50+ Years of Artistic Excellence: ��Թ� Blossom Art Intensives

The ��Թ� Blossom Art Intensive (KBAI) program offered by ��Թ�’s School of Art helps talented artists cultivate their skills to their full potential. The School of Art is proud to announce another year of KBAI, a program that’s been in place since 1968.

KBAI is a series of two-week studio art intensives offered during the summer that functions as a combination workshop and artist residency, where participants create a self-directed body of artwork with the support of resident School of Art faculty and guest artists from around the country.

“Over the two weeks of the program each summer, we offer 8-10 visiting artist lectures, an exhibition and reception, and pop-up events that are free and open to the public,” said Jillian Sokso, director of the School of Art.

“KBAI is a rare opportunity for the region to engage with artists who would otherwise not likely be in this part of the country, to learn from and enjoy a world-class exhibition, and experience remarkable artist lectures,” said Sokso.

Cassandra Jeffries, B.F.A. in painting, has attended KBAI twice. "My favorite part of Blossom is the range of faculty that are around to help develop your ideas," said Jeffries. "Karen Seapker, one of the visiting artists [in 2024] also really inspired my work."

fish eye lense photo of kent blossom art intensive participants — 1969 ��Թ� Blossom Art Intensives. Visiting artists included Wayne Thiebaud, Philip Pearlstein, and Frank Gallo.

KBAI History

KBAI has been a long-standing program at ��Թ� and has the respect of many. Sokso highlights the program as “one of our most important and mission consistent programs in the School of Art.”

Since the program’s inception in 1968, KBAI has hosted talented visiting artists from all over the country, such as Richard Anuszkiewicz, Philip Pearlstein, Wayne Thiebaud, Otto Piene, Alex Katz, Richard Hunt, Larry Zox, Julian Stanczak, and Arline Fisch within just the first decade. Artists have worked closely with students over the years to teach a broad range of disciplines, some of which include painting, sculpture, ceramics, jewelry, glassblowing, printmaking and more. Initially called the Blossom-��Թ� Art Program, KBAI was originally a part of the Blossom Festival School, an intensive arts education initiative that included visual arts, music and theater.

KBAI 2025

With an over 50-year legacy, this year’s intensives will be offered June 2-15. Participants will work in the studio seven days a week with full access to studio space, labs, equipment and tools at the Center for the Visual Arts at ��Թ�. This year’s featured courses will be in ceramics, glass, painting and textiles:

Ceramics: Resident Faculty Peter Christian Johnson, guest artists Janina Myronowa and Malcolm Mobutu Smith

Glass: Resident Faculty Davin Ebanks, guest artists Helen Lee and Kimberly Thomas

Painting: Resident Faculty Shawn Powell, guest artists Sarah Slappey and Leslie Smith III

Textiles: Resident Faculty John Paul Morabito, guest artists Indira Allegra & Paolo Arao

��Թ� State’s School of Art aims to carry on the legacy of KBAI and support artist success. KBAI welcomes all who have a passion for art to join in a long line of successful artists who have evolved from their life-changing time at the School of Art’s summer art intensive program.

Learn more about KBAI 2025

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