This week the Spiva Art Gallery on the Missouri Southern campus held an exhibition titled “Trio,” featuring three senior art education majors.  

The exhibition was held from Monday, Dec. 3 through today.   The gallery hours were from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.

The exhibit featured the works of Marilyn Stewart, Blaine Crocker and Devon Doyle.

Marilyn Stewart, from Joplin, is working toward a degree in art education and plans to graduate from MSSU in May 2013.    

“My inspiration is my life in the Ozarks,” she said. “I was born and raised in Joplin, and just the flora and fauna of Missouri, and also my family.

“It’s a beautiful, beautiful part of the state with lots of farm land and different topography and a lot of wildlife. One of my pieces is an artist book that I made, and it has a poem in it that I wrote called ‘Seasons of my Missouri Home.’ It has pictures of some animals and plant life that are related to Missouri.”

Blaine Crocker, originally of Jefferson City,  plans to graduate in May 2013 from MSSU with a degree in art education.

Her work includes a variety of two- and three-dimensional artwork done in a range of mediums from paper-cut to embroidery.

“My artwork is, I think, mostly inspired from patterns in fabric, in nature, and a lot of my work, I feel, is inspired from embroidery,” Crocker said.

“I was taught how to do that by my grandma and great grandmother so it’s a connection that I have to them.

“Through the different forms and media that I use, I feel I’m able to elaborate and find my own niche in that motif.”

Devon Doyle of Joplin is working towards her bachelor of science degree in art education and plans to graduate from MSSU in December 2013.  

Doyle’s large-scale, three-dimensional work employs a wide variety of natural and man-made materials including wood, fabric and found items.  Her inspiration is largely drawn from childhood experiences growing up on a farm outside of Pierce City.  

The closing reception will take place tonight from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Spiva Art Gallery. This event is free and open to the public.