Buckeyes give: top Arts and Sciences stories from 2022-23

Art and appreciation of art are key to The Ohio State University experience. Each year on campus, Buckeyes from all backgrounds enjoy theatre shows, jazz performances and visiting the art galleries at Hopkins Hall. Generous donors like the Fergus family keep the arts alive and thriving at Ohio State. 

The Edith Fergus Gilmore Materials and Scholarship Fund was established in June 1971 with gifts from Robert H. Fergus, John C. and Elizabeth O. Fergus in honor of their mother Edith Fergus. These funds support dozens of undergraduate and graduate arts students every year. While the impact of the Fergus family’s philanthropy is vast — from merit-based scholarships to summer support to materials funding — the cornerstone of the fund is the annual Fergus Family Scholarship Exhibition. 

This year’s 31st annual exhibition, which took place in January, celebrated 15 students who were selected by a jury of faculty to display their work at the Hopkins Hall Gallery on campus. The students also received scholarships to help purchase materials to produce their work. 

“The materials awards enable students the opportunity to dream bigger than they may have ever been able to dream before. Support for making a larger print, or purchasing a different grade of paper or paint, or using a different material goes a very long way toward inspiring next steps in the creative process,” said Laura Lisbon, chair of the Department of Art. 

One of this year’s artists, Annelise Duque agreed: “As a first-year MFA student, it’s very important for me to have the freedom to explore and experiment, and having access to these funds is of enormous help to my educational goals.” 

The artists chosen for this year’s exhibition represent a variety of majors, including art, industrial design, film studies and studio art. The works selected for the exhibition reflect the diversity of the artists and the limitless capabilities of art. 

For students like Emily Straughn, this exhibition marks an important milestone in their artistic careers. “This will be my first time showcasing a piece in a professional gallery space, and it means a lot for my work to be taken seriously. I know that by showcasing my work I not only represent myself as an artist/designer, but also my industrial design peers,” Straughn said. 

For others, selection for this exhibition bolsters their determination to continue their artistic journey. “Receiving this award, especially during the first semester in the PhD program, has once again filled me with motivation, excitement and support,” said Polina Isurin, one of this year’s artists. 

Title: The (Un) Consumable 

Materials: acrylic sheet of paint over painted canvas 

Size: 56 x 47 x 9 inches

Info: Paint is often deemed a consumable expense, meaning it is bought, used, and then replaced. Does painting over a wall or canvas really create a blank slate? This piece asks to consider the possibility and meaning of an accumulated, unconsumable painting. 

Artist: Polina Isurin 

Title: Blight

Artist: Jingyin Che

Title: For the Chinese Cupwing (2022)

Materials: Reed, rafia, wood glue 

Size: 53 x 6 x 14 inches 

Info: Due to its small stature and its camouflage coloring, the Chinese Cupwing remains elusive to the eye. They are best identified by their rippling warble; therefore, the shape of their sound was reflected in the dwelling crafted for them. The curling structure isn’t just a visual, it’s also functional as it’s intended to wrap around the vines found in the Cupwing’s habitat, the rainforests of Sichuan, China. Lastly, the dwelling encourages interspecies collaboration; the nesting tube invites the Cupwing to weave pieces of its own habitat in order to complete the dwelling according to its own taste. 

Artist: Emily Straughn 

Title: Bib For When I Am With U (front) (2022)

Materials: O-rings, lobster clasp, chainmail (16 swg), leather, crotch of a pair of tights, nails 

Size: 101 x 16 inches

Artist: Gabriella Moreno 

Support opportunities for art students by making a gift to the Department of Art Scholarship Fund​​​​.