Featuring the Art and Creative Perspectives of Seven Inspiring Southern Illinois Women Artists
Presenting the First Large Collective Exhibition at Our On the Strip Gallery
We are honored to share the vibrant, beautifully unique, and deeply personal expressions of these remarkable Southern Illinois artists. Their works reflect discovery, joy, creativity, culture, and the diverse perspectives that shape their lives and inform their art.
As a collective exhibit, the artists’ works span mediums and artistry—drawing from their unique points of view, yet also with shared perceptions as women creatives.
We invite you to explore this exhibition and the immense talent on display. Come “discover your own meaning” within this rich and expansive collection.
Featured Artists
Shoshana Church
Creativity has been a constant in Church’s life. She believes that each of us is blessed with a unique gift, and for her, that gift is the ability to convey meaningful messages through art. “Trends fade, but original art carries depth, history, and meaning. My work is created with layers of texture, scripture, and prayer—each piece one-of-a-kind…” Church’s journey to professional artist included time as a preschool teacher, physical therapist assistant, physician assistant, aromatherapist, and cannabis educator before diving into her true passion. “My guiding principle is: "With Faith as my compass, I am empowered to create art that speaks to the soul."
Rachel Malcom-Ensor, PhD
Ensor has spent a lifetime immersed in creative influence. With a Master’s in Art History and additional doctoral work, she is an accomplished artist and art historian, and founder of the Murphysboro School of Art. As an artist, she states, “I focus on an idea, and then I start working, and I trust myself….” She believes, “You can really work out any problems you have if you make art…. It is also a great way to make new ideas for yourself and to help a person bloom.”
Margaret Goodward
Exploring her creativity since childhood, Goodward’s intricate art is created using multilayered cut‑paper low reliefs using a scalpel, vivid color, and intricate detail—drawing from a uniquely expansive artistic background in ceramics, figure drawing, metalworking, and printmaking (especially collagraph - printing from a plate of collaged materials). A period of recovery after an auto accident led to collage‑drawings and cut‑paper mandalas. Paper ultimately became her primary medium. “My images reflect on natural growth and human growth with artistic interests in positive-negative space, radial forms and subtle embossed or scribed details that reward those who come to look up close.”
Erin Alice Gray
Color has always been a huge draw for Gray, “It speaks directly to my soul. A glimpse of a new or unexpected color combination will catch my eye and inspire and delight me. My paintings explore this interplay between combinations of color and my reactions to them. Everything might begin with color, but it is through the use of texture that I seek to communicate the emotions it evokes. To me, it’s about finding the joy in these unexpected combinations.” Her 3-dimensional pieces created with “random found objects” reflect her idea that leftover items, that otherwise would have been thrown away, can be given a new life and be used to create something beautiful.
Fern Logan
“I’m very conscious that the body is a temporary vessel and that we all are the same. And it just comes out in the work, and I’m glad that it does.” A renowned photographer, visual artist, and Southern Illinois influence with national acclaim, Logan’s works have been shown at the Smithsonian Institution, the Studio Museum in Harlem, and beyond. A passionate and thoughtful artistic force, she is SIU Professor Emerita of Cinema & Photography. We are honored that she is our current Residency Award recipient.
Lisa Tolnai
Tolnai’s innate creativity has been a part of her life from a young age, even as she built a full-time career outside of the arts. In recent years, she has devoted more focused time to her creative passion and to exploring artistic themes. “I try to make art a part of my everyday life. Creating gives me a sense of fulfillment, and I love it when others connect with what I have created. “Alongside her love of animals, and specifically her three cats, she draws inspiration from iconic furniture design, nature, music, and everyday life, all of which continue to shape her artistic talent and perspectives. Ultimately, she appreciates being able to bring a sense of joy to others through her work.
Emily Drew Yates
Painter, illustrator, and mapmaker, Yates is best known for her colorful, joyous artwork in acrylic, watercolor, and mixed media paintings and creative maps which celebrate the magic and mystery of the natural world, botanicals, and reverence for the great outdoors. Creativity and “making things” are a constant draw for Yates—continually pulling her back to art and creating as a comfort. Observing nature and its creatures—seeing the language of a universe that is alive—is a constant inspiration for her, which informs the free flow and exuberance of her work.
Bring the Exhibit Home
Art for Purchase—Support Local Artists & Our Work
Select pieces in this show are available for purchase at our On the Strip gallery. Whether you’re looking to start your collection or find a meaningful gift, take home original artwork from these inspiring artists. Your purchase supports these local creatives and our work to continue to provide opportunities and resources to Independent artists and our communities.
Exhibition On View
Now through April 18
Save the Date: Reception April 11
More details coming soon