By Joan C. McKinney, director, Office of University Communications

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. - Rachel Roberts, graphic designer and illustrator of Campbellsville, will hold her senior art exhibit April 1-12 at Campbellsville University's The Pence-Chowning Art Gallery, 205 University Drive, Campbellsville, Ky.

A reception will be from 3:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. Monday, April 1 in the gallery.  Everyone is invited to both free of charge.

Roberts, the daughter of David and Debby Roberts, was born and reared in Campbellsville. Her love of writing, psychology and love of various cultures, such as Japan, makes her up visual style in the arts. She uses vivid colors, symbolisms (crosses, roses, etc.) and stories that bring “your dreams to life and your deepest, darkest emotions forward,” she said.

While earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at Campbellsville University, Roberts' works has been shown in several juried exhibitions including the LexArts Gallery in Lexington, SkyPAC Gallery in Bowling Green and The Pence-Chowning Art Gallery in Campbellsville.

She has had two solo shows at the Taylor County Public Library in Campbellsville and has published artwork in Campbellsville University's Russell Creek Review publication for two consecutive years.

She has membership in the Kappa Pi International Art Honor Society (Iota Chapter). She has also earned many awards and achievements such as “Nature Photographer of the Year” in 2018 at Campbellsville University, Gold Key Award in scholastic art and writing and several honorable mentions from galleries within Kentucky.

Roberts said, as an artist, her goal is to “illustrate in a visual fantasy driven by a psychological reality within the physical and spiritual world in my artwork.”

She said she has always had a love of reading and writing and love for bringing out a person's emotions through the creative writing process.

“I primarily would read Manga, Japanese comic books, and would study the detailing of the covers and the pencil strokes through the use of thick/thin lines, large eyes, vivid colors and character elegance. This type of style started to slowly seep into the way I view illustrations.”

Roberts uses markers as her main medium, and “began to intersect my passion of storytelling and the psychological combination of my ideas and emotions in art.”

She said most illustrations today are done with inks or made digitally, but “I find the usage of markers much more vibrant and exhilarating; capturing light on the surface, but showing the dark and sinister tones of the piece in secret.”

Her style also includes a quality of details that often shows up as doll-like and frilly accents.

“This creates a look of innocence to the foreground and corruption hidden in the background. I always like the audience to feel like my pieces are light-hearted and full of emotion, but can also find the dark elements that are always hidden deeper inside.”

For more information about the exhibit, contact Davie Reneau, associate professor of art, at dreneau@campbellsville.edu or (270) 789-5407.
Campbellsville University is a widely-acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 12,000 students offering over 90 programs of study including Ph.D., master, baccalaureate, associate, pre-professional and certification programs. The university has off-campus centers in Kentucky cities Louisville, Harrodsburg, Somerset, Hodgenville and Liberty with instructional sites in Elizabethtown, Owensboro and Summersville, all in Kentucky, and one in Costa Mesa, Calif., and a full complement of online programs. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.
Campbellsville University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award certificates, associate, baccalaureate, masters and doctoral degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the status of Campbellsville University.