BFA&BA'21 - Stanislaus State BFA & BA Graduating Seniors Exhibition 2021

BFA& BA’21

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D an ie lle D eni s e A l e x a n d e r A mber A ppling Tam ar a Ay n ag a Van es s a Gu ad a l u p e C a l d e r a D ian a Ch avez A mado r Co n ce p ci o n C os t a Caela D e la C r u z J as m in e D iaz M ar c ian a E liz a b e t h D i e t r i ch J an e E lizabeth D r i s col l Ver o n ic a S G a rci a M ar gar ita N a t h a ly G a rci a T if f any Geis e n J e n n ifer Her r e r a G r a n a d o s J e n day i Lar ios A n n ika M agal l on H e r n a n d e z J u an M agallo n H e r n a n d e z D ayan a A le xa n d r a M a n zo Ste ph an ie Lo re n M or a l e s Sabr in a Nas h A lo n dr a Lizbe t h Qu e ve d o Han n ah R e ag e r s Ste ph an ie A n g e l a Re ye s E lias Cu evas Ros a s Ge o r ge B lo n g X i on g I a Yan g E van Yo u n g I s abe l Zavala C or t e s

BFA&BA’21 BFA & BA Gr a du at i n g S en ior s E x h ibit ion 2021 St a n i sl au s St ate Depa r t ment of A r t C a l i for n i a St ate Un iver sit y, St a n i sl au s

D I R E C TO R ’ S F O R E WO R D The California State University, Stanislaus, Ar t Space Gallery is very excited to present the 2021 BFA & BA Graduating Senior Exhibition. This year’s vir tual exhibition and accompanying catalog showcase the many talented ar tists graduating from the Depar tment of Ar t.

As we continue to face a global pandemic, our galleries remain closed at a time when the most impor tant exhibition of the year is to be celebrated. But COVID-19 has not stopped our talented ar tists from creating and sharing work that makes the world a better place and the Ar t Space Gallery is excited to share this work in a vir tual format. This accompanying catalog documents some of the best ar twork of 2021.

The ar tist represented in this catalog have shown the hard work and dedication that it takes to be a successful ar tist. As the Gallery Director and Professor of Ar t, I have had the distinct pleasure of working with these students in their endeavors to complete their degrees. I have been continually amazed at the perseverance, hard work and commitment that our students have applied to their craft as ar tists. I am proud to be able to call these new ar tists, my colleagues.

I would like to thank the colleagues have been instrumental in this exhibition. Our faculty for their dedication to their students, Brad Peatross of the School of the Ar ts for the catalog design and Parks Printing for their exper tise in the printing of this catalog. In addition, I would like to extend many thanks to the Instructionally Related Activities Program of California State University, Stanislaus for their gracious suppor t of this exhibition and catalog.

Dean De Cocker, Gallery Director California State University, Stanislaus

BFA GRADUATE

TA M A R A AY N A G A The work being presented includes the use of digital photography, staged photography, projectors, lighting equipment and some video as a form of installation.

The purpose of using this media is to explore the human condition and experience through visual imagery. The combined media will be used to create interactive installations that experiment with shadow, color and light within a space or projected onto objects or subjects.

Some images deal with the subject matter of personal memories, experience with gender constructs and the overflow of hyperreality. Other images express feelings of isolation and separation during the pandemic. The idea of synchronicity is in its early stages of exploration through these images as well. By combining multiple visual imagery through the digital photography of these planned installations, there is an investigation of synchronous events. Some images have involved some self-portraits to experiment with the way shadow and light play off of the human form. The purpose of creating installations is to create an interactive experience for the viewer and immerse themselves in the environment.

Moon, digital photography, projector and chair, 2021 Light Box, digital photography, projector, and light box, 2021 Shadow Play, digital photography, projector, screen, 2021

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BFA GRADUATE

C A E L A D E L A C RU Z I relish in the intimate dance a painter plays with a

ferred through another. It is an experience which blurs

nascent image, and the transference of living ideas

the edges between where one life begins and another

from the image to its viewer. There are times I begin

ends, with such automatic fluidity it suggests that there

a painting only to find myself completely lost and out

were no edges between each life to begin with.

of sync. But steadily as the days go by and layers build, an image will reveal its direction as though it was there from the start. It is a moment of recognition and surprise that carries such familiarity, as though in its manifestation an image is returning to me rather than passing through me - as though these images are ever-present.

