KCC’s ‘Portals’ Exhibit Invites Battle Creek Into Meagan Wildt Thomas’ World of Memory

Battle Creek residents have a new free art stop at Kellogg Community College this fall. “Portals: The Abstract Nature of Memory,” an exhibit by KCC alumna Meagan Wildt Thomas, is open through Thursday, Oct. 15, at the Eleanor R. and Robert A. DeVries Gallery in the Davidson Visual and Performing Arts Center.

The exhibit brings together more than 50 colorful mixed-media works by Thomas, a Marshall-based artist and illustrator who grew up in Homer, Michigan. KCC says the work ranges from abstract to illustrative and explores how memories can be tied both to specific images and to less-defined feelings. Admission is free, and the gallery is at KCC’s campus, 450 North Ave. in Battle Creek.

When and where to visit

“Portals” opened Sept. 7 and remains on display through Oct. 15. KCC lists regular gallery hours as 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, plus 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday. Visitors planning a special trip should check KCC’s exhibit announcement for current details.

The gallery is located inside the Davidson Visual and Performing Arts Center, home to KCC’s arts programming. This article is focused on the exhibit itself, but the public can also meet Thomas at a free reception from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1. That reception is one element of KCC’s Celebration of the Arts, which takes place in the same building.

An alumna returning to a KCC gallery

Thomas earned an Associate in Applied Science degree in Graphic Design from KCC. The college says she now works as an educator with Eastend Arts Center in Marshall, where she teaches art classes and hosts a weekly creative club. Her connection to KCC gives the exhibit an especially local dimension: visitors can see an alumna’s work in a campus gallery that serves both students and the wider community.

What ‘Portals’ explores

KCC describes “Portals: The Abstract Nature of Memory” as an exploration of the space between the definite and the abstract. The works draw on ordinary observations, imagination and memory rather than following a single literal storyline. In the college’s description, Thomas frames the exhibit as an invitation to slow down, pay attention to feelings and notice the significance that everyday moments can carry.

That makes the show approachable for people who do not visit galleries often. It offers visitors room to bring their own reactions to the work, whether they are looking for an arts outing, a quiet stop on campus or a chance to support a local artist with roots at KCC.

The Oct. 1 reception

The Oct. 1 reception is free and open to the public. It is scheduled for 4:30 to 7 p.m. at the Davidson Visual and Performing Arts Center, 450 North Ave. While the larger Celebration of the Arts includes other activities, the reception gives visitors a chance to meet Thomas and learn more about “Portals” before the exhibit closes later in the month.

For current exhibit information or questions about KCC arts programming, contact KCC’s Arts and Communication Office at 269-965-4126.

Questions You Might Have

Q: Is the KCC ‘Portals’ exhibit free?
A: Yes. KCC says the exhibit and the Oct. 1 artist reception are free and open to the public.

Q: When does the exhibit close?
A: “Portals: The Abstract Nature of Memory” runs through Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026.

Q: Where is the gallery?
A: The Eleanor R. and Robert A. DeVries Gallery is in KCC’s Davidson Visual and Performing Arts Center at 450 North Ave. in Battle Creek.