Milligan’s ‘Two Cats + A Herd of Buffalo’ exhibit had its opening reception on Feb. 6 at Dos Gatos Coffee Bar in Johnson City, Tennessee.
The annual February show showcases over 30 works of Milligan students in art, graphic design, photography and interactive media design.
“It looks very excellently made,” graduate student Abbie Christensen said. “I see a lot of personality in everything, and it’s all clearly made by different people, and it has its own tone to it. You can tell that all of them have a lot of time put into them because there are so many; there’s so much detail in them.”
For opening night, students designed buttons were available for the visitors to take home as souvenirs. They have been a tradition since the 2019 showcase.
“The first person that helped me design the first poster with the first two cats, she was also into 80s punk rock buttons,” Brown said. “I had some extra money in my budget. I said, ‘I’ll order these and see what happens.’ And they all went away fast. And so, I’ve been ordering them since then every year.”
The art show has been around for about 20 years. Originally, the art show took place in a frame shop up the street, according to associate professor of graphic design Art Brown, until it moved into the Dos Gatos Coffee Bar in 2019, allowing people to purchase food and drinks while looking at the art.
“It’s exciting to have work displayed in a public space because it allows me to get feedback from a bunch of different people that I don’t normally see and put my work out there in the world,” said graphic design major Marion Tallon.
Brown emphasized the importance of students displaying their work outside Milligan’s campus, as this is the only art exhibition off campus.
“It is really important for Milligan to be a part, to be seen as a part of the regional arts community,” Brown said. “And we have been for many, many years. We have to remain visible and not hide out.”
The art will remain on display through Monday, March 2.
Photo: Art Show at Dos Gatos
