Galloway’s work on campus and with local nonprofit contributes to growing arts community

It is truly hard to find someone on Shawnee State’s campus who is more involved than junior Riley Galloway. She is an art education major and is engaged in nearly every aspect of campus life that one could imagine.

“Before I came to Shawnee, I didn’t expect to be as involved as I am with our school and the Portsmouth community, but really, does anyone?” she asked. “It all came out of nowhere for me, but not without hard work and dedication. As an art education major, it’s natural I find passion and importance in the arts and how creating opportunities can impact others”

One of the major highlights of Galloway’s involvement has been her work with the local nonprofit Trillium Project, which has culminated in the recent exhibition “Here.” The exhibition features the work of several local artists, including Galloway, and opened in the Appleton Art Gallery on SSU’s campus in September. The exhibition will remain on display until Nov. 8.

“Right before graduating high school, I was told about a brand-new nonprofit that focused on public art, Trillium Project, and was encouraged to join their call for artists interested in creating murals for ‘Appalachian Visual Poetry,’ part of a category of collaborative art between a muralist and local poet,” Galloway said. “This was an opportunity I could only imagine to wish to be available to someone as young as myself and in our county. That was over three years ago, and I had made the best decision ever.”

Since then, Galloway has been quite busy, completing works all around town in Portsmouth. Her art can be found at The Landing, Muse 609 and soon at Adam’s Flying Pig Coffee House in Wheelersburg, Ohio.

Being the team player that she is, she also had nothing but good things to say about the Trillium organization as a whole.

“Our goal as a public arts organization is to not only beautify our area, but to bring awareness to the arts, how they can influence and impact the community, and even provide paid opportunities to local artists,” she said.

Not only has her involvement with the Trillium Project brought many great works and supporters to the organization, but after finalizing her first mural with Trillium, she began to think about how she could bring her passion and work ethic to SSU’s campus. 

“It started with learning there was no current art club on campus,” Galloway said. “So, since I didn’t have one in high school, I thought, ‘Well, who else is going to do it?’”

And just like that, the SSU Club of Artistry was formed.

“I started the SSU Club of Artistry without any prior experience or knowledge of how to run an art club,” Galloway said. “But like Trillium did for me, I was provided opportunities I didn’t even know I had before, and I now had connections.”

Galloway has quickly been able to get local artists to come in and teach techniques such as graffiti, print making, screen-printing, tattooing and much more. Along with the work members of the club do while learning, they contribute just as much when working with the community.

“We have done community service for the Southern Ohio Art Museum and painted a picnic table for raffle for First Capital Enterprises where the funds would help adults with disabilities,” she said.

Galloway’s work with both the Trillium Project and the SSU Club of Artistry is a good indication of the dedication and growth exhibited in the community of local artists. Their efforts seem to ensure a bright future for artists throughout the area.

Be sure to visit Trillium Project’s “Here.” in the Appleton Art Gallery in the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts. The exhibition offers a great opportunity to check out art from SSU students like Galloway herself, as well as other pieces completed by artists of the Trillium Project.