Jan. 17, 2025

Ferris State’s KCAD exhibitions balance seasoned expertise and fresh perspectives

Ferris State University’s Kendall College of Art and Design kicks off the 2025 spring semester with two on-campus exhibitions that celebrate the breadth of its creative community.

catch & release, a faculty sabbatical exhibition by KCAD professor Bob Marsh, and the First Year Experience Exhibition, featuring selected works from first-year students, highlight the dynamic exchange between seasoned expertise and fresh perspectives. 

Together, the exhibitions illustrate how shared learning and creative exploration shape the KCAD experience.

catch & release – Sabbatical Exhibition by Professor Bob Marsh
Jan. 13 – March 28 

KCAD Product Design professor Bob Marsh is sharing the results of his recent sabbatical with catch & release, an exhibition of unique kinetic sculptures that explore the nature of fleeting ideas and their impact on personal and cultural understanding. 

Marsh’s works draw inspiration from shared culture and fine arts, balancing calculated decisions and serendipitous discoveries in his studio process. The pieces explore unexpected connections, formal inquiry, and moments of levity, offering insight into how attention and interpretation shape our perspectives.

"The works included in this exhibition embrace the notion that ideas and understanding are often fleeting,” Marsh said. "There is a direct correlation between the attention given to a subject matter and the knowledge garnered from its examination, and both are often of a finite amount.” 

Marsh’s extensive national and international exhibition record includes shows at the Armory Gallery at Virginia Tech University’s School of Visual Arts, Shanghai Meilidao International Art Institution of China, and The George School in Newton, Pennsylvania, among others.  

Marsh has also participated in a number of prestigious artist residencies, including the Appalachian Center for Crafts, Haystack Mountain School of Craft, and the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship. To see more of Bob Marsh’s work, visit bobmarshstudio.com. 

The catch & release exhibition is on view Jan. 13 through March 28 in the KCAD FLEXgallery located at 17 Pearl Street. All are invited to attend the closing reception on Thursday, March 20 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. 

First Year Experience Exhibition
Jan. 13 – Feb. 8 

Complementing Marsh’s reflective exploration, the First Year Experience Exhibition showcases how KCAD’s newest artists and designers are beginning their own creative journeys. 

The group show celebrates outstanding student work from the fall semester Foundations courses, featuring selected works across multiple disciplines from 42 first-year students.

KCAD’s Foundations: First Year Experience Program unites first-year students in a shared experience that strengthens their core creative skills and fosters community on campus. 

Within this shared learning experience, students freely blend traditional, current, and experimental approaches to art and design, giving them agency to build skills and knowledge that are personally and professionally meaningful.

“This exhibition is more than a showcase of student work— it demonstrates how our first-year students develop versatile tools and a deeper understanding of how their creativity relates to the world around them,” KCAD Exhibitions Director Michele Bosak said. “These emerging artists and designers are already pushing creative boundaries and finding their unique voices.” 

The First Year Experience Exhibition is on view Jan. 13 through Feb. 8 in the KCAD Spark Gallery. All are invited to attend the closing reception on Tuesday, Feb. 4 from 5 to :30 p.m.

Both exhibitions are free and open to the public. Visit kcad.edu/events for more information.