Popol Vuh: The Sacred Book of the Quich茅 through Illustration The Sacred Book of the Quich茅 through Illustration featured 65 vivid illustrations by Jaime Arredondo that bring to life the ancient Mayan creation myth of the Popol Vuh, celebrating Indigenous heritage, storytelling, and cultural preservation. Often compared to The Odyssey and The Epic of Gilgamesh, the narrative follows the Hero Twins鈥� journey to the Underworld to secure the future of humanity. A Texas-born artist of Mexican and Otomi heritage, Arredondo originally created the illustrations to support his teachings on Mesoamerican mythology at NYU and The New School. Combining historical research with vibrant imagery, his work seeks to restore the Popol Vuh to its rightful place within world history while honoring Indigenous art and culture. This exhibition was generously loaned to the gallery by the Mid-America Arts Alliance, and we were grateful for the opportunity to host this important body of work within our gallery space.
Opening Reception Tuesday, September 2 | 5:00 – 6:30 pm
How Space Happens – Aaron Fine Featuring drawings and images from his book鈥� How Space Happens,鈥� Aaron Fine鈥檚 sabbatical exhibition explores perspective, spatial systems, and the ways humans perceive and organize three-dimensional space, making complex mathematical concepts visually intuitive and accessible.
Opening Reception & Artist in Conversation Tuesday, September 2 | 4:30 – 6:30 pm
If You Build It (‘Til Kingdom Come) – Jared Peterson If You Build It (鈥楾il Kingdom Come) featured ceramic installations by Jared Peterson that explore multicultural identity, labor, and faith through the lens of sports and blue-collar aspirations. A self-described 鈥淐hicano Appalachian suburban-raised country boy,鈥� Peterson uses humor, storytelling, and ceramic sculpture to examine the intersections of his personal and cultural identities while encouraging viewers to reflect on their own experiences. Raised in Morgantown, West Virginia, Peterson earned degrees in English and Ceramics from West Virginia University and is currently an MFA candidate at Arizona State University. His nationally and internationally exhibited work celebrates cultural history, self-discovery, and the complexity of contemporary identity through thoughtful and approachable visual narratives.
Opening Reception & Artist in Conversation Tuesday, October 28 | 4:30 – 6:30 pm
Suckle: A Seat at the Table – Danielle Yakle Exploring the relationship between human figures and animals, Danielle Yakle creates uncanny and surreal scenes that blur the familiar and the strange, using moments of oddity to examine emotion, instinct, and human behavior
BA/BFA Thesis Exhibition We set aside a week at the end of each semester to show the capstone projects of studio art seniors completing their BA or BFA in ceramics, fibers, painting, photography, printmaking, or sculpture.
Selfspace – Lindsay Lennon Picht Through watercolor paintings of domestic interiors,鈥� Lindsay Lennon Picht鈥痚xplores impermanence, belonging, and the emotional tension between comfort and instability in temporary spaces.
Creative Urges: The Paintings of Dorothy Wirtz Creative Urges: The Paintings of Dorothy Wirtz featured rarely exhibited paintings by Dorothy Wirtz, highlighting her legacy as a scholar, poet, and artist. Born in Keokuk, Iowa, and educated at Culver-Stockton College and the University of Wisconsin, Wirtz pursued an accomplished academic career in French literature while also producing a prolific body of paintings influenced by surrealism and abstract expressionism, One of the first major exhibitions dedicated to her visual artwork, the exhibition offered audiences the opportunity to experience the interdisciplinary practice of a midcentury artist who explored the relationship between literature and visual art throughout her life.
Opening Reception Tuesday, January 27 | 5:00 – 6:30 pm
2026 Annual Juried Student Exhibition聽 The Annual Juried Student Exhibition is always one of the highlights of the University Art Gallery schedule. Some of the best recent artwork by Truman students is displayed.
Opening Reception Tuesday, March 17 | 5:00 – 6:30 pm
Awards Best in Show: “The Lamb with Two Heads” by Noah Bruning 1st place: “Weeds: Cowboy Silo” by Alex Lewis 2nd place: “Bedroom Still Lives” by Rickie Stutzman 3rd place: “Pufferfish” by Ava Billharz Honorable Mention “What I Was Given” by Reve Nonnast “unseen’s sanctum” by Marcus Kelly “Lydia in Blue” by Grace Reddekopp
Awards
Best in Show: “The Lamb with Two Heads” by Noah Bruning 1st place: “Weeds: Cowboy Silo” by Alex Lewis 2nd place: “Bedroom Still Lives” by Rickie Stutzman 3rd place: “Pufferfish” by Ava Billharz
Honorable Mention
“What I Was Given” by Reve Nonnast “unseen’s sanctum” by Marcus Kelly “Lydia in Blue” by Grace Reddekopp
I’ve Always Loved the Path – Brooke P. Alexander I’ve Always Loved the Path featured evocative paintings by Brooke Alexander that blend memory, literature, and landscape to immerse viewers in shifting and ambiguous environments. Originally from Alabam, Alexander creates dynamic spaces where fragmented forms, shadowed interiors, and uncertain boundaries challege perceptions of time, place, and narrative. Holding an MFA in Painting from the University of Mississippi, Alexander’s work encourages active viewer engagement while fostering dialogue around identity, memory, and the emotional complexity of lived experience. Through this exhibition, the gallery further enriched cultural and educational experiences for both the University and the Northern Missouri community.
Artist in Conversation Friday, March 27 | 4:30 – 6:30 pm
BA Thesis Exhibition We set aside a week at the end of each semester to show the capstone projects of studio art seniors completing their BA or BFA in ceramics, fibers, painting, photography, printmaking, or sculpture.
BFA Thesis Exhibition We set aside a week at the end of each semester to show the capstone projects of studio art seniors completing their BA or BFA in ceramics, fibers, painting, photography, printmaking, or sculpture.