NSU-Broken Arrow hosts Katie Wheat Pernu art exhibition

(Broken Arrow, Oklahoma) - Northeastern State University-Broken Arrow will host an art exhibit by Katie Wheat Pernu titled Clothed in Strength and Dignity during October in the Visitors Center Gallery of the Administrative Services Building.

Wheat Pernu is a stained glass artist. Her piece titled The Lighting of a Fire, which was made possible by the David Gordon memorial fund, hangs as a permanent fixture in the NSUBA Visitors Center Gallery. The Lighting of a Fire represents light, energy, power and the opportunity a student receives from a well-rounded and in-depth education.

Clothed in Strength and Dignity is an exhibit focused on the bravery of ordinary women. Pernus inspiration for this show was prompted in large part by her sister Libas courageous 13-year battle against a rare neurological illness that took her vision, her mind and her life.

Somehow it never robbed her of her love of the natural world, her will to live or her sense of humor, Pernu said. We all see what others do in tough situations, and it inspires us to persevere. Life is hard, but it is also achingly beautiful and joyous. This contrast runs through the lives of all people.

As an artist, Pernu has spent most of her life teaching others about art. She holds a degree in art education from Northern Arizona University and achieved National Board Certification as an art teacher. She has instructed and inspired art students from preschoolers through adults. For more than 20 years, Katie was a full-time professional art teacher who also worked as an artist. In 2015, she embarked upon an important shift by becoming a full-time professional artist who also teaches.