Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, [email protected]

CANYON, Texas — The sometimes fragile bonds of family will be explored in a new student art exhibition opening Nov. 6 at West Texas A&M University.

Stephanie Boyd’s “Broken Attachments” will be on view through Nov. 21 in the Dord Fitz Formal Gallery in Mary Moody Northen Recital Hall. An opening reception will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Nov. 6 in the gallery; masks and social distancing will be required.

Boyd, a Pampa native pursuing her master’s in fine arts degree, prints images on tiles made of porcelain paper clay. The thin tiles are translucent, and Boyd doesn’t shy away from showing any blemishes in the material.

“These textures and flaws represent the uniqueness, quirks and differences of each individual that makes up a family unit,” Boyd said. “By having the work backlit, the flaws within the work are no longer able to hide from the viewer, forcing them to face reality instead of continuing to pretend that things are perfect. I relinquish control — but I also admit that control itself is an illusion.”

Boyd is doing pioneering work with her clay printing technique, said Jon Revett, associate professor of painting and drawing.

“As a print major, Stephanie’s works on paper are intimate and impressive, but she took these ideas one step farther. She made an entire new body of work utilizing a paper clay, including two series of ceramic objects, all dealing with the themes in her prints,” Revett said. “Her innovation and ability to problem solve advanced her ideas, and presented a fully mature concept that was translated effectively across several media. She is the real deal cross-disciplinary artist, and inspiration to all of those around her.”

Boyd is a Pampa native who taught at Pampa High School for four years. She was named Pampa Teacher of the Year in 2016. She exhibited in SIP: A Ceramic Cup Show in Savannah, Ga., in 2019. After graduating with her MFA in printmaking in December 2020, she will continue teaching in Texas.

Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays.

Engagement with the arts is a key precept to WT’s long-term plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

About West Texas A&M University

WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. With enrollment of more than 10,000, WT offers 60 undergraduate degree programs, 38 master’s degrees and two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 15 men’s and women’s athletics programs.