FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: March 30, 2026
CONTACT PERSON: EMILY COLUCCI PEAK, VISUAL ARTS COORDINATOR
SUBJECT: RHONDA J. SMITH EXHIBIT AT THE THYEN-CLARK CULTURAL CENTER
EXHIBIT DATES: APRIL 2 – JUNE 26, 2026
OPENING RECEPTION & GALLERY TALK: Thursday, April 2nd, 2026, from 5-7pm
*ALSO, Thursday, May 7thand June 4th, 2026, from 5-7pm
Jasper Arts is pleased to present the work of Keedysville, artist, Rhonda J. Smith for the months of April, May and June 2026 at the Thyen-Clark Cultural Center.
The solo exhibition titled ‘Persistence’ features large original, one-of-a-kind linoleum prints.
Smith states, “Persistence is patience and determination. It takes persistence to hand draw, cut and print large scale linoleum prints. It takes persistence to continue to work the land in the face of war, famine, disease and loss. Persistence is told through the farms and landscapes of Antietam National Battlefield Park. Persistence is the act of persistently cutting linoleum to tell these stories.”
Cutting these images of historic farmland is Smith’s way of cultivating a fertile line of
remembrance to forge a memory of place. She states, “Places hold the history of what came before only as long as we care to acknowledge the power of place within our national discourse. Acknowledging the past is the only way to fully embrace “all men are created equal” as a national identity and destiny.”
Rhonda J. Smith is a practicing artist and retired professor of Art. Smith served as Chair of the Department of Contemporary Art and Theater at Shepherd University for 30 years and acted as Coordinator of the BFA Painting Program for 5 years before becoming Coordinator of the BFA Printmaking Program for 26 years. She recently retired from Shepherd University after 30 years.
Smith received her BFA from Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, Kentucky and her MFA from the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas. Her work has been exhibited regionally and nationally. Smith has traveled in Europe, Africa, China, Peru, India and the United States. Her work is inspired by the notion that travel, history, family and experiences are the stories that shape our lives.
Smith will join us for a Gallery Talk at The First Thursday Opening Reception on Thursday, April 2nd, from 5:00 – 7:00pm. Free event and open to the public.
The galleries at the Thyen-Clark Cultural Center, located at 100 3rd Avenue, Suite A, Jasper, IN 47546, are open to the public Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Saturday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, and Sunday from noon to 3:00 pm. School groups, clubs, and students are welcome. Admission is free. Donations appreciated.
For more information, please call 812-482-3070. Jasper Community Arts is a department of the City of Jasper. JCA is supported in part by Friends of the Arts, Inc., the Indiana Arts Commission, The Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
A DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY OF JASPER