In applying the final layer of the surface, I arrive at the conclusion of my part in the life of the image. As its painter, the image ends for me. But for its viewer, it lives on in the simple act of seeing, and finds itself without end. For this reason, my best advice to those curious how best to approach my work is to simply allow yourself an honest opportunity to be present with it. Allow yourself to have an experience with it, no matter how long or short, mundane or resonant any experience will do. By seeing, what has been seen has already embedded itself in the complex reservoirs of the memory, subconscious, and feelings from which each of our subjective realities is constructed. In allowing yourself to have a moment with an image, you invite it to someday return, whether in the form of an idea, memory, motif, or never to return at all. It is this way that something living through one person is trans-

From Nothing, Everything, oil & acrylic on canvas-paper, 30” x 60”, 2019 Liberosis, oil & acrylic on canvas-paper, 60” x 30”, 2020 Portrait of the Beloved, oil on canvas-paper, 36” x 30”, 2021

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BFA GRADUATE

E L I A S C U E VA S RO S A S The relationship between humans and the natural

is. Because I make these pieces out of dead leaves as a

world has always been an interesting concept to me.

form of recycling, I want the audience to consider how

We rely on nature. We can not survive without nature.

they can reuse things as well as knowing how impor-

Despite this, we’ve developed a strange relationship

tant sustainability is to protecting the environment.

with nature where we try to control it. For example, we build structures in cities to keep us away from the wilderness, these structures would not exist without utilizing nature.

I started to construct these geometric shapes from the leaves of plants I grow. These geometric shapes took the form of architectural elements. The architectural elements are a commentary on the way humans bend nature to fit their needs. We often take materials from their natural place of origin and put them in foreign areas that better fit our needs. These shapes instead maintain their natural origins while still representing our control to mold them to our wants and needs.

Nature will exist after we do. Even under all our control, there are things we can not stop or prevent or hide and that is part of what makes nature beautiful. I want my work to be a mechanism of reflection for the viewer’s relationship with nature and what their impact

The Reach, acrylic paint, newspaper, and leaves on canvas, 24” x 24”, 2020 Hand in Hand, acrylic paint and leaves on canvas, 8” x 10” Blocked Out, acrylic paint and leaves on canvas, 18” x 24”

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BFA GRADUATE

IA YANG Painting portraits and garments have always been

for justice and kindness. My paintings depict our tragic

my passion. I am especially captivated by capturing

stories and illustrate that we are all human beings who

people’s facial expressions, human figures, and

deserve to be treated as such, regardless of skin color

traditional Hmong clothes through direct observations

or race.

and photographs. The diversity of dynamic color values on human figures and the vibrant colors on the clothes are something that I am always thrilled to paint. I like to challenge myself by rendering fine details as realistic as possible. In the past years, I’ve been focusing on Hmong culture and historical events in my paintings. As a result of my artwork, people can learn more about Hmong people and acknowledge its existence, expressing not just my respect and appreciation for my culture, but also informing them about it. My recent paintings express my anger and frustration over the brutal Asian hate crimes that Asians have been exposed to since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Asian hate crimes have risen by 150 percent since the pandemic started. In the United States, Asians are physically and mentally abused, and others have died as a result of these attacks. Nearly 3,800 hate crimes against Asians have been reported, according to a report by Stop AAPI Hate. My paintings serve as a symbol of hope for a better world that treats all people equally. They also serve as a voice a

Reality Of Oppression, oil on canvas, 3” x 4”, 2019 We Matter Too, oil on canvas, 20” x 20”, 2021 Healing Ourselves, oil on canvas, 24” x 30”, 2021

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BA GRADUATE

DANIELLE DENISE ALEXANDER As an abstract artist, I enjoy experimenting with different mediums such as acrylic paint, aquatint, and intaglio. I create art that I feel is reflective of major events in my life. The Virus is an artwork that is a product of my experimentation. The Virus is acrylic paint on canvas that has been physically spun with an electric drill. The outcome of this process was a stringy and stretchy blob which reminded me of a virus body. Through this experiment, I realized how an artwork can emerge from a particular process. I found inspiration in the works of Jackson Pollock. Pollock’s work captured my attention because of the use of experimental materials and techniques such as the use of sticks and laying the canvas flat on the floor. My remaining artworks exhibit a form of emergence from my own experiments in materials and techniques.

