SMITHVILLE - The senior thesis artwork of Hannah Smith and Emalee Josef, two students in Tennessee Tech University’s School of Art Craft and Design, will be on display at the Appalachian Center for Craft until May 3, and a reception will be held on April 29 from 3-5 p.m.

Fiber artist Smith’s creations will be featured in the Joe L. Evins Gallery. Smith strives to make work that elicits joy.

“I want to make people stop and look at my art, smile because it makes them happy, and maybe even send pictures to people to spread joy,” Smith said.

The exhibit, titled “Creative Bliss,” features Smith’s whimsical designs including quilts, coiled works, crocheted pieces, as well as fun lighting and unique displays. Each piece includes some amount of repurposed material, and Smith strives to make her work fun and colorful.

“I don’t want to make art where people say, ‘Oh interesting,’ and walk away,” Smith said.

Sculptor Josef’s ceramics exhibit, “Progression of Scars: A Common Hardship Illuminated Through Art,” will also be featured at the ACC April 20-May 3, with a reception on Saturday, April 29.

The exhibition presents works representing a person’s mental health that has manifested into the creation of bound bodies and dark forms. The exhibit will be showcasing larger-than-life creations along with intimate moments that reflect the human condition. Josef said she is excited to share a look at these expressive works that will be the emergence into their career as an artist.

The ACC’s gallery hours are 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Mondays - Saturdays and Sundays noon – 5 p.m. The ACC is located at 1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville, Tennessee. A list of exhibitions can be found on the website https://www.tntech.edu/fine-arts/craftcenter/exhibitions.php.