Mercer Gallery Opening Reception - WSU Printmaking
Garden City Community College’s Mercer Gallery is pleased to present Wichita State University Printmaking Exhibition: Showcasing the Work of the Faculty and Current Graduate Students. This exhibition highlights the achievements of Wichita State University’s graduate printmaking students, Courtney Hancock, Aly Horn, and Aaron Maldonado, working under the mentorship of Marco Hernandez, Assistant Teaching Professor of Print Media and Foundations Coordinator at Wichita State University.
The Mercer Gallery will host the exhibition from October 3 through October 31, 2025. Regular gallery hours are Monday through Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The exhibition features a diverse selection of contemporary prints that reflect the innovation and artistic range of the participating students. Works on view span from highly illustrative and representational imagery to more abstract and expressive compositions, allowing audiences to engage with multiple approaches to the printmaking medium.
The public is invited to attend the opening reception on Thursday, October 2, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., with light refreshments provided, and the artists will be in attendance. A printmaking demonstration and artist talks will follow on Friday, October 3, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., in the art classrooms of the Joyce Fine Arts Building. Both events are free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to RSVP to Michael Knutson at michael.knutson@gcccks.edu.
The Wichita State University (WSU) Printmaking Exhibition features the work of faculty member Marco Hernandez alongside graduate students Courtney Hancock, Aly Horn, and Aaron Maldonado. Hernandez’s prints draw upon his Mexican heritage and immigrant experience, interweaving Mesoamerican symbols with contemporary cultural imagery to explore identity, memory, and tradition. His technically refined practice balances research with experimentation, producing compositions that speak to the complexities of bicultural experience while contributing to contemporary dialogues in print media.
The graduate students bring diverse approaches to the exhibition, reflecting the breadth of contemporary printmaking. Courtney Hancock investigates the relationships between humans and animals, reframing creatures often dismissed as pests while also reflecting on chronic illness through relief and photolithographic processes. Aly Horn creates immersive, mixed-media environments through the bear persona “Honey,” blending nostalgia, play, and trauma to critique identity and digital culture. Aaron Maldonado examines Mexican-American heritage through layered prints and mixed media, addressing themes of strength, fragility, trauma, and family. Together, their practices demonstrate the innovation and range of Wichita State’s printmaking program.
For further information, please get in touch with Gallery Director Michael Knutson at michael.knutson@gcccks.edu.
