The UIS Visual Arts Gallery is a public program with a mission to make contemporary art available and accessible to all, and it serves as a unique and important place to see and experience art on campus and in Springfield. See a record of our past exhibitions and ancillary events below.
Past Gallery Exhibitions & Press: 2013-2023
Fall 2023
Heather Bennett - Night Watch (Origin of the World)
Service Works - A Public Commons
Summer 2023
Group Exhibition - Gemstones
Featuring: Laura Anderson, Samra Aslam, Harshavardhan Bapat, Jessica Bingham, Stanley Bly, Ramona Boston, Joan Burmeister, Bruce Burton, Delinda Chapman, Rachel Leah Cohn, Laura Kay Coffey, Sage Dawson, Bob Dixon, Betsy Dollar, Thomas A. Gebhardt, Colleen Halford, Benjie Heu, Jan Sorenson Hill, Monica S. Hohimer, Gina Hunt, Travis Janssen, Barbie LaFrance, Lisa Lofgren, Benjamin Lowder, Brian MacKenzie, Alexander Martin, Seraphina McAteer, Corrin Smithson McWhirter, Anna Mulch, Marco Mulder, Mark Rospenda, Michelle Ryan, Jen Santarelli, Diane Schleyhahn, Carolyn Owen Sommer, Leslie Stalter, Mary Ellen Strack, John Stringer, Gene Tanta, and Christopher A. Tice.
Spring 2023
Visual Arts Senior Student Exhibition - Under the Umbrella
Featuring: DT Derrickson, Maddie Edmondson, Taylor McClure, Tina Pierson, Jae Mitchel Scott, and Kaylee Winterbottom.
Jennifer Holt - In the Shadow
- Stacie Lewis, "Be inspired by art(link is external)," Illinois Times, March 16, 2023.
Frances Lee - A tax on a bag and other landscapes
- "UIS hosting art gallery(link is external)," News Channel 20 ABC, January 3, 2023.
- Zachary Boblitt, "Artist Raises Societal Questions Through Her Exhibit at UIS(link is external)," The Observer, January 28, 2023.
Fall 2022
Hale Ekinci - Motif: Silent Language
Mauricio Ramirez – Poly-wave: Seeds of Color and Shape
- Regina Ivy, "UIS Alumnus Returns to Campus for Colorful Art Exhibition(link is external)," The Observer, October 7, 2022.
Group Exhibition – Making Our History: Artists Render Lincoln's Legacy
Featuring: William Blake(link is external), Julie Cowan(link is external), Keenan Dailey(link is external), David Hinds(link is external), Danny Houk(link is external), Larsen Husby(link is external), Jordan Fein, Lori Fuller(link is external), Industry of the Ordinary(link is external) (Adam Brooks & Mathew Wilson), Lindsay Johnson(link is external), Kelly Kristin Jones(link is external), Judith Joseph(link is external), Judith Mayer(link is external), Alexander Martin(link is external), Mark Nelson(link is external), Nathan Peck(link is external), Don Pollack(link is external), Krista Shelton, Corey Smith(link is external), and Billie Theide.
- “New art exhibit focused on Lincoln in Springfield(link is external),” Wand, August 11, 2022.
Fall 2021 - Spring 2022
Spring 2022
- Hasani Cannon, Taylor Parriott, Dustin Robertson, Samantha Wetter, Hannah Wilson, and Tyler Wise – OVER/LOOK, Visual Arts Senior Student Exhibition
- Anne Toebbe – Midway
- WORK/PLAY – The Most Known Unknown
- Doug Stapleton – Charismatic Fauna
Fall 2021
- Betsy Dollar – Code of Complication
- José Guadalupe Garza – AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A BROWN BUFFALO
- PlantBot Genetics (Wendy DesChene and Jeff Schmuki) – 180,000+
Fall 2020 - Spring 2021
Spring 2021
- Kortney Correa, Claude Henry, Zoey Pritchett, Aaron Elmore, Elizabeth Shumake, and Megan Roberts – Flash Point & Luminal Lost, Visual Arts Senior Student Exhibition
- Brytton Bjorngaard, Shane Harris, Mike Miller, and Jeff Robinson – Visual Arts Faculty Exhibition
- Shir Ende and Max Guy – Duet
Fall 2020
- alejandro t. acierto(link is external), A.J. McClenon(link is external), Marina Peng(link is external), Katherine Simóne Reynolds(link is external), and Ruby T.(link is external) – Untied
Fall 2019 - Spring 2020
Spring 2020
- Logan Baskett, Kelsey Cleary, Kailee Harris, Rachel Lewis, Dominic Miraldi, and Merrick Wilderman – Hindsight 20/20, Visual Arts Senior Student Exhibition
- Shane Harris – Convergence
- Mark Blanchard, Cass Davis, bena foli, and Kelly Kristin Jones – To Unmake a Fold – Curated by Jeff Robinson
Fall 2019
- Hương Ngô – Her Name Escapes Me
- Patrick Collier – Value Added
- “UIS debuts “Value Added” art exhibit,” News Channel 20 ABC, September, 2019.
