The fourth High School Experience art exhibition, featuring the talents of local high school students, is underway at SIU Carbondale’s Sharp Museum. (Photo provided by Haley Stanaford)
November 13, 2026
SIU’s Sharp Museum features works by local high school students
CARBONDALE, Ill. — A reception highlighting the talents of art students from Harrisburg High School and Murphysboro High School is set for Tuesday, Nov. 17, in Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Sharp Museum.
The free, public reception is from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in the museum’s auditorium with a discussion starting at 6 p.m.
The fourth Sharp Museum High School Experience Exhibition in the North Hall Atrium Gallery features works by 36 students from the two schools. The collaboration with students in SIU’s School of Art and Design’s Education program not only provides an outlet for emerging high school art students to show their work, it also gives SIU art education students the important experience of developing curricula.
“This exhibit is important not only for connecting with the community and bolstering students' high school careers by adding a museum exhibit to their resumes, but also for fostering a sense of ownership and belonging,” said T. Lance, the museum’s curator of exhibits. “We want the greater community to feel our museum is their space too, not just a university resource. This gives valuable teaching experience to SIU art education students, the real MVPs of this program, who are challenged to create original curriculum and teach collaboratively in groups.”
Works based on current exhibitions
The program was developed by Jody Paulson, a clinical associate professor and art and design education program coordinator in the School of Art and Design, who continues to direct the program events. SIU Carbondale’s Library Affairs sponsors the program.
Students from two or three area high schools are brought in each September for a guided experience through the museum and the exhibitions. SIU art education students develop curricula based around three current exhibitions, and then the high schools are asked to make their work in response to their visit, Lance said.
The current exhibition opened Nov. 10 and runs through Tuesday.
The students’ works are inspired by three current exhibitions:
- “Alter Ego,” by Carbondale artist Destiny Bowman.
- “Requiem for Newspapers -30-“ by SIU Carbondale alumnus Tim Atseff.
- “Spooks or Spoofs a celebration of cryptozoology,” featuring a variety of media and styles and features 58 entries from about 35 artists across nine states.
As with all exhibitions, the artwork represents the viewpoints of its creators, not SIU. SIU complies with the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act and State Officials and Employees Ethics Act.
Museum hours
For more information on the exhibitions, contact Lance at 618-453-5388 or t.lance@siu.edu or visit museum.siu.edu. Sharp Museum hours are noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 1-4 p.m. Saturday. The museum is closed Sunday and Monday, and during all SIU breaks and holidays.