Behind the Gallery Walls: Art, Jazz & a Little Bit of Panic

Preparing for our Senior Exhibition, From Me to You (A Human Reflection)

If you had asked me five years ago what I'd be doing today, attending art school and preparing for a senior art exhibition probably wouldn't have been on my list of answers.

But life has a funny way of taking us in unexpected directions.

As a military wife, planning too far ahead in one place has never been particularly practical. Between moves, deployments, family life, and the occasional complete change of plans, I've spent much of my adult life learning to go with the flow. Sometimes that means changing direction entirely, and other times it means discovering an opportunity I never expected.

And somehow, that winding road has brought me here, just three weeks away from my Senior Exhibition at Valdosta State University. Insert panic mode here.

Four Projects, Two Weeks, and a Very Long To-Do List

Our upcoming exhibition, From Me to You (A Human Reflection), is quickly approaching, and crunch time is officially upon us.

I currently have four projects to finish, each with its own collection of little details that need attention before they're ready to be displayed.

If you've ever worked on multiple pieces of art at once, you know that finishing a project doesn't always mean it's actually finished. There are frames to complete, surfaces to clean, hardware to attach, and those last-minute decisions that somehow take three times longer than expected.

And then there's the small matter of making sure everything is ready to be transported, installed, and displayed properly.

No pressure, right?

My personal collection, Reverence & Refuge, explores two sides of my life: the experiences, memories, and traditions that have shaped me, and the imaginative worlds that have always offered a place to wander.

Bringing these works together into one exhibition has been an entirely different experience from simply creating them. I'm learning to consider not only each individual piece, but also how the works relate to one another and how visitors might experience them in a gallery setting.

There's a Lot More to an Exhibition Than Hanging Art

One of the biggest surprises throughout this process has been discovering just how much work happens behind the scenes of an exhibition.

It's easy to walk into a beautiful gallery, admire the artwork, enjoy the atmosphere, and never think about the dozens of little decisions that made the experience possible.

But now we're the ones making those decisions!

Along with preparing our individual artwork, each graduating artist is serving on a gallery committee to help organize the exhibition. We're working together to create an event that feels welcoming, enjoyable, and representative of the work we've spent so much time creating.

There are so many moving parts, from installation plans and gallery statements to event details and coordinating with other artists.

Somehow, my contributions to the exhibition planning involve coordinating a jazz band and a charcuterie table. Which, if you ask me, sounds like a pretty wonderful combination.

And really, when someone offers you a free jazz band for an art exhibition, how exactly are you supposed to say no?!

Now we just have to make sure the art is finished in time for everyone to enjoy it.

Learning to Be an Artist Beyond the Studio

As much as I've enjoyed experimenting with new materials and techniques throughout my BFA, some of the most valuable lessons have come from learning what it actually takes to work as a professional artist.

I've learned how to write project proposals, prepare artist presentations, develop gallery statements, and explain my creative decisions in ways that help others understand the work. This is actually really difficult for one to do when the art is created out of curiosity and desire instead of creating it FOR a topic. Alas, words come eventually.

I've also discovered how much communication and collaboration go into organizing an exhibition with multiple artists, each bringing their own ideas, personalities, and creative approaches to the gallery.

It takes a great deal of planning, flexibility, and occasionally a little compromise to bring everything together.

These are skills I hadn't given much thought to when I first began art school, but they're becoming some of the most useful things I'll take away from the experience.

Creating the artwork is only one part of being an artist. Learning how to present it, discuss it, organize it, and share it with others is an entirely different kind of education.

Two Weeks to Go!

At the moment, my home studio is filled with works in progress, materials waiting to be assembled, and a to-do list that seems to grow every time I cross something off.

There are still plenty of details to finish, and I'm sure the next two weeks will involve a few late nights and more than one cup of tea.

But somewhere between the deadlines, gallery meetings, and last-minute preparations, I'm trying to enjoy this part of the journey, too.

After all, five years ago I couldn't have imagined being here.

And now I'm preparing to share years of learning, experimentation, and personal experiences through an exhibition alongside other artists who have been working toward the very same goal.

It's exciting, a little overwhelming, and something I'm incredibly grateful to be part of.

Hopefully, when the gallery doors open, we'll all be able to look around, enjoy the music, admire each other's work, and appreciate everything it took to get there.

Until then, I'll be in the studio.

Probably covered in sawdust or paint.

T-minus two weeks. Wish us luck!

— Kira R. Keller, Owlchemy Art Studio