First art exhibit of school year opens September 30 at Sarah Spurgeon Gallery

With a new academic year getting underway at Central Washington University, the Sarah Spurgeon Gallery will be hosting "Seeds," a solo exhibition by Pullman-based artist and professor Jiemei Lin.

Lin uses traditional and digital media to create mixed-media paintings, children’s book illustrations, and public murals. Her works focus on themes of individual and cultural identity, with a particular emphasis on design and color. 

The title of the exhibit, Seeds, refers to nature as a constant source of inspiration for Lin, who incorporates vividly colored leaves, shrubs, and trees, into much of her artwork. Seeds is also a metaphor for self-growth and healing, as well as for the importance of community engagement and collaboration in Lin’s artistic process.

The opening events will take place on Tuesday, September 30, beginning with an artist talk from 4-5 p.m. in Randall Hall, Room 117. The talk will be directly followed by a reception in the Sarah Spurgeon Gallery from 5-7 p.m.

Originally from Hangzhou, China, Lin has served as a professor of illustration and design at Washington State University since 2023. In 2024, she received a Fellowship Award from Artist Trust, and was a Smelser Vallion Visiting Artist at Oklahoma State University this summer. Lin’s public art commissions include murals for Jefferson and Kamiak elementary schools in Pullman, Amazon’s Blackfoot building in downtown Seattle, and the YWCA in Spokane, among others. View more of her work on her website.

During the reception, visitors will be able to purchase copies of The Rock In My Throat, a children’s book illustrated by Lin and written by Kao Kalia Yang. In this moving true story, Yang shares her experiences as a young Hmong refugee who is struggling to fit in and speak English at school. Prints of selected illustrations from the book will be on view in the gallery as part of the exhibit.

The exhibition will remain on view through October 25. Sarah Spurgeon Gallery is open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturdays from 1-5 p.m. The gallery is closed on Sundays.

Image captions:

1. Jiemei Lin, Watering, 48 in. x 72 in., 2024, Mixed media on rice paper
2. Jiemei Lin, Terrace, 48 in. x 48 in., 2024, Mixed media on rice paper