- Liz Miller – Tectonic Soliloquy
Fall 2018 - Spring 2019
Spring 2019
- Brad Balster, Judah Johnson, Skan Jolly, Grace Katalinich, Allan J. Masterson, Abigail McKinnie, Tyler Phibbs, Almendra Rodriguez, and Darrin Simmons – Perfect Tens – Alumni Show
- Thom Caraway, James Ewald, Lisa Hammershaimb, Jessica Hawkins, Alma Hoffmann, Laura Huisinga, Taekyeom Lee, Jeanne Komp, Renee Meyer Ernst, Shannon McCarthy, Ed Outhouse, Chris Sickels, Becky Simpson, RJ Thompson, Teruko Tsubaki, Natalie Tyree, and Neil Ward – Magnificently Mundane – Curated by Brytton Bjorngaard
- “Take a walk through The Magnificently Mundane,” NewChannel 20 ABC, March, 2019.
- Thaddeus Kellstadt – Pleasure Comes in Halves
Fall 2018
- Stephanie Graham – Love You Bro
- Stephanie Graham, “You Are Here: Stephanie Graham,” Sixty Inches From Center, September 27, 2019.
- Nan Kording, “Affection between African-American men,” Illinois Times, November 1, 2018.
- Matt Morris, Rose Nestler, Sherwin Ovid, Preetika Rajgahiah, and Elise Warfield – Let the fancy – Curated by Jeff Robinson & Allison Lacher
- Amanda Bowles – digital dusk shadow storage
- Scott Faingold, “Pillars of Salt“, Illinois Times, August 30, 2018.
Fall 2017 - Summer 2018
Summer 2018
- Allyson Packer – Interior Space
- Scott Faingold, “Interiority gets exteriorized at UIS Gallery,” Illinois Times, August 1, 2018.
- Rachel Otwell, “Springfield’s Secrets On Display For Allyson Packer’s ‘Interior Space’,” WUIS NPR Illinois, July 24, 2018.
- ZW Buckley – faith comes by hearing
Spring 2018
- Samantha Helm, Amanda Helm, Amanda Zoschke, Abigail McKinnie, Tristen Sitko, Madison Tucker, and Amber Buscher – Essence, Visual Arts Senior Student Exhibition
- Angela Ellsworth – Leaving Loves Company
- Erin Hayden – Hold Me
- Angela Baldus, “Holding: Democracy, Play and the Public in Erin Hayden’s “Hold Me” at UIS Visual Art Gallery,” Temporary Art Review, February 28, 2018.
- Elliot Reichert, “Breakout Artists 2018: Chicago’s Next Generation of Image Makers,” NewCity Magazine, April 26, 2018.
- Juliet Johnson, “Hold Me: Erin Hayden at UIS Visual Arts Gallery,” Sixty Inches From Center, February 23, 2018.
Fall 2017
- Leslie Mutchler and Jason Urban – of strange shadows
- KT Hawbaker, “Subdued hues and strange shadows at University of Illinois at Springfield,” Chicago Tribune, October 27, 2017.
- Dese’rae L. Stage – Live Through This
- Rachel Otwell, “Suicide Awareness Activist Dese’Rae L. Stage Shows Works In Springfield,” WUIS NPR Illinois, October 3, 2017.
- Faculty Exhibition – Brytton Bjorngaard, Shane Harris, Allison Lacher, Mike Miller, Jeff Robinson
Fall 2016 - Summer 2017
Summer 2017
- Astrid Kaemmerling – Walking Enos Park: “Who is your neighborhood?”
- Astrid Kaemmerling, “Walking Enos Park: Community and Urban (Re)development through the Arts in the American Midwest,” Sixty inches From Center, August 22, 2019.
- Scott Faingold, “A walk on the artistic side: Visiting artist takes a pedestrian view of Enos Park,” Illinois Times, July 6, 0217.
Spring 2017
- Chorong Park, Leila Zhang, Christina Hanula, Sarah Bond, Thomas Gebhardt, Tabbitha Medina, Jerica Griffen, Almendra Rodriguez, and Grace Katalinich – Lunchables, Visual Arts Senior Student Exhibition
- Diaz Lewis – Safe Harbor: Work by Diaz Lewis
- Rachel Otwell, “Safe Harbor: Work By Diaz Lewis – ‘Artivism’ In Springfield“, WUIS NPR Illinois, March 1, 2017.
