Art House 310 First Friday – Alexandria Olthoff & Emily Ritter
Opening Reception | First Friday October 4th, 2024 | 6-10pm

This event is free to attend and open to the public. Show hangs through October 20th, 2024. Art House 310 is located at 310 S. Laura. Two blocks SE of Douglas & Washington in downtown Wichita.

ALEXANDRIA OLTHOFF

My name is Alexandria or “Ali,” a local to the Wichita area but have experienced & lived in many other locations. I have been painting, drawing and creating for 16 plus years.

Animals have always held a special place in my soul, real or mythical, they fascinate & inspire me endlessly.

While animals are a central theme in my art, my creative process is also a vehicle for navigating difficult emotions & challenging times, both personal and in the world.

I work across various mediums – acrylic, oil, watercolor, pencil & colored pencil, each offering its own unique language. The journey of learning and growth in my art is extremely fulfilling when I look back at how far I’ve come.

As an artist my aspiration is two-fold: to sustain myself doing what I love and to make art that is accessible to everyone who finds joy and/or solace in it. Balancing these two things is not always easy but a challenge I choose to embrace with humility and determination.

Beyond art I find joy in time spent with my pets, kayaking, dancing, adventuring with my husband, trying not to kill my plants and savoring the art of doing nothing at all.

I invite you to check out my website where you will find my social links and a deeper glimpse into my artistic journey. Thank you for being here, for lending your eyes, for being a part of making my art visible.

-Alikat

See more of Alexandria’s work online: https://linktr.ee/alexandriaolthoff , on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alikatart7 , on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlikatArtBiz , and on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@alikatart7

EMILY RITTER

Bio: Emily E. Ritter is an multidisciplinary artist currently living in Kansas. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art with an emphasis in Printmaking from Wichita State University in 2012. After graduating, Ritter was an Intern-in-Residence at Women’s Studio Workshop in Rosendale, NY in 2014. She received her Master’s of Fine Arts in Studio Art from Arizona State University in 2018. Ritter’s work explores various ecological themes, ranging from illustrations of native Kansas flora and fauna to sculptural narratives of potential ecological futures. She has exhibited her work locally, nationally, and internationally. Ritter is currently the Assistant Professor of Digital Design at Newman University in Wichita, KS.

Artist Statement: Mark-making and texture have always been central to my artistic practice, serving as both a creative expression and a meditative practice. The repetitive act of creating intricate details, often in the form of fur, became a therapeutic ritual for me during times of stress. This body of work began as an exploration of letting go—abandoning the pursuit of perfect, realistic wildlife portraits in favor of embracing the calming “doodles” that I would instinctively create. My goal was to create a surreal and abstract world of “fur creatures,” inspired by my deep connection to the natural world.

As I developed this series, a significant life event shifted its direction, leading to the most personal work I’ve ever created. I began to merge my abstract, nature-inspired illustrations with emotion drawings and emotions tracking,—a process that helped me navigate the profound and sudden changes in my life. This fusion resulted in a mythical world of “fur creatures” with greater depth and meaning.

Emotions are not exclusive to humans; they permeate the natural world in ways that are both subtle and profound. Flora and fauna each express emotions in their own unique ways, reflecting the complex emotional landscapes we often attribute solely to ourselves. Plants that have stunted growth from stress or release pheromones when damaged, insects that learn behaviors from pleasure or pain, crows remembering when you have done them wrong, frantic gosling parents trying to save their chick that was hit by a car, or your dog being excited for you to come home. All of these examples speak to a shared emotional experience of the world, and how different species use their emotions to help them navigate it. This is something I kept in mind while I surrounded myself with nature to help me navigate my new life trajectory.

For me, this process has been a form of art therapy—a way to process my emotions, understand them better, and draw joy from nature. While I do not wish the emotional turmoil I have faced upon anyone, I do hope you find a personal connection to these pieces. My hope is that you leave this exhibition feeling seen, understanding that you are not alone in your experiences. While each journey is unique, our emotions connect us all.

See more of Emily’s work online: https://www.emilyeritter.com/  and on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilyeritterart 

www.ArtHouse310.com

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