Penn State Scranton Library art exhibit expands in its third showing

DUNMORE, Pa. — A new collaboration between the campus library and Lecturer in Art Corianne Thompson-Alban and her art students has resulted in Penn State Scranton’s campus library creating events and exhibition space, allowing students to share their artistic creations with the campus community and visitors.

Instruction Librarian Molly Abdalla first got the idea last spring when she was thinking of ways to add more color to the newly renovated library, since libraries are great places for such collaborations. She approached Thompson-Alban in April 2025 and asked her for recommendations of student artwork she could display. Their collaboration was formed and the first student art exhibit was held soon after, showcasing student Brook Weaver’s work, which was part of an honors class project.

“Enchantment Under the Sea”, was a visual arts display that created a cultural seascape along the library’s walls with freestanding sculptures. Each creature was created from a cardboard base and plastic bags were used to fill the form of the pieces, with tape reinforcing the body of the sculpture and newspapers creating the outside shell using papier mache and acrylic paint.

“We had an overwhelmingly positive response,” Abdalla said of the opening reception held to kick off the display. “Family, faculty, staff and students came to view Brook’s work and discuss her artistic process.”

After that initial event, the initiative received support through Penn State Scranton Chief Academic Officer Durell Johnson, who secured funding for frames and 2D and 3D display pedestals with protective cases, allowing the artwork to be displayed properly.

Building on the success of that first exhibit and subsequent investment, Abdalla and Thompson-Alban began planning another one. In the fall of 2025, three student artists, Tresse Bender, Matthew Lawler and Rowan Mulligan, exhibited work after taking the courses Intro to Sculpture and Intro to Ceramics, displaying a mixture of ceramic and sculpture pieces.

That exhibit featured five pieces:

“The Vision of Luxury,” a sculpture using glasses and rhinestones, by Tressie Bender.
“Consumption,” a sculpture using sneakers and recycled materials, by Matthew Lawler.
“Lotad in Full Bloom,” a sculpture of stoneware and underglazes, by Rowan Mulligan.
“Fluid Figure,” a sculpture of stoneware and underglazes, by Rowan Mulligan.
“Sisyphean Spiral,” a clay stoneware piece, by Rowan Mulligan.

“The library exhibit gives students a space to share artwork they make outside of our campus courses,” Thompson-Alban said. “We have a lot of talented students here and I love that we are able to give them this space to share their art with the campus.”

This February, the library held its third art exhibit, the Spring Student Art Showcase, which featured seven students and a collection of works featuring sculptures, paintings, drawings and photos. Teagan Goring, Esther Guevera, Eden Koprowski, Andres Nino, Bobby Resio, Aeshlyn Reyes and Samantha Sanzone submitted artwork in a variety of mediums including sculpture, drawing, acrylic painting and photography.

“I generally just take pictures to make people feel good or to make myself happy,” said Koprowski, who now has a photograph on display.

Goring appreciated the opportunity to share her art with the campus community with her mixed media sculpture, “Book and book pages.”

“I do like having my art on display because art is something I’ve always loved doing and it’s great to be able to share that part of me with others,” Goring said.

Guevera’s drawing of a macaw has a personal meaning to her. “It’s the national bird of my country, Honduras,” she explained. “It represents freedom for me.”

Nino submitted a painting for the exhibit, “The Last Happy Little Trees”.

Resio’s piece titled “From the Rot” represents a seeking of light — “a personal journey rising from hardship and cultivating your own beauty.”

Reyes’ exhibit “Book, paper, wire, tea, eye shadow” features an open book with butterflies flying out of it and is another creation with a deep meaning for the artist behind it.

“I wanted to challenge myself and create something that truly meant something to me,” Reyes said. “The butterflies symbolize growth and freedom. The ashy butterflies appear lifeless inside the book, but when it opens, they rise and fly away.”

Sanzone’s more modernistic sculpture, “Book with electronic components,” features a large book and circuit boards. “What inspired me to use the book was the plot, which was about technology taking over, so it seemed fitting.”

Assistant Teaching Professor of Physics Mario Freamat also has six drawings and paintings on display as well:

“The Principle of Growth,” an acrylic and pencil on paper.
“Ida Riemann and the zeta catfish,” acrylic on canvas.
“BOUNDARY CONDITION AT THE DAWN OF CALM,” acrylic on paper.
“ELEANOR’S SOLITUDE,” acrylic on paper.
“EN ATTENDANT LA PLUIE,” acrylic and pencil on paper.
“VUELVO AL SUR,” acrylic and ink on paper.

Thompson-Alban hopes to see the exhibits continue to grow, with more students submitting their artwork in the future.

“Our students are talented in so many ways and when we can give them the opportunity to shine, whether it is academically, athletically or creatively, it is pure gold! That is why we as faculty are all here — to foster our students’ growth and be there to support them in their Penn State journey. Hopefully that is what this exhibit offers the students,” Thompson-Alban said.

Although most of the participants submitted work created in a class, work created outside of the classroom setting also can be submitted for these exhibits, which are held twice during the academic year — once in the fall and again in the spring.

The spring exhibit will remain on display until the end of the spring semester in May.