Art students produce scores of work during their years at ACU that range from paintings to drawings to digital creations. Senior art shows give these students a chance to take the art that has piled up in their lockers or garages and display them for professors, parents and fellow students to see.

The first senior art show of the year will open Friday, hosting the work of five students set to graduate in December.

The show, titled “Stuff on Walls,” will exhibit work by Erika Ito, Stephanie Kennedy, Stewart Youngblood, Jacob Ray and Aaron Cavitt.

Cavitt, a senior youth ministry and graphic design major from Abilene, said the title for the show came as sort of a joke.

“We wanted to come up with something deep and philosophical but then thought why not do something funny,” he said.

Seniors not only have a chance to display about 10 works each but also get to gain experience in setting up a gallery for a show. Students are given a chance to design every aspect of the show from the works that are in it and gallery decorations all the way down to the refreshments.

“It is a lot more work than I was expecting,” said Cavitt. “But it is going to come together really nicely.”

These experiences not only translate into a career in the arts but also, for many seniors, offer them a chance to show their friends what they have been creating and leave their mark as they graduate from ACU.

“It is a chance to hang out with friends but also a kind of goodbye party,” said Jacob Ray, senior graphic design major from Mio, Michigan. “It’s a way to show them what you’ve done here at ACU.”

The department will host two senior shows this fall, for students graduating in December, and many more in the spring from those graduating in May.

The gallery opening for “Stuff on Walls” will take place Friday at 7 p.m. in the Shore Art Gallery. Students can also visit the gallery during work hours until November 17.