- Tyler Lotz – Oblique Frontiers
- Scott Faingold, “Oblique strategies UIS Gallery exhibit pushes boundaries of ceramics,” Illinois Times, February 9, 2017.
Fall 2016
- Amanda Greive & Stanley Bly – Mirror | Mirror
- Paul Shortt – Reserved For Loitering
- Lyndon Barrois Jr. – Avez Vous un Crayon?
- Rachel Otwell, “Lyndon Barrois Jr. Takes An Artistic & Personal Look At Prince,” WUIS NPR Illinois, September 13, 2016.
Fall 2015 - Spring 2016
Spring 2016
- Ryan Dufner, Caytlin McCormick, Tyler Phibbs, Darrin Simmons, Erica Thomas, and Zach Landes –Fun for the Whole Family, Visual Arts Senior Student Exhibition
- Andrew Paul Woolbright – Love Amongst the Amaranth
- Rachel Otwell, “The Scene Talks To Three Visiting N.Y. Artists,” WUIS NPR Illinois, March 10, 2016.
- Edra Soto – TROPICALAMERICAN
Fall 2015
- Sarah and Joseph Belknap – Strange Matter
- Eric Garcia – Strata
- Rachel Otwell, “Chicano Artist Exhibit & ‘Mexican Mural Movement’ Lecture,” WUIS NPR Illinois, September 16, 2015.
- Brytton Bjorngaard – Let The Words Fall Out
Fall 2014 - Spring 2015
Spring 2015
- Robert Brookes, Katie Good, Alexander Johnson, Nick Manker, Phil Mulford, Oliver Barth, Taylor Geary, Mariam Said, Porcia Sledge, and Jessica Wilson – Identity Matters & Sponsored by Adobe, Visual Arts Senior Student Exhibition
- Laura Anderson, Denise Blakeman, Adam Dupuis, Amanda Greive, Shane Harris, Mike Miller, Leslie Stalter, Kevin Veara, and Thom Whalen – BIO-fied
- Rachel Otwell, “Local Artists Explore GMOs With “BIO-fied” Show,” WUIS NPR Illinois, March 25, 2016.
- Lyle Salmi – Sublime Light
- Kelly Kaczynski – Awkward & Urgent Objects
Fall 2014
- Tom Burtonwood & Holly Holmes – Copy Shop
- Tamara Browning, “‘Copy Shop’ at UIS gives artistic visitors chance to create,” Springfield Journal Register, November 5, 2014.
- I’m Jealous of Your Failure
- Jeff Robinson – Filler
- Rachel Otwell, “UIS Gallery Full Of ‘Filler’,” WUIS NPR Illinois, September 3, 2014.
Fall 2013 - Spring 2014
Spring 2014
- Alex Leischner, Jeremy Josserand, Jemilla Sodick-Raji, Mandy Smith, Kayla Ico, Robert Elmers, Andy French, Lingxuan Huang, Megan Calcara, Matthew Dixon, and Andrew Sill – Appropriately Titled, Visual Arts Senior Student Exhibition
- Sean Fader – SUP?
- Anita Stienstra, “Perfecting the portraiture,” Illinois Times, March 6, 2014.
- Kevin Veara – Paintings
- Rachel Otwell, “Artist Explores IL Environmental History & Hopes To Change Its Future,” WUIS NPR Illinois, January 30, 2014.
Fall 2013
- Rosemary Williams – New Springfield
- Scott Faingold, “The future is now: Vachel Lindsay-inspired exhibit is a study in contrasts,” Illinois Times, October 10, 2013.
- Rachel Otwell, “Artist Explores Vachel Lindsay’s ‘Golden Springfield’ With Installation,” WUIS NPR Illinois, October 2, 2013.
- Showcase: Alumni
Fall 2012 - Spring 2013
Spring 2013
- Akeem Freeman, Kim Hobby, Stephanie Mahoney, A.J. Masterson, Mercedes Mayoral-Wiesner, Anna Mulch, Jared Strohm, Barbie Sutheard, and David Ryan Swaar – Collective Exit, Visual Arts Senior Student Exhibition
- Fon Seks: Digital Devices and the Transformation of Intimacy (PDF)
- Industry of the Ordinary(link is external) – Guns and Butter
Fall 2012
- Anita Stienstra, “America Behind Barbed Wire Art at UIS captures nightmare of US concentration camp.” Illinois Times, October 11, 2012.
- “Shimomura to display works at UIS Visual Arts Gallery,” Springfield Journal Register, September 27, 2012.
- “University of Illinois Springfield hosts reception for ‘Vignettes’ exhibit,” Springfield Journal Register, August 21, 2012.