The School of Art in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences is pleased to announce Holly Rose Kranker's M.F.A. thesis exhibition, A Living House Never Stands Still, opening Saturday, April 12, and is on display through April 20 by appointment at a former church in Springdale, 302 Holcomb St. All are invited to attend the opening reception, from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, April 12.

This exhibition will showcase the culmination of Kranker's academic journey at the U of A, bringing together a body of work that explores notions of memory, place, love and loss.

"My practice explores the interplay between place, memory and the suspension of time through diverse mediums and materials. Central to my exploration is the concept of home — not merely as a physical location, but as an evolving entity rooted in every part of speech," says Kranker. "My work, much like my life, is imbued with nostalgia. I engage with seemingly mundane objects, interpreting them through an irrational lens to unearth connections to the past and insights into the present and future."

Kranker is a multi-disciplinary artist, born and raised among the Midwest plains. Kranker graduated summa cum laude in 2007, earning a B.F.A. with an emphasis in commercial art and interior design from Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, Kansas. 

She has exhibited nationally and has received awards from the Birger Sandzèn Memorial Gallery in contemporary metal craft, George A. Spiva Center for the Arts in photography and has work included in the National Park Foundation-Lewis and Clark Historic Trail permanent collection. Kranker has been an artist-in-residence at the Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts, Nebraska City, Nebraska, and awarded an Individual Artists Fellowship through the Nebraska Arts Council.

Prior to attending the M.F.A. program at the U of A School of Art, she was the residency program director at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, leading the organization's international artist-in-residence program for nearly a decade. She has also been the studio manager and lead assistant to renowned glass sculptor Therman Statom. Kranker is the recipient of a Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences Graduate Fellowship and will graduate in May with her M.F.A. in studio art with an emphasis in sculpture.

For additional information, inquiries or to schedule an interview with the artist, please contact Holly Kranker or visit her website at www.hollykranker.com.