Art can be more than just nice to look at it. Art can carry a message as well.

The current exhibit at the Sterling College Art/Media Center Gallery does both. Guest artist Joshua Cross’s art series entitled “Doomscroll Snack” brings a message of overindulgence, mindless scrolling, and the reminder to put the devices down occasionally. The exhibit will run from Nov. 8 through the end of the semester, Dec. 13.  

When asked about the title for his mixed media art series, Cross gave a two-part answer on each half of the title. “When I heard the word ‘doomscroll’ for the first time, I thought it was a perfect description of the act of sitting on our phones mindlessly looking at not much of anything,” he said. 

Cross continued, “The ‘snack’ part comes from how I think people (and myself) approach doomscrolling- we think ‘I’ll just check in on social media or read the headlines’... just a little bite – a snack. Next thing you know your ‘snack’ has turned into eating an entire meal plus dessert. We overindulge.”

Building on the theme of overindulgence and mindlessness on our devices, the meaning behind this series is in the form of a reminder for us to take a break from scrolling and have interactions with one another in person and not simply online. Cross said, “Most everything online is curated (especially social media) and that most of life should be taken with a grain of salt and a pause.” 

One of his pieces which Cross highlighted out of his series is called Kings Play Cards on Fat Green Stool. “It came together in a surprising way,” he continued, “I found some random bits in antique stores and it’s like they were saying, ‘Put me in that piece you don’t really like.’ So, I did...and now I quite like it.”

Cross hopes his audience will walk away from his exhibit being reminded that we all do the same things, despite the surface-level differences and that there is a benefit to giving more attention to the similarities we have with one another. 

In creating his art, Cross talked about how his greatest challenge was not giving away too much on his series. “People should have room to interpret, but a little background from the source is good, too,” he said. 

Cross also revealed, “With this series of work, I started to really get comfortable with not being comfortable and being willing to trust the process and work through it all. And that has been a long time coming.” 

He added that he hopes that people will be able to relate to his work and that everyone has skills and talents that make us human.  

“I am as interested in how folks interpret my work than the ideas I had when making the pieces. So, I hope folks will come to the show and share those interpretations with me. Good, bad, or indifferent. It is all worthwhile,” he said.

Cross has been the art professor at Hesston College for the past three years. He received his undergraduate degree in art from Southeast Missouri State University and his MFA in painting from Kansas State University. 

His “Doomscroll Snack” exhibit runs through Dec. 13 and is open to the public at no charge. The Sterling College Art/Media Center Gallery, 306 West Washington, Sterling, is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Reception and Artist Talk date will be announced later.