College of Education and Behavioral Sciences News

From exploring cutting-edge techniques to delving into traditional art forms, graduating senior Laryn Bishop crafted a unique experience on the Hill in the WKU Department of Art & Design.

“I toured many schools in Kentucky, but WKU stuck out to me due to its art department and its vast possibilities,” Bishop noted.

Bishop majored in both Animation and Studio Arts, a choice that allowed her to explore two exciting fields and express her creativity across a range of physical and digital media.

“I have always been sort of an indecisive person, so having to choose something to do for the rest of my life was a bit of a difficult decision. On one hand, I love animation and exploring digital art, but with that I tend to miss creating with my hands. I appreciate dipping a toe into every medium,” Bishop explained.

Her love of animation began long before college, but studying it at WKU brought it to another level. Bishop watched and created animated art alongside her friend Mattie Howard (’24), eventually leading to an extraordinary research and study abroad experience.

Bishop and Howard successfully applied for spots on a Kentucky Institute for International Studies (KIIS) study abroad trip for the summer of 2023, led by Professor Joon Sung. Traveling to Japan and South Korea, the experience centered on creating rotoscope animation and exploring cultural influences.

As explained by Professor Sung, rotoscoping is an animation technique that animators use to trace over motion picture footage, frame by frame, to produce realistic movements.

“Japan and Korea have a rich history in both animation and manga/manhwa, so it was a great chance to be able to explore, learn and gather inspiration from countries with such vast expressions of the form,” Bishop noted.

Working closely with Sung, the duo also earned a Faculty Undergraduate Student Engagement (FUSE) grant to stay an extra week in Japan to host an exhibit in Tokyo’s Design Festa Gallery – a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for two undergraduate students.

“It was an incredible experience, from initial set up to even taking it down. We were able to not only explore Japan, specifically Harajuku where we had our show, but also look at other artists’ work who were exhibiting in the same gallery,” Bishop shared.

Reflecting on the inspiration, knowledge and memories discovered during her study abroad program, Bishop defined the experience as life-changing.

“Visiting Japan and Korea had been a dream of mine for a long time and to be able to do that while simultaneously studying in my future career field seemed like a perfect and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

After returning to the United States, Bishop and Howard also shared their work with fellow Hilltoppers through an exhibit in the Ivan Wilson Fine Arts Center’s Cube Gallery.

Last spring, Bishop also joined the first standalone rotoscope animation class on the Hill – incorporating her knowledge of ceramics and stop-motion animation. Blending her majors together, the combination also influenced her senior exhibition. With a variety of unique ceramic pieces and a stop-motion animation video featuring ceramic figures, crafting ceramics also plays a key role in her journey.

“She is creative, compassionate, skilled, loved by her classmates and talented. I have watched her grow both as a young adult and an artist,” Instructor Greg Strange shared, who taught Bishop in the ceramics classroom.

“She has helped others who were not performing very well in class and shared her experiences to help guide their work and focus on the arts. Her dedication to the clay will only improve the media for the future,” Strange added.

Bishop is also grateful to the WKU Department of Art & Design for her growth as a professional and for wonderful memories during her college experience.

“All of these staff members have not only pushed me to be better at what I do and given me the knowledge to do so but they have also made my time at WKU enjoyable. Being able to not just focus on the nitty gritty but have a good time as well – making the nitty gritty a little less gritty and more fun,” Bishop noted.

Through attending Ceramics Club meetings, volunteering with the department at the annual Potter College of Arts & Letters (PCAL) Fall Festival and sharing Korean barbecue with friends while studying abroad, Bishop found many opportunities to connect with fellow Hilltoppers.

One of Bishop’s favorite experiences was attending the annual National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) Conference.

“I have attended two of these trips and they are an absolute blast. We not only got to travel and bond with friends and peers, but we were also able to get inspiration and information from artists in our same field,” Bishop explained.

Reflecting on her time at WKU, Bishop is most grateful for the connections she’s made.  

“I have met so many people and became a part of something here I never would have had I not come here. The friends, memories and lessons are things that I will always carry with me,” Bishop shared.

Looking to the future, Bishop plans to apply for internships at animation companies and explore commission work or apprenticeships. 

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For information on earning a degree in Animation at WKU, visit https://www.wku.edu/art/degrees/animation.php

For information on earning a degree in Studio Arts at WKU, visit https://www.wku.edu/art/degrees/bfa.php

#WKUGrad series: For more stories on graduating students in the #WKUGrad series, visit https://www.wku.edu/news/articles/index.php?view=default&categoryid=799&multinewsid=187

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Western Kentucky University prides itself on positioning its students, faculty and staff for long term success. As a student-centered, applied research university, WKU helps students expand on classroom learning by integrating education with real-world applications in the communities we serve. Our hilltop campus is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, which was recently named by Reader’s Digest as one of the nicest towns in America, just an hour’s drive from Nashville, Tennessee.