49 Oak

Current

Knitting Circle

June 26-July 30, 2026

Jaden Kyung-Moon Bauch ‘25, Mckenna Bommarito ‘25, Henry Cunningham ‘25, Seraphina Gillman ‘25, Abbey Mills ‘25, and Hannah Tripp ‘25

Knitting Circle is an alumni exhibition exploring home, distance, and the search for belonging: the people, places and experiences that build community. Through painting, sculpture, ceramics, illustration, and performance, these early-career artists reflect on leaving and returning, building relationships across emotional and physical distance, and the human need for interconnectedness and support. These works explore the tensions of early adulthood and the different perspectives on finding what connections sustain "us". Knitting Circle, a gathering formed through shared labor and care, serves as a space to share these personal reflections and consider how many individual lives, like threads, become intertwined.

Upcoming

Place Setting

Margo Halvorson

Place Setting is an exhibition of functional pottery rooted in rythyms of the North Dakota landscapes: endless horizons, shifting seasons, and the textures of an aesthetic DNA that was once home.

About

49 Oak is a flexible, experimental space where students gain real-world experience presenting their work to the public. Through pop-up shops, exhibitions, and project-based programming, students build essential professional skills; curating, installing, promoting, documenting, selling, and staffing exhibitions, under the guidance of Artists at Work and faculty mentors. During the summer, 49 Oak shifts its focus to showcasing work by the College’s alumni, strengthening professional networks and career pathways.

As a living laboratory, 49 Oak prepares students for the following:

Professional Exhibition Experience

Ability to plan, curate, and install exhibitions and pop-up shops
Experience working with timelines, budgets, and shared creative spaces
Confidence presenting work to public audiences, clients, and collectors

Sales & Entrepreneurial Skills

Experience pricing artwork and products
Understanding point-of-sale systems, inventory, and customer interaction
Preparation for freelance, self-employed, and small business models

Marketing & Promotion Skills

Portfolio-ready documentation of exhibitions and work
Experience writing artist statements, wall text, and promotional copy
Understanding how to promote creative work through events, email, and social media

Project Management & Collaboration

Experience working in teams with defined roles and responsibilities
Ability to manage deadlines and deliverables tied to real outcomes
Skills in problem-solving, adaptability, and professional communication

Career Pathways & Job Readiness

Preparation for roles such as gallery assistant, exhibitions coordinator, studio assistant, arts administrator, or creative producer
Transferable skills applicable to museum, nonprofit, retail, and creative industry jobs
Clear articulation of skills and experience on résumés, CVs, and in interviews

Professional Networks