Artist, performer, and educator Autumn Bonner Cornell (who also goes by Autumn Cornell) brings her Secret Drawings exhibition to the Patricia M. Nugent Gallery at Rosemont College. The show runs from Thursday, May 14 – June 15, 2026, with a special artist reception on Saturday, May 16, from 3:00 to 5:00 PM.

Cornell is an interdisciplinary artist whose practice spans drawing, painting, performance, and flow/circus arts. She holds a BFA in Painting & Drawing from the Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) at Willamette University (class of 2022). Her thesis work, Faerie Triptych: On Memory and Magic, featured oil paintings on handmade circular panels exploring enchantment, personal memory, trauma, healing, and Irish folklore inspired themes of liminal spaces and transformation.

Her broader body of work often investigates material exploration, embodiment, and the interplay between visual storytelling and performative play. She frequently uses circles as a motif or medium, drawing from her long standing practice of flow arts (including hula hooping) and circus arts since 2011. Known for her fluid, expressive style, Cornell has performed and created in the Pacific Northwest and Philadelphia areas. She has participated in events like Philadelphia Fringe Festival productions (e.g., Lunarium with Skylark Circus Arts), residencies (including a funded stay at Burren College of Art in Ireland), and community workshops.

As a teaching artist and adjunct faculty at Rosemont College, Cornell brings educational depth to her practice. She is also a NASM Certified Personal Trainer and has engaged in art therapy informed approaches that connect process, memory, and emotional expression.

About the Exhibition: Secret Drawings

The Secret Drawings exhibit title aligns with Cornell’s interest in intimate, personal, and exploratory works—likely graphite drawings, mixed media on paper, or related pieces that echo her thesis emphasis on memory, hidden narratives, and material intuition. Her drawings often capture fleeting moments, natural forms, folklore, or embodied experiences, blending abstraction with symbolic or autobiographical elements.

The Patricia M. Nugent Gallery, named in 2018 for longtime studio art professor Patricia M. Nugent, serves as a hub for contemporary exhibitions, student work, and cultural dialogue on the Rosemont campus in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. Cornell’s show fits naturally into the gallery’s 2026 schedule, following the senior BFA exhibitions and preceding other solo shows.

Explore Secret Drawings

This exhibition offers a chance to experience the work of a versatile, emerging to mid career artist who bridges visual art, performance, and education. Visitors can expect thoughtful, process driven pieces that invite reflection on memory, embodiment, and the “magic” in everyday or inner worlds.

The May 16th artist reception provides an opportunity to meet Cornell, discuss her practice, and engage with the Rosemont community.

Gallery Location: Patricia M. Nugent Gallery, Rosemont College, 1400 Montgomery Avenue, Rosemont, PA. Standard gallery hours apply.

For more on the artist, visit autumncornell.art. Cornell’s practice continues to evolve through teaching, performance, and studio exploration—making this a timely show for anyone interested in drawing, interdisciplinary arts, or personal narrative in contemporary work.

Mark your calendars and support this engaging exhibition!