Upon entering the Gilson Memorial Gallery in King Hall, viewers are immersed in a bright, pastel world filled with cakes, sweets and the promise of a party.  

Against the back wall, looming over the space, sits a refrigerator made of paper covered wood, an inescapable reminder of what the exhibit is truly about.  

From Feb. 4 – 18, the Emporia State gallery will be home to Cait Maltbie’s Senior Bachelor of Fine Arts Exhibition Life’s a Party. This exhibit uses bright colors and a variety of mediums, including various printmaking styles, to tell darker stories, including the exploration of food intolerances. 

“My work is definitely about food,” Maltbie said. “I love food more than anything, but I suffer from food intolerances and I struggle with eating issues. (I) was always in the kitchen growing up also, so it’s kind of been a love hate relationship.” 

Maltbie lives with gluten intolerance and other food struggles and hopes to start a conversation in an area that doesn’t get much attention. 

During the opening of the gallery on Feb. 4, some ESU students explored the exhibit. After walking around, senior elementary education and math education major Josselyne Juradl said it felt like she was “in someone’s kitchen.” 

Like Juradl suggested, the exhibit was named and designed to feel like a party happening in Maltbie’s kitchen. 

“It’s kind of an ironic thing because I don’t have very good luck, and so the best way to make myself feel better is to be like, ‘oh, life’s a party,’” Maltbie said. “You never know what’s going to happen, it’s always unexpected, it’s always a surprise, so it’s a party and you just gotta deal with what you can, and in a kind of light-hearted way, to cheer it up.” 

 Maltbie’s relationship with food isn’t a stagnant one and they hope to help those similar to them. 

“It’s definitely been a growing and evolving relationship with food so I make work to kind of help me cope with what I’m going through,” Maltbie said. “But also to help reach out to others and open up a conversation to kind of find solidarity and comfort in each other, because I feel like at the end of the day that’s what we have, we have each other.” 

While Maltbie describes their art as “​​kitschy,” “cute,” and “ironic,” the true message goes much deeper.  

“It’s easy to look at the work and make assumptions about it being kitschy and cute and femme,” said Stephanie Alaniz, art lecturer and Maltbie’s printmaking mentor. “But upon further exploration see that it touches on much bigger topics like intolerances and depression and difficult relationships and things like that, whether it’s with people or food.” 

Oftentimes, dark subjects are portrayed using dark themes, a pattern Maltbie breaks. 

“I think it’s cool that she took a dark matter and made it very fun and a pop of color,” said Olivia Anderson-Davis, junior business administration major. 

While the exhibit was meant to open and expand the conversation around food, Maltbie themself feels like they’ve grown throughout their time creating art at ESU.  

“I definitely feel like I have a better understanding of myself,” Maltbie said. “I think art has helped me learn to process things better and learn to put my emotions somewhere in a healthier way.” 

Alaniz said they have seen Maltbie grow from being uncertain into being confident in their work and the message they want to get across.  

“I’ve seen them really go from really quiet and more alone to being a leader amongst their peers and guiding the next generation of ESU printmakers and being a huge support to them,” Alaniz said. “So that’s been really amazing to see.” 

While Maltbie primarily works in printmaking, they incorporate a variety of different mediums and styles into their work.  

“I like experimenting,” Maltbie said. “Working interdisciplinary is my favorite way. It’s so much more fun to utilize so many mediums, because you can combine them and make cooler things.”  

One way Maltbie is able to use printmaking in a nontraditional way is by creating 3D pieces with the usually 2D style. 

“An interesting thing is that she’s printmaking and engraving,” said Roberta Eichenberg, professor of art and galleries director. “But she’s kind of doing sculpture and creating sculptures out of these printed surfaces, so that’s kind of exciting to go beyond the 2D.” 

Maltbie is currently applying to graduate schools to continue their education beyond ESU.