Northwest Missouri State University’s School of Fine and Performing Arts will host an exhibition of work by Arkansas-based illustrator and artist Sean Fitzgibbon at the Olive DeLuce Art Gallery, opening November 3, 2025. Fitzgibbon will deliver a lecture, visit art classes, and conduct studio critiques. The exhibition features original pages from his graphic nonfiction book “What Follows is True: The Crescent Hotel,” which investigates the Crescent Hotel’s history as a Depression-era cancer hospital in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Fitzgibbon is a 2022 recipient of the Arkansas Arts Council Individual Artist Fellowship Award.
The exhibition matters because it offers students direct engagement with an artist who bridges traditional and digital methods, aligning with broader shifts in fine arts education. Dr. Karen Britt, associate professor of art, emphasizes the importance of Fitzgibbon’s work in teaching material intelligence and hand skills, as well as its exploration of local history and ethical themes like medical fraud. The visit is funded by the Missouri Arts Council and underscores the university’s commitment to free public programming that connects art, history, and community.