Baptiste to Present Senior Art Exhibit April 14-23

University of the Ozarks art major Kate Baptiste will present her Senior Art Exhibit, "See Through It," from April 14-23 in the University's Stephens Gallery.

There will be a recepetion to meet the artist from 7-8 p.m. April 17 in the gallery, located in the Walton Fine Arts Center.

Originally from Paris, Ark., Baptiste will graduate in May with an art degree and minors in theatre, sociology, and health science. She received the Joe Hoing Leadership Impact award and won second place in the 2025 River Valley Collegiate Art Competition.

Baptiste's style combines mixed media, vivid colors, and textured brush strokes to create a stylized conglomeration of memories that shaped who she is, and in turn forges a timeline how her identity evolved.

"My work takes the liminal space between memory and present consciousness to examine how their interplay shapes my values," she said. "I reflect on both pivotal and mundane moments of my life and break down what each has taught me. Reexamining these memories from a more mature lens allows me to express what I have lost, gained, and found value in. I use these values as a guide to explore the concept of identity throughout my work."

Her art form is primarily 2D mixed media pieces.

"Oil paint is chosen for its ability to capture depth in both light and dark intensities," she said. "Its vivid hues embed emotion in each piece, creating palpable dramatic tones. The medium's capacity for heavy texture also introduces a three-dimensional quality, engaging the sensory aspect of feeling. This textured surface invites viewers to want to touch the work, connecting them both physically and emotionally to the experience. Charcoal creates rich contrasts and striking details, while flecks of gold leaf scattered throughout various pieces catch the viewer's eye and momentarily reflect the value of the memory. These give a tangible form to the emotions behind each piece."

Baptiste said her ultimate goal is to "remove the viewer from the present moment and transport them into another time and experience."

"Each element is a crucial component to the interaction, the framing considered to be an integral part of the overall experience. As well, I don't want the work to simply hang off the wall, but rather come out into the viewer's space and envelope them. This encourages a dialogue with the viewer about my identity and moral values. I am drawn to Expressionism and Surrealism, and my evolution of perception and memories is inspired by the similar dream-like state that Surrealism captures. In my work, the pieces are not strictly depicting a singular memory, but rather combine multiple aspects of time, past, present, and future, creating metamorphosis of distinct times and experiences. It draws on the theory of psychological continuity by John Locke. I take inspiration from Expressionism with the use of heavily textured physical brushstrokes that demonstrate the emotion escaping the 2D plane and engaging the viewer."

"Ultimately, my goal is to relate and connect through a broader sense of interconnected human identity. I will continue to explore how different mediums are able to create depth and take the artwork from a piece separate to the viewer- to find connection. Conceptually, I want to find values that can transcend across people and time, furthering the notion of what identity is."

Topics: Art