HORSHAM >> As an art student, it’s one thing to create, quite another to share your creations.
“As artists what we do is meant to be shared,” says Kathy Davis, a Horsham native known for her expressive watercolor painting. “You can create work and feel a sense of accomplishment but the real reward is in sharing it and giving others a chance to get joy from it and have a reaction to it.”
That’s why Davis is giving students in the Communication Design program at Kutztown University – where she received her master’s in art education – a chance to display their work in their very own exhibit.
The “Kutztown University Communication Design Illustration Showcase,” featuring the work of 37 students, opens with a reception on Sept. 23 from 5 to 8p.m. and runs through Oct. 19 at the Scatter Joy Center for the Arts in Horsham.
For Davis, who founded the art center and also serves as CEO of Kathy Davis Studios, the exhibit is also an expression of gratitude not only for all she learned at Kutztown but for its impressive design and illustration curriculum.
Several designers at her Horsham headquarters are graduates of the school.
“Every time we have interviews for new positions, I’m so impressed by how professional the portfolios are from Kutztown students and how the talent has really been developed at a high level,” she says.
The exhibit will feature the work of sophomores to graduate-level students. North Penn High School graduate Rebecca Murray and Upper Moreland High School graduate Deanna Black, now a junior and senior at Kutztown, respectively, are among the local participating students.
“There is a little of everything from illustrated graphic icons to digital paintings for books and posters. The subject matter represents a broad range of student interests and topic exploration,” says Elaine Cunfer, a professional graphic designer and illustrator who teaches graphic design at Kutztown. “I hope this gives all of our students a sense of pride in what they have accomplished and can accomplish…
“As illustrators, they’re used to seeing their work reproduced in a more commercial setting for print and web. The exhibition gives our students the opportunity to validate their work as artists in a professional gallery.”
Davis, who taught art at Hatboro-Horsham High School before starting her own business designing greeting cards and lifestyle products, has always wanted to host a Kutztown gallery show for reasons beyond supporting her alma mater.
She is dedicating the showcase to fellow Kutztown grad and former Kathy Davis Studios designer Sue Schilling, who died in 2011. Schilling, who also majored in Communication Design, was instrumental in the studio’s development as a brand, says Davis.
“She did great things for our company and made a big impact,” Davis adds. “I’m very happy that we can dedicate this show in her memory.”
The Scatter Joy Center for the Arts was founded on the simple belief that art makes a difference. Through classes spanning a range of visual and performing arts, gallery exhibits, music performances, mentorship and philanthropic projects, SJCA supports the individual exploration of creativity while fostering community engagement. For more information, visit www.scatterjoyarts.org.
