WJB Gallery

The great feature of the Gallery is its multivalence. In this situation it becomes a classroom, and not only a classroom but a laboratory for the creative process, and then on top of that it serves its function as an exhibition space where the students’ work is on display for public engagement.

The WJB Gallery is an 1100-square-foot exhibition space shared and managed by the departments of the College of Fine Arts: Art, Art Education, Art History, Interior Architecture & Design, Dance, Theatre, and the Museum of Fine Arts.  The 24 x 46-foot glass-walled gallery stretches the length of the central five-story atrium in the Johnston Building, providing rich natural lighting and secure but vivid public exposure for exhibitions.

All exhibitions in the WJB Gallery are curated by or display works by students of the College of Fine Arts. Faculty and students develop exhibitions in consultation with a gallery committee of representatives from each department and the Museum of Fine Arts.  The scope and timeline of exhibitions varies with the needs and resources of the host department. Previous shows have included extended displays of student-designed furniture, short-term one-artist openings, semester-long curatorial projects, and one-night dance performances.

Currently on Display

Carolyn Ford (left) in conversation with Samantha Fast.

“All Over The Map”

From March 3 through April 4, the Museum Object Spring 2023 seminar is pleased to host a selection of ceramic artist Carolyn Ford’s tondi (ceramic sgraffiti disks). Ford’s sgraffito tondi cover the subjects of ceramic art, Tennessee culture, and the cultures of her travel destinations.

This exhibition serves to honor the expression of her emotional travel from and return to home through the medium of ceramics. Throughout the duration of the exhibition, students will continue to research Ford’s tondi and offer additional programming to campus and Tallahassee communities, all which will be documented on a website dedicated to their experience.

Previously on Display

2023 Charrette Winners: Morgan Kolb, Tyler Williams, and Lucinda Caldwell (left to right)

“Year 10”

A look back at 10 years of the Student Design Charrette Challenge hosted by the Department of Interior Architecture and Design. The competition challenges teams of students to work over a 96-hour period to generate a graphic-rich solution to a fantastical design scenario problem.

This year, students were asked to pick a childhood game and scale it up to a spectator experience in a stadium or another location of their choosing.

The exhibition will be on display until February 25th.

First-year MFA students in FSU’s College of Fine Arts

“Between the Lines”

Focusing on collaboration, students in the first year MFA seminar curated an exhibition exploring how visual artists are influenced by, and in conversation with, written language. Each student selected a written work to pair with a visual piece, and both are shown side-by-side in the gallery.

The writings range from poetry, song lyrics and social media posts to theory and fiction, while the visual artworks include painting, printmaking, sculpture, and video, illustrating the multi-media focuses of the students in the Department of Art. This student-driven project was an opportunity for them to reflect on the many kinds of research, scholarship, and speech they encounter as graduate students.

Student Resources

College of Fine Arts faculty and TAs may submit exhibition proposals for review by the gallery committee. We encourage you to check the upcoming timelime and contact your department representative on the committee, in planning your exhibition. Once you are ready to formally propose an exhibition, please submit through our online Proposal Form.

The Gallery committee approves proposals, arranges the schedule, allocates a small budget for supplemental equipment or materials, and supervises a staff of interns who may assist with installation, marketing, and some supervision/guided tours. Requests for staff assistance with installation should be directed to Meredith Lynn, Director of Galleries. In designing your installation, please refer to the Floorplan and Exhibition Guidelines.

WJB Gallery Committee Members

Meredith Lynn (MoFA)

Grace Ali (Art)

Tenley Bick (Art History)

Irvin Gonzalez (Dance)

Kellen Hoxworth (Theatre)

Yelena McLane (Interior Architecture & Design)

Ann Rowson Love (Art Education)