“Inhabiting an Ecological In-Between” Opens Aug. 24 at VCSU Gallery

VALLEY CITY, N.D. (VCSU) – The Valley City State University Robinson Center for the Arts Gallery announces the opening of “Inhabiting an Ecological In-Between” – a solo exhibition of Katie Simmons’ artwork.

The exhibit is open to the public August 24 through Oct. 8 during regular gallery hours, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. A virtual exhibit will be available on the VCSU Art Department’s YouTube channel.

Ms. Simmons creates deeply textured pieces combining cloth, stitching, and images of human bodies and the natural world. Images are built in layers of ballpoint pen drawings and natural pigments extracted from plants, lichens, algae, and fungi. Pigments are allowed to react with the material with little direction, becoming partners in the making process.

Simmons brings a background in wildlife biology and experiences as an assault survivor to her creative process, investigating “death, decay, growth, and parallels between the exploitation of the natural world and female bodies.”

For more information about Katie Simmons’ artwork and process, visit https://www.katiesimmons.com.

An artist talk with a reception will be announced in September 2026.