creativity and exploration at YSU's Art Day, hosted by the Department of Art on Wednesday, October 21, from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM in Bliss Hall on YSU's campus. This free event invites prospective students and their families to explore the Departme...

08/31/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us at the McDonough Museum of Art for our Fall Exhibition Opening Reception! ✨

From the iconic Kilcawley Print Collection, featuring works by some of the most prominent artists of the period, including Andy Warhol, to the inspiring multimedia sculptures and paintings featured in “Around Here, It’s Always Eternity”, there’s something for everyone to discover and fall in love with.

If you haven’t had a chance to experience these incredible collections yet, there’s plenty of time to explore them! Both exhibitions are on view at the McDonough Museum of Art Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Kilcawley Print Collection will be on display through December 12, and "Around Here, It’s Always Eternity" will be on view through October 24. 🐧

08/28/2026

What a great first week of the Fall 2026 semester!! 🐧✨ We kicked off the semester with our annual “Welcome Back” party, bringing our Department of Art community together to celebrate the start of a new academic year.

We’re so excited to see our students’ creativity and artistry grow throughout the semester! 🎨

08/27/2026

Three unique exhibitions are now on display at the McDonough Museum of Art and Solomon Gallery! 🐧

At the McDonough Museum of Art, “Around Here, It’s Always Eternity” is on view now through October 24. The exhibition explores landscape through the lens of ecological, social and political instability and features work by Bonny Leibowitz, Alice Pixley Young, Deborah Wasserman and Etty Yaniv.

Also on display at the McDonough Museum of Art through December 12, the Kilcawley Print Collection features limited-edition prints by some of the most influential and historically significant artists of our time, including Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg.

Over at Solomon Gallery, “All My Dreaming” by Chanda Weigel is on view now through October 2. Solomon Gallery is located on the second floor of Bliss Hall.

✨ Join us August 28 from 5:00–7:00 p.m. at the McDonough Museum of Art for the Fall Exhibitions Opening Reception! Admission is free and open to the public.

Stay tuned for more upcoming exhibitions throughout the semester!

08/11/2026

There’s a colorful new mural brightening up the STEM office in Silvestri Hall thanks to YSU alum Lauren Barrett and the Academic Achievers! 👏

Lauren Barrett, who recently graduated with a BFA in Interdisciplinary Studio Art this past spring, designed an exciting mural that captures the experiences of being a YSU STEM student.

Throughout the summer, she worked alongside the Academic Achievers, a group of pre-college students, who helped her bring the mural to life.

Thank you to Lauren for returning to campus and sharing her time and talents with the Academic Achievers to create this colorful celebration of the YSU STEM experience! 🐧