"From Leaves to Roots" Opening Reception

About

From Leaves to Roots Exhibition

On Display November 20, 2026 – January 8, 2027

Opening Reception November 20 5:30 - 7:00pm, Artist Talk 6:00pm.

The WJB Gallery is proud to present From Leaves to Roots, a combined exhibition of works by Ava Dold and Anna Parsons. This exhibition highlights work from two student artists grappling with nostalgia, identity, and personal narratives through archival photography and drawing.

Dold combines both abstract and figurative imagery to make drawings that bring the viewer into a sense of nostalgia and reflection. Referencing personal archives, Dold uses symbolism and the imperfect language of drawing to translate them into something more anonymous and universal. This work aims to bring the viewer closer to their younger self.

By manipulating and layering found photographs over paintings, Parsons both conceals and exposes that which is both foreign and familiar to the viewer. By inviting viewers into snapshots of anonymous families' archives, she allows viewers to fill in the missing pieces with their chosen narratives and explore shared human experiences.

Anna Parsons is an artist currently based in Tallahassee. She graduated with her BFA in 2026 and is currently pursuing her master’s in art education at Florida State University. Her work will be featured in the upcoming exhibition Brick by Brick: A New Collective at the City Hall Art Gallery (Tallahassee) in June.

Ava Dold is a current undergrad student at Florida State finishing her bachelor’s in Studio Art with a minor in Human Development and Family Science in 2027. She has shown work in a variety of shows since coming to FSU, including multiple put on by the Art Students' League, and the Creative Tallahassee 2026 show in City Hall.

The WJB Gallery is a student-forward space that hosts exhibitions of student artwork and student-led curatorial projects. Prominently located in the William Johnston Building (WJB), this 1100-square-foot exhibition space connects exemplary creative endeavors with visitors of one of the busiest places on campus. The 24 x 46-foot glass-walled gallery stretches the length of the central five-story atrium in the building, providing rich natural lighting and secure but vivid public exposure for exhibitions. The WJB Gallery is a collaboration of the departments of the College of Fine Arts: Art, Art Education, Art History, Interior Architecture & Design, Dance, Theatre, and the Museum of Fine Arts.