Bernie Diaz, How To Grow A Prophecy, 2025, paper, staples, glitter, ink, and paint, 10 x 9 in.
Uncertainty can create tension, unsettled feelings, and can produce hesitation and confusion. Uncertainty can also be met with interest and used as a tool to embrace the unknown, even prompting exploration and discovery. Navigating uncertainty, from within and without, through the creative process, reveals how instability can lead to unexpected outcomes or alter the way that we view the world.
Developed in tandem with ACC Faculty, this exhibition features artworks by ACC Studio Art faculty shown alongside works by students, alumni, and Austin-based artists. Thematic interactive stations are included to provide creative and generative spaces for gallery visitors to explore uncertainty through collaborative visual experiences and shared artistic expression.
Exploring Uncertainty is a two-part interactive art exhibition. Part one (Fall 2025) explores the internal and unseen responses to uncertainty. Part two (Spring 2026) investigates the uncertainties sustained from external pressures. Whether uncertainty is self-created or imposed, the exhibition uncovers a place where doubt and curiosity can co-exist.
This exhibition is open September 2 – November 20, 2025 in Gallery 2000.
Artists
Shawn Camp
Shawn Camp is an artist and educator based in Austin, Texas. He is a longtime member of the ICOSA artist collective and is a Professor of Painting at Austin Community College.
Bernie Diaz
Bernardo “Bernie” Diaz is an educator, administrator, and multi-media artist based in Austin, Texas. Diaz currently teaches Art Appreciation and serves as Department Chair for the Art Department at ACC.
Ellen Crofts
Ellen Crofts is a visual artist based in Austin, Texas. She is an ACC Studio Art alumna and former gallery intern for The Art Galleries (TAG) at ACC, where she currently works as a gallery assistant.
Christopher Fitzgerald
Christopher Miñán Fitzgerald is an artist and educator based in Austin, Texas. He is an associate professor of art and director of the art program at Concordia University Texas.
Nicholas Dertien
Nicholas Dertien is an artist, educator and Austin-area small business owner. He teaches courses on drawing, design, glassmaking, photography and ceramics at ACC and Concordia University.
Ezra Romero
Ezra Romero is a multidisciplinary professional with experience in science, art, and operations. Borrowing from his career in Nanoscale Engineering, Romero blends science, art, and operations with adaptability and reliability.
Exhibition Highlights
Nicholas Dertien, Asthma Vessels, 2009, photograms on paper
Shawn Camp, Phaser, 2025, acrylic on masonite, 30 x 30 in.
Christopher Miñán Fitzgerald, Susurros que Hacen Señas (Beckoning Whisper), 2016, watercolor on wood
Ellen Crofts, Frill-Tektone, 2025, paper, cardboard, glue, acrylic, watercolor, and graphite
Related Exhibition Programs and Events
September 4, 5:00pm - 7:00pm | Opening Reception
The Art Galleries (TAG) at ACC is hosting an opening reception for Exploring Uncertainty: An Interactive Art Exhibition at ACC Highland Campus on September 4. The reception starts at 5:00pm and is free and open to the public.
October 21, 5:00pm - 6:00pm | Art + Interactivity
Meeting Place: Gallery 2000 (HLC 2.2450) at ACC Highland Campus
During this in-gallery session, participants will will hear from TAG and ACC Make It Center staff as they explore the three interactive sections of Exploring Uncertainty: An Interactive Art Exhibition. During our open discussion, we will learn how museum professionals use interactive elements in art exhibitions to create meaningful visitor engagement.
October 28, 3:30pm - 4:30pm | Art + Improvisation
Meeting Place: Gallery 2000 (HLC 2.2450) at ACC Highland Campus
During this in-gallery session, participants will explore interdisciplinary overlaps between fine art and modern dance as we discuss the current exhibition with ACC artists, faculty, and students. ACC Studio Art Alumna Ellen Crofts will discuss her work on display, which explores uncertainty as a catalyst for creation. After learning about the work, participants will also hear from ACC Dance Improvisation students, as they perform a score inspired by the work on display in the exhibition.
November 5, 5:00pm - 6:00pm | Restorative Listening Circle with ACC Peace & Conflict Studies Center
The Art Galleries and the ACC Center for Peace & Conflict Studies will host a Restorative Listening Circles with the aim of creating a space where visitors can start a conversation about uncertainty.
Events are free & open to the public. No RSVP required.
What are Restorative Listening Circles?
Restorative Listening Circles offer an inclusive and collaborative space for participants to share openly and build trust with each other. Everyone will have a chance to speak without interruption and all voices are considered equally important. Circles strengthen community relationships and provide the space to understand others’ perspectives.