Senior Art Shows Open

The annual BFA Senior Show opened on Tuesday, December 6,, in the Hammond Hall Gallery, with the BA Senior Show in the Hammond Hall Student Gallery. “Select Your Piece” is the show’s theme, and students, faculty, and the community are invited to view the exhibits.

The BFA Senior Show, a capstone project for seniors, gives students the opportunity to display their development in various artistic skills while also helping them develop an abounding portfolio and preparing them for entry into their respective industry. For this project, students begin with an issue of a specific lens—social, economic, environmental, etc.—and they are tasked with creating an artistic solution or answer to the issue. It also gives them the opportunity to collaborate with each other as they give feedback on other artists’ works.

Janice Hendrick, a senior pursuing a BFA in Graphic Design, will be displaying her graphic design work at the BFA Senior Show. In preparation for the event, Hendrick spent a lot of time developing her campaign and reasoning behind her decision to create the brand, aiming to produce a direct yet effective message.

“I most look forward to seeing it all come together for not only myself but everyone in the show,” Hendrick said. “We all have worked so extremely hard and for us to all be in a room together surrounded by our work and surrounded by peers and family and faculty—it will be such a rewarding experience.”

For Kaitlyn Johnson, a senior pursuing a BFA in Painting, there is not a lot of planning that goes into her work. She works spontaneously, choosing the first subject that feels right and analyzing the decision later. Her work, which draws on impressionist and surrealist styles, aims to encourage the viewer to connect with the picture in some way, often evoking more questions than answers.

“I am inspired by the complexity of emotions and the play and logic that are involved in conveying” each story, which incorporates her watercolor and acrylic history into oil paints, her medium of choice. “For me, painting has helped me decipher myself and my tendencies, and it helps me better understand and accept my negative emotions which are a natural part in everyone’s lives,” said Johnson.

Both shows will remain displayed until December 16.