Pittsburg State University Department of Art

05/17/2026

When Art & Music come together. 🎷 🎨 ✨

05/15/2026

Lily Letchworth (b. 2003, Kansas City, Missouri) is a painter based in Pittsburg, Kansas. Working primarily in oil paint and pan pastel, her practice centers on figurative painting that blends classical influences with emotionally charged, often unsettling narratives.

Through carefully composed figures, dramatic lighting, and recurring symbolic motifs such as flowing red fabric. Letchworth explores themes of vulnerability, systemic injustice, and the lived realities of those society fails to protect.
Her work emphasizes the expressive potential of the human form, constructing intimate and confrontational scenes that challenge passive viewing and invite critical reflection. Each painting emerges from an in-depth conceptual process rooted in writing, research, and symbolic development, resulting in layered visual narratives that examine power, resilience, and silence. Notable series within her practice include Ceaseless Watcher, Eve, Womb Man, and Saccharine Fate. Letchworth has exhibited in venues such as the 2021 Congressional Art Competition in Washington, D.C., and Emerging Perspectives in Pittsburg, Kansas.

You’re warmly invited to view her work in the Porter Hall - Harry Krug Gallery through Saturday, May 16th, with a closing reception open to the public from 5–7 PM that evening. 🦍 🎨 ✨

05/14/2026

Sophia Arneson (b. 2003, Bangkok, Thailand) is a mixed-media artist based in Pittsburg, Kansas. She recently graduated from Pittsburg State University with an emphasis in 2D studio art and a minor in Psychology, and will continue her studies this fall at Emporia State University pursuing Art Therapy.
Working across mixed media, crochet, painting, and embroidery, Sophia’s practice explores memory, nostalgia, and personal history. Through layered textures, color, and gesture, her work reflects the complex and evolving nature of childhood experiences and how they shape identity over time.
Her recent series, Sweet Nostalgia, draws from intimate memories of home, family, and early life, created during a period of transition and change. By revisiting these moments, she invites viewers to reflect on their own formative experiences and the lasting impact of memory. Her work has been exhibited both online and internationally, including in Portugal, and published in Cow Creek Magazine. ✨

You’re warmly invited to view her work in the Porter Hall Harry Krug Gallery through Saturday, May 16th, with a closing reception open to the public from 5–7 PM that evening. 🦍 🎨 ✨

05/13/2026

Luci Ross is an emerging artist and art education major from Overland Park, Kansas. Working across painting, drawing, mixed media, and jewelry, her practice is rooted in experimentation, emotion, and personal expression.

Shaped by her experiences with dyslexia and ADHD, Luci’s work embraces intuitive processes and layered materials, from metallic spray-painted surfaces to bold color, found objects, and three-dimensional elements. Influenced by action painting and surrealism, she creates vibrant, dynamic compositions that reflect her inner world and the energy of her surroundings.

Passionate about art education, Luci encourages others to embrace individuality, take creative risks, and grow through making. Her work invites viewers into a vivid, tactile landscape shaped by curiosity, resilience, and a deep love for art. ✨

You’re warmly invited to view her work in the Porter Hall 2nd Floor Gallery through Saturday, May 16th, with a closing reception open to the public from 5–7 PM that evening. 🦍 🎨 ✨

05/12/2026

Lydia May is a 2D artist from Pittsburg, Kansas, currently completing her BFA at Pittsburg State University, where she studies art education and creative writing. Her work explores the relationship between psychological perception and domestic space through still lifes, self-portraits, and interior scenes.
Beginning with intimate studies of oranges as a way to investigate oil painting, Lydia’s practice has evolved into a more conceptual approach that balances realism and abstraction. Through intentional mark-making, unexpected color, and simplified forms, she creates calm yet complex spaces that reflect how internal experience shapes one’s environment.

Influenced by ideas of presence and mindfulness, her paintings invite viewers to slow down, embrace uncertainty, and engage in quiet reflection. Her work has been exhibited at Pittsburg State University and at Santa Reparata International School of Art in Florence, Italy. She will continue her studies this fall at Fort Hays State University, pursuing an MFA in studio art. ✨

You’re warmly invited to view her work in the Porter Hall 2nd Floor Gallery through Saturday, May 16th, with a closing reception open to the public from 5–7 PM that evening. 🦍 🎨 ✨

05/11/2026

Last Friday, we celebrated the retirement of our beloved Art History professor, Dr. Li-Lin Tseng.

Thank you so much to everyone who came. It was truly special to see the love and appreciation the students have for Li-Lin, exactly as she deserves.
We will miss her so much!

Wishing her all the happiness and joy in this new chapter of life! 💛 ❤️ ✨

05/07/2026

Alyssa Relph is an artist and future high school art teacher whose printmaking practice is rooted in thoughtful, intentional processes and an introspective approach to storytelling through symbolic color and illustrative detail.

Inspired by personal experiences and her fascination with insects as metaphors for growth and emotion, she creates vibrant, meaningful works that reflect her creative journey. Her artwork has been featured in multiple exhibitions and publications and is also part of her small business, Lucky Bug Arts.

You’re warmly invited to view her work in the Porter Hall 2nd Floor Gallery through Saturday, May 16th, with a closing reception open to the public from 5–7 PM that evening. 🦍 ✨

05/04/2026

Wouldn't it be cool for one of our alumni and former instructors to get this opportunity? We think so...vote for Jared! https://peoplesartist.org/2026/jared-jennings-wZ6i?fbclid=IwY2xjawRlvMRleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeM3qmpjEBCaVqiu_SGTR_nXNZ5_OEfZExEUqHVtzeEEFxd6z09mAtqQF5BGY_aem_c4p5PA30NY9a1-UWJMU-ww

Art For Me Is How I Process Life. It Allows Me To Focus And Breakdown My Experiences And Feelings Into Something Tangible.

04/16/2026

Richard Alpert Lecture is happening today at 5:30 pm via Zoom. 💻

Don’t miss this opportunity to join the conversation and hear from the artist whose work is currently on view in our gallery.

To join, email [email protected] for the Zoom link.

We hope to see you there! 😊

04/14/2026

Join us for our Senior Exhibition and experience the creativity and talent of our student artists. 🎨
Explore a diverse collection of works and celebrate this special moment with us! 🦍