(Edinboro, PA – March 25, 2026)
Cannon’s Bruce Gallery Installation
“I believe all artists ultimately strive to tell stories,” says Philm senior Shane Cannon. “My life has always been defined by the reading of books, watching of movies, and the swapping of tall tales around summer bonfires.”
Narrative yarns spun by tabletop role-players are the heart of Cannon’s award-winning film, What Ends the Story?, a poetic non-fiction short about bringing a long-running Dungeons and Dragons campaign to a close.
An immersive installation extends the movie’s warm color grading to a furnished screening environment by means of wind-blown autumnal appliqués and a wooden map table. Semi-circular seating evokes the ceremonial space of flame-lit oral tradition.
The film and its display constitute Cannon’s entry into this year’s Celebrate the Artist competitive exhibition. On display in Edinboro’s Bruce Gallery, the showcase features the work of Cannon and 14 other finalists.
Michael V. Gmitter, a 22-year-old Edinboro art student studying metals and jewelry died in 2006. The following year, Michael’s parents established an endowment to support an annual competitive exhibition. To date, Celebrate the Artist has awarded more than $20,000 in cash.
Though this year’s juror, Ryan Zimmerman, ultimately chose oil painter Nicole Sinciline for the competition’s highest cash award, Cannon adds the finalist honor to an impressive collection of festival laurels from Santa Fe, New Mexico; Oslo, Norway; New York, New York; and London, England.
The 17th Annual exhibition will be on view through Sunday, April 5, 2026.