University Galleries of Illinois State University is pleased to present A Conversation Between… from May 17 through July 25. All events are free and open to the public.

A Conversation Between… is organized by Bloomington High School students who are members of University Galleries’ Teen Art Group: Elyahna Miller, Miette Smith-Golwitzer, Clien Kitchens, and Sharini Menon. The students developed the concept, theme, checklist, and layout of the exhibition. Hoping to chart layers of influence among artists, the Teen Art Group selected five artworks from University Galleries’ permanent collection to serve as the basis of the exhibition. These include a mixed-media drawing by Alan R. Atkins, M.F.A. ’24; a collaged painting by Erin Hayden ’13; a lithograph by Wonsook Kim ’75, M.A. ’76, M.F.A. ’78, honorary doctorate of arts ’19; and photographs by Jade Nguyễn, M.F.A. ’24, and Rafael Soldi.

The Teen Art Group invites artists of all ages to respond to, or to be in conversation with, the selected works rather than copying them. Artists may respond to the materials, content, imagery, and/or processes. University Galleries will hold a series of all-ages art-making workshops, during which participants can view the selected artworks and create their own. Materials will be provided. Artworks created during the workshops can be included in the exhibition along with the pieces that served as their inspiration. The exhibition will continue to build throughout its duration.

For artists interested in participating in the exhibition, images of each of the collection works can be seen here. Please send an email to Gallery@IllinoisState.edu to complete a loan form. Artwork with a completed loan form can be delivered or mailed to the gallery through July 1, 2025 during regular operating hours for inclusion in the exhibition. Shipping costs must be covered by the artist. Please ship to:

University Galleries of Illinois State University
Attn: A Conversation Between
Campus Box 7150
Normal, IL 61790-7150
(If shipping via UPS, you may need to include “2016 Warehouse Road” in the address.)

Teen Art Group

The Teen Art Group was founded in 2018 at University Galleries by Kendra Paitz (director and chief curator at University Galleries) in partnership with Monica Estabrook (art teacher at Bloomington High School). The inaugural year was supported by a grant from the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation—Mirza Arts and Culture Fund. Each academic year, the Teen Art Group participants engage in professional development activities, take field trips, and curate an exhibition. The 2024–2025 cohort was led by Paitz, Estabrook, and Tanya Scott (curator of education at University Galleries). The group took a field trip to the Art Institute of Chicago and the Chicago Cultural Center, participated in meetings and exhibition tours at University Galleries, and organized this exhibition. The Teen Art Group is supported by the Lori Baum and Aaron Henkelman University Galleries Community Fund.

Related Events

• Artmaking workshop
  Saturday, June 14, from 1-2:30 p.m.
  Register
• Artmaking workshop
  Wednesday, June 18, from 10-11:30 a.m.
  Register

Free curator-led exhibition tours and workshops are available by appointment for classes and community groups. Contact Gallery@IllinoisState.edu to schedule.

University Galleries, a unit in the Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts, is located at 11 Uptown Circle, Suite 103, at the corner of Beaufort and Broadway streets. Parking is available in the Uptown Station parking deck located directly above University Galleries—the first hour is free, as well as any time after 5:01 p.m.

You can find University Galleries on Facebook, Instagram, and X, and sign up to receive email updates through the newsletter. Please contact Gallery@IllinoisState.edu or call (309) 438-5487 if you need to arrange an accommodation to participate in any events related to these exhibitions.