Kleppe Visiting
Artist Lecture Series

The Kleppe Visiting Artist Series brings practicing artist and designers to the University of Central Missouri campus to discuss their work with students and the community. 

Lectures take place on scheduled Mondays throughout the semester from 4pm – 5pm in Lovinger 1290 on campus. Lectures are held in person with a virtual option via Zoom. Free Zoom registration is required. Admission is free either way and open to the public.

Aug 24 - elizabeth spavento (Conceptual artist/arts non profits)

Elizabeth Spavento is an Arts Administrator, Curator, and Artist living in Kansas City, Missouri. She cofounded a curatorial collective called Border Patrol that examines the relationship between contemporary art and corporate aesthetics. The group staged exhibitions and events in a former dentist's office, a burrito shop, a shopping mall, and a cemetery. Spavento served as the Visual Arts Director at SPACE in Portland, ME, where she oversaw the Kindling Fund Grant through the Warhol Foundation and ran a residency program dedicated to highlighting the contributions of queer artists and artists of color. Spavento has been the recipient of numerous grants and awards, including a 2018 Rocket Grant with Charlotte Street (Kansas City, MO) where she currently serves as Executive Director.

August 31 - Abbey Whitten (Interior Design)

Abby Whitten is a UCM alumna and has served as an instructor in the Interior Design program since 2019. Before transitioning to teaching, she gained experience in Kansas City's residential and commercial design industry. Today, Abby owns and operates a personal business while continuing to work with select residential clients. Passionate about travel and lifelong learning, Abby enjoys seeking out new experiences that inspire her work and enrich her classroom. Her favorite adventure to date was studying abroad in Paris and London, where she gained a global perspective on art, architecture, and design.

Sep 7- Labor Day, No lecture

Sep 14 - Heinrich Toh (Printmaking)

Heinrich Toh is a studio artist and educator based in Kansas City, MO. A graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Art and the La Salle College of the Arts in Singapore, where he grew up. He has exhibited artwork extensively, including at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, the Albrecht-Kemper Museum, the Wing Luke Asian Museum, and the Bellevue Art Museum. His work is featured in public and private collections, including the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and the Albrecht-Kemper Museum. When not making art, he loves spending time in the kitchen creating culinary bedlam and making a mean dish of noodles.

Sep 28 - Student work day, no lecture

oct 5 - amanda burkhardt/(jcdsea)Johnson county Develepmental supports emerging artists

From young theater professional and instructor to museum educator, Amanda spent years in different versions of art and education before landing what she never knew was her dream job as the Arts Program Coordinator for Johnson County Developmental Supports Emerging Artists. JCDSEA is an art as employment program offered by Johnson County Developmental Supports. The artist collective consists of adults with Intellectual Developmental Disabilities (IDD) who are passionate and driven to create artwork. The program supports artists in developing their skills, showcasing their work, and accessing inclusive career pathways in the creative industry. JCDSEA is an inclusive, supportive, and thriving artistic community where individuals with developmental disabilities can find a creative home.

Oct 12 - Student work day, no lecture

Oct 19 - elena raineri (Museum education)

Originally from Pordenone, a town in northeastern Italy, she has a professional background in art education, community engagement, and cultural programming, with experience across both Europe and the United States. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Art History and Arts Management from Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, graduating summa cum laude, and is currently enrolled in an MBA program at Central Methodist University. Before relocating to Sedalia, Missouri, she worked as a civilian Budget Analyst supporting Operations Squadrons at Aviano Air Base in Italy. Outside of her professional work, she enjoys scuba diving, hiking, photography, and reading history books. She is excited to call Sedalia and Missouri her new home and looks forward to building meaningful connections with local schools, educators, and community members.

Oct 26 - emily blair quinn (interdisciplinary artist)

Emily Blair Quinn (b. 1990 in Decatur, AL) received her BFA from Auburn University in Alabama and her MFA from the University of Colorado in Boulder. Quinn has been the subject of numerous recent solo and group exhibitions, including at 5-50 Gallery in Long Island City, NY (2026), MARQUEE PROJECTS in Bellport, NY (2025, Studios Inc in Kansas City, MO, the Contemporary Art Museum in Louisville, KY, Charlotte Street Foundation in Kansas City, MO, the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures in Kansas City.

Nov 2 - Sammie Jane Hardewig (Painting)

Sammie Jane Hardewig was born in 1994 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Her work explores the materiality and capabilities of reclaimed house paint through experimentation, resulting in painting, sculpture, and installation. Creating with this material has helped her readdress her relationship with the word potential while gaining a broader perspective on her own experiences and life. Hardewig earned her MFA in Visual Art and Museum Studies Certificate at the University of Kansas, and her BFA in Visual Art and BA in Art History from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. She has exhibited in numerous locations, including the Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati, OH; Woman Made Gallery in Chicago, IL. She has won numerous awards, including Best in Show for the Debut New Virtual Exhibition with the Spencer Museum of Art in Lawrence, KS, and third place in the 8th Midwest Open at Woman Made Gallery in Chicago, IL. Hardewig is currently living and creating in Marquette, Michigan, and is Collections Curator with the DeVos Art Museum at Northern Michigan University.

Nov 9 - emily evans sloan (photography, fibers)

Emily Evans Sloan is a multidisciplinary artist based in Kansas City,
Missouri. Her work explores memory and perception through
photography, knitting/fiber art, video/film/still projection, and
collaborative performance pieces. Her overarching goal is to create
unexpected experiences that bring together uncommon participants
and expand community engagement and dialogue. Sloan received a
BFA in photography at Missouri State University and an MFA in
photography at Massachusetts College of Art and Design.
Emily has received numerous awards and
grants. Emily has exhibited and performed widely, including Plug
Gallery, unLoading Zone, and Photospiva. She is the recipient of numerous awards and grants, including the Charlotte Street Rocket Grant, and has been published in various publications, including Knitters Magazine.