I visited “Color Bomb!” at WSU ShiftSpace on First Friday before the throngs arrived. What I encountered was less an explosion of color and more of an outburst — an observation that says less about the exhibition itself than it does the nature of the gallery space.

Housed within the arts powerhouse Harvester Arts, WSU ShiftSpace is unlike most public galleries in Wichita. It is dedicated to current students and recent graduates of Wichita State's School of Art, Design, and Creative Industries and serves as a laboratory for artists who are still developing their practices and finding their voices. 

By focusing on emerging artists, ShiftSpace helps bridge the gap between art school and professional practice. Many of these emerging artists choose to remain in Wichita and become the next generation of working artists, advocates, and arts educators in the city.   

Recent Wichita State graduate Branden Lawless, who earned this debut curatorial opportunity through a faculty selection committee, transformed the original proposal of two longer exhibitions into three month-long shows to open on First Fridays this summer. Lawless’ triumphant Master of Fine Arts thesis exhibition at Harvester Arts in May, “Rat Bastard University: Home Sweet Home,” was a world-building collection of sculptural ceramic figures that included large-scale, exaggerated, anthropomorphized animal characters and cityscapes as well as duplicate miniature ceramic action figures housed within graphically designed RBU packaging, which he also fabricated. To take his world further, at the exhibition opening reception he dressed in the likeness of his main character Bam, in baggy jeans, goggles, and green hair. Lawless is establishing an edgy voice of whimsical satire from a self-described Midwestern queer perspective. It’s exciting to witness.

“A big reason why I decided to propose ideas for this is because I’m staying in the Wichita area. I’m from Derby, and I grew up all around here, and I want to continue building my art presence here,” Lawless said in an interview with The SHOUT.

“Color Bomb!” is organized in the classic ROYGBV rainbow sequence (plus some pinks, grays, and blacks) with 38 works by 18 artists in a broad range of media, from ceramics and acrylic paint to woven fiber and reduction woodcut prints. 

Presented during Pride month, Lawless acknowledged that this is a Pride show without it being an overt Pride show, instead allowing the color itself to carry much of the conversation. The labels feel considered, providing the artists’ names, work titles, and media, but also a direct line to learning more, with the contact information and Instagram handles for the artists include at the bottom.

“My main focus was to give opportunities to students,” Lawless said. “For a lot of the students that applied for this show, this is their first exhibition.”

Among the red works, Micalah Ruff’s “Queens” depicts two female-presenting figures who represent different generations within the same family. Rendered in embroidered thread, the figures share identical brown-toned skin and crimson tops. One appears more youthful with black hair and a cutout in the shoulder of her shirt; the other appears older, with gray hair and a jacket layered over her blouse. The absence of facial features shifts attention toward the visual and emotional connection between them.

Sierra Hagan’s abstract “Untitled” oil painting is a vibrant blend of sunset oranges and yellows, with softer glints of purples and greens subtly woven into the background. The muted lavender peaks in the top center of the work, and a soft swatch of aqua in the lower left corner suggests a golden-hour landscape.

In the yellow section, Sloane Dyer’s “Untitled” color study demonstrates a confident handling of paint. Thick impasto swatches of mustard yellow swirl into brighter banana tones above linear strokes of creams layered over greens. The work rewards close looking through its attention to texture and surface.

The green section features a playful oval acrylic painting of a popular deli counter item. Krista Edwards’ “Don’t Take My Pickles” depicts a dense, almost overflowing cluster of bright green pickles with textured bumps on a dark background, which makes them pop.  

The blue section occupies the largest portion of the exhibition, lending some support to the often cited theory that it is the world’s favorite color. Jessica Lada’s “Blue Bottles” are five ceramic vessels of varying heights and bulbous forms covered in a crystalline glaze. This type of glaze requires a fascinating chemistry of minerals in the firing process to grow actual crystal structures on the ceramic form. Lada continues this glaze exploration in an untitled wall-mounted work composed of undulating waves of blue and stone-colored forms. 

Nearby, Fatima Bravo’s “Skin of the Sea” evokes a tidal pool hugged by spiky sea urchins. The vessel’s gaping central hole creates a sense of mystery, inviting viewers to peek inside.  

One of the exhibition’s most poignant works is Kenna Green’s “Don’t Shoot It’s Just Cardio.” A Black figure in neon athletic clothing runs away from the viewer, the titular phrase bedazzled across the back of the T-shirt. The runner moves through a scape of dripping (bleeding?) stars and oversized X’s, striding toward a set of crosshairs, while the number 25 emerges beneath layers of bright pink. The combination of jewels and metallic golds and unsettling imagery creates a tension between leisure and violence.  It is pure speculation, but this work may reference Ahmaud Arbery, the unarmed, 25 year-old Black man who was fatally gunned down by three white men in a truck as he jogged through a Georgia neighborhood in 2020.  

T.K. Olsen’s “Above/below” is an understated fiber weaving depicting two apples. The upper fruit appears perfectly ripe and shiny, while the fruit below it is speckled with mold spots. Quiet and restrained, the work provides a thoughtful conclusion to the violet section of the rainbow spectrum.

As a curatorial concept, “Color Bomb!” has interesting intention and direction. The execution occasionally feels uneven, but that is also part of the appeal of a space devoted to emerging artists and curators with a broad range of developing artistic voices. If this exhibition is any indication, Lawless has an intriguing summer ahead. His July exhibition “UnNatural Instinct” will feature mixed-media works. Johanna Cairns, a sculptor and new Bethany College faculty member, will confer a “best in show” award at the opening. Lawless’ August exhibition will be “Sucker Punch,” focusing on comic books, pop art, anime-style works, and digital art. Stay tuned!

The Details

“Color Bomb!”
June 5-26, 2026, at WSU ShiftSpace Gallery, 120 E. 1st St., inside Harvester Arts at The Lux

Admission is free, and the gallery is accessible to people with physical disabilities.

WSU ShiftSpace Gallery is open Monday through Friday 3-6 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m.-2 p.m., and First Fridays 3-8 p.m.

Correction: This post was updated on June 21 to state that the next exhibition at WSU ShiftSpace is titled "UnNatural Instinct," not "Unnatural Selection. Read about our commitment to sharing accurate information.

Jessy Clonts Day is a writer, roller skater, and mother. After living 10 years in the American South and Southwest, she and her spouse returned to Kansas to raise their family, where the sunsets are otherworldly and the arts community is alive and well.  

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