Seattle Pacific University’s Art Center is featuring an exhibition from an alumni, Abigail Platter, a thesis project titled “Into the Wilderness.” The work will be on display through Nov. 21, 2025 at the SPAC Gallery.
The installation consists of twelve pieces. Each individual piece relates back to Platter’s thesis and emphasis on a world full of God and unknowns. The paintings and prints were hung across the lobby of the Art Center on campus. Booklets with details were provided on the pieces and the overall thesis.
Platter’s first exhibition, displayed at Nickerson Studio in 2022, was titled “Grief House.” The title, “Into the Wilderness,” is a direct connection to the previous project. “Grief House” focused on a place of shelter that was filled with grieving. “Into the Wilderness,” however, reflects an opposite narrative.
“I wanted to do a different kind of exploration to find new narratives, characters, and ideas for new bodies of work. The Wilderness is a great transition from a House. The biblical allusion to being in a place that is precarious, dangerous, liminal but led by God,” Platter said.
One of the works from the collection, “Does God Play Hide and Seek?” depicted a large, twisted tree and children crawling and laying between branches. Some hid away as the others looked around, seeking. Platter favored this painting.
“From my perspective, this is how a human search for God can look and feel. The interplay of hiding and seeking, feeling alone right next to other people… There’s also that expectation that God might show up, which can be exhilarating and childlike,” Platter said.
The most common medium used for the works featured in the project was watercolor. Her largest painting of the exhibition, “Does God Play Hide and Seek,” has intricate shading and detailing that watercolor often blurs.
“I could think of no better challenge than trying to make really technical paintings with the medium—it’s so difficult,” Platter said.
All of the artworks inspect various aspects of Christian faith, tying back to her overarching thesis. One of Platter’s pieces in the collection, “Blue Tarp Nativity,” was the cover of Christianity Today’s Nov. to Dec. 2024 issue.
Abigail Platter has a strong passion for illustrations and is planning on continuing that passion through different avenues. She plans to have a consistent release of paintings and drawings continue to come out, she also wants to pursue graphic novels.
“I’m working on writing stories that go along with the artworks. I will be making and releasing those whether I get a publisher or not,” Platter said.
To keep up to date with Abigail Platter’s art career as well as story telling follow her Substack and Instagram @abigailplatter.
