Chancellor Brown champions student artists
Chancellor Kelli R. Brown is always astonished by the talent of her students at Western Carolina University. They鈥檙e bright, creative, innovative and an assortment of other adjectives that only scratch the surface of her Catamounts鈥� prowess.
But over the course of her tenure in Cullowhee, Brown has particularly been in awe of the way some of her students can brush paint on a canvas.
Brown is an avid supporter of student art, owning pieces from several students that now either sit in her office or are perched up in her residence.
鈥淚'm just always amazed by the creativity of our students,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淚 think that's one of the greatest things that we have here, when you think about our students, regardless of what it is, whether it be this kind of art or the work that they do in other areas, but I think it's the creativity.鈥�
Brown鈥檚 student pieces range from horses to butterflies to beloved sites on campus. Her artistic interests know no bounds and neither do her students, no matter the major. In fact, Aster Ayer, a biology major, found their muse in a flower.
Ayer had known about the mountain camellia for years, but finally saw it last summer on a hike with a friend in South Carolina, just across the Chattooga River from Georgia.
鈥淚t was just so striking, seeing it in the wild because the sunlight was filtering down through the trees and illuminating these beautiful flowers. There are all sorts of insects that are sitting in it,鈥� Ayer said.
鈥淚 had just taken a course on species interactions recently. It made me think about that, and I had wanted to paint that particular interaction that I saw.鈥�
The painting instantly became one of their favorites.
鈥淚t just sort of seemed natural for me. I've always liked plants, like ever since I could start talking,鈥� Ayer said. 鈥淚 think, not only are they beautiful and decorative, but they have the power to reach people in a way that oftentimes science can fall short, because of the jargon of it all and how specific it could get.鈥�
Chancellor Kelli R. Brown, left, and Aster Ayer stand with Ayer's painting of the mountain camellia inside the Chancellor's residence.
Ayer submitted the painting for the undergraduate exhibition, which is where Brown first came across Ayer鈥檚 painting. Brown got in touch with them to buy it, and soon, the painting ended up in the Chancellor鈥檚 residence 鈥� as a permanent fixture.
鈥淚t's pretty special. 鈥㎜ike it's in her living room, and not only that, but she told me that normally student artworks are rotated through the residence, and she wants it to become permanent,鈥� Ayer said. 鈥淚 think it's a very special privilege to get it to stay in the Chancellor's residence.鈥�
Valeria Ramos鈥� painting, a tribute to the counties in western North Carolina that were impacted by Hurricane Helene, also caught Brown鈥檚 eye at a student art show. Ramos, a studio art major, painted the piece for a portfolio class and was inspired to paint it by her mom.
Growing up in Puerto Rico, Ramos and her family were well acquainted with hurricanes, but Helene was a lot different than the storms that hit her home island.
鈥淓veryone was so unprepared,鈥� Ramos said. 鈥淚 wanted to create something for people that when I exhibited it for the first time, people were so touched that they were crying because they didn't expect something like that, at least not as soon.
鈥淚 wanted the community to remember that if we come together, we can help each other out.鈥�
Brown bought Ramos鈥� painting, and it is also a permanent staple in her residence.
鈥淚t was amazing,鈥� Ramos said. 鈥淚 had no words, and it was not just because of my artwork. It's just so many students' artwork that is there, and not just students, but other artists, and it was amazing. Such an honor to be there.鈥�
鈥淚 think any time that we can really show our students' creativity, how versatile they are, it just helps, I think, friends and supporters and donors and faculty and staff who come through the residence really see just how incredible our students are, the incredible work that they do,鈥� Brown said.
Chancellor Kelli R. Brown, left, and Valeria Ramos stand alongside Ramos' piece Brown purchased for the Chancellor's residence.
Brown鈥檚 support of student artists extends beyond those purchased at art shows, too. Sadler Miller, a 2026 alumna, was one of the first students to approach Brown with her artwork, which featured campus landmarks such as the Alumni Tower and E.J. Whitmire Stadium.
Miller originally asked if she could give Brown her painting of the Alumni Tower. Brown enthusiastically said yes and met with her in her office.
The two got to know each other well during that meeting, with Miller, a two-sport athlete, talking about her passions for both sports and art at length with Brown.
鈥淓very Western painting I made, she emailed me, reached out, and she's bought every one, so she's kind of supported my art business as well, and she was the one that originally pushed me to try to get them sold in the bookstore,鈥� Miller said.
Since Miller started selling her work on Etsy, Brown has seen the alumna鈥檚 painting being gifted in diploma frames, and like those parents, Brown has had the pleasure of gifting student art herself.
At a fine arts student exhibit, Brown was walking around with Jessica Woods, the executive assistant to the Chancellor, who happens to love butterflies. Woods pointed out a piece of a butterfly, made entirely with charcoal.
Later, Brown purchased it and gave it to Woods for her birthday. The student piece now hangs in Woods鈥� office, just down the hallway from Brown鈥檚.
鈥淚t just kind of happens. Oftentimes it's those art exhibitions that they have,鈥� Brown said. "It's pretty neat to be able to see the creativity of the students and to be able to turn around and be able to showcase it either in the residence or purchase it myself.鈥