In Our Duke Gallery: 2025 Summer Fellow Exhibition
June 14 to July 11
BIO + ARTIST STATEMENT
Amelia Cain
Amelia Cain studied photography and art education at Tyler School of Art and Architecture. Cain’s latest works explore the cyanotype process. Combining digital photography with a 19th century printing process, cyanotypes bridge the past and present.
Cain applies photo-sensitive emulsion to sheets of watercolor paper using a hake brush before printing large scale negatives. Paper and negative are sandwiched, exposed to sunlight, rinsed with water and dried in the wind. They embrace nature’s unpredictability and allow both choice and chance to factor into the outcome of each piece. The artist’s hand and intent in the gestural strokes are visible and important. The process reveals many layers of complexity and is particularly suited to experimentation. The resulting images are unique and imperfect, painterly and lush. Foraged natural elements make an appearance in Cain’s works as ghostly photograms, a nod to Anna Atkin’s historical use of the process to document botanical findings.
Phil Egner
As an artist from Belfast, Northern Ireland, I’ve been deeply influenced by the rich cultural tapestry of my homeland. My artistic journey began at the University of Ulster, where I immersed myself in the realms of fine and applied arts, with a particular focus on painting, printmaking, and textile art. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of sharing my passion for art with young minds, spending multiple summers in Maine, USA, teaching art to children of all ages. Having called the Philadelphia area home for over a decade, my work reflects the complexities of immigration, the nuances of human relationships, and the vibrant cultural landscape that surrounds me. A daily sketchbook practice allows me to document these experiences through expressive line drawings, capturing the essence of life’s fleeting moments.
Kalila Jones
Raised in Philadelphia, Kalila Jones has been enamored by the arts and culture of their hometown since a young age. She recieved a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fiber and Material Studies with a concentration in Art Education at Temple University’s Tyler School of Art & Architecture in Philadelphia, PA in May 2024. Through their practice as a studio artist and educator, Jones has explored how to integrate their love of fibers into the legacy of the art scene that she was raised alongside. During their undergraduate experience, Jones assisted and led textile-based workshops for adults and children. Jones was a member of Temple University’s Artists of Color Collective (AoCC) from 2020-2024. During their time in the collective Jones co-curated two exhibitions acted as co-president for the organization from 2022-2023. Outside of their work with AoCC Jones has begun a series of upcycling projects that reuse materials from their first solo exhibition In a World of My Own (2023). Her most recent work Birbizuar (2024) was on view at the Philadelphia Museum of Art for their 2024 Art Kids Summer series. Jones’ upcycled installation piece Birb Rocker (2023) is currently on view at the Philadelphia International Airport.