Gone Fishing, black and white aquatint, 6” x 9”, 2019 Vacation, black and white intaglio, 6” x 9”, 2019 The Virus, acrylic on canvas, 10” x 10”, 2020

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BA GRADUATE

AMBER APPLING My intentions for my artwork are to bring a sense of child-like magic back into the lives of adults. Art, whether it be painting, sculpture, photography, and so on, is made up of illusions. Like the deceptive tricks performed by magicians, art has the ability to create a feeling of wonder and amazement. I believe that the deception of art is what makes it so spectacular, it can lure the viewer in and change their perspective on life, even if it is only for a moment. I like to use a lot of nature in my works because, from a child’s perspective, it is filled with magic, mystery, and adventure. Anything regarding flowers typically reminds me of pretending to be exploring a different world in my mother’s and grandmother’s gardens. I also use some surrealism in my artwork that is not just flowers to help convey the feelings of magic and wonder in different ways. Creating my art in these ways allows me to discuss how the lives of adults have become more distant from the imagination and curiosity that brings us child-like joy.

I believe this loss leads to a more apathetic society where the unknown and hunt for knowledge are not as appreciated. My mission is to reignite that flame of curiosity and wanderlust for people via art.

Pastel Dreaming, chalk pastel on paper, 18” x 24”, 2019 Purple Gold Rose, oil on canvas, 15”x 15”, 2019 Heart on the Line, ink on paper, 8” x 12”, 2020

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BA GRADUATE

VA N E S S A G U A D A LU P E C A L D E R A The artwork that I am presenting to you is a part of my Bond of Time series. Bond of Time is my impute on a psychoanalytic approach on time. As a female I was raised to be quiet and speak when spoken to. The odious bonds I had around my freedom were evident when compared to those of the opposite sex. With only time on my hand that allowed me to venture out.

I grew older and attended classes in high school and at the university where I was able to further reach the power to express myself through my work. I hope to show the explosion of feelings I felt as this event occurred. My sexuality for one proved to empower me even further than I had thought and allowed me to break free. To express those memories I had with the sexual identity I chose for myself. I hope to show the viewer that though you believe to be bound to restrictions your bond with time can set you free and empower you to remember, you are your own human.

Bond, charcoal, 11”x11”, 2020 Your Voice, charcoal, ink, and acrylic, 15”x15”, 2021 Forgotten Dreams, acrylic, 14”x12”, 2021

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BA GRADUATE

D I A N A C H AV E Z My artist’s name is Delzi Stone. I am a BA Major. I began my art career at Fresno State, and participated in the art scene during Art-Hop. Being involved in the art community I learned new art methods, such as mural work with local artists. My area of focus is in the process of intaglio, graphite pencil, and digital art. My art reflects some of the moments in life that impacted me the most. My inspiration comes from the beautiful natural word, and lessons taught by great masters in art. My goal is to continue using classic intaglio print making techniques, and to tell a story with a collection of prints.

Inked, intaglio, 7.5” x 11”, 2019 Delzi, digital, 13.3” x 9.5”, 2020 Sis, charcoal and ink, 41” x 29”, 2015

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BA GRADUATE

A M A D O R C O N C E P C I O N C O S TA My artwork depicts different subjects with vibrant color. Using expressive marking making and other techniques I have learned with my experiences in other art mediums. I abstract the forms of these objects, the light and shadow, and the color into their most fundamental forms. Techniques behind film and graphic design have given me an interesting understanding on how to compose different scenes in my paintings. Working in graphic design has also inspired my way of painting and how I see the world around me. I blend complex forms or similar values in order to simplify them while still focusing on the readability of the subject. Generalization is the most prevalent technique in my work. The mood of the piece can vary drastically depended on how the forms are simplified, which affects how the viewer experiences the work.

Dialogue between the viewer and the work is another important idea I keep in mind as I create as it adds subjectivity to my artwork. This allows the viewer to draw their own conclusions from their own experiences.

Mannequin & Chair, acrylic on canvas, 12” x 16”, 2019 Untitled, oil on canvas, 16” x 20”, 2019 Skeleton, oil on canvas, 12” x 16”, 2019

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BA GRADUATE

JASMINE DIAZ Solid - This is a digital rendition used for a screen

Palomx - Palomx is inspired by the magical artivist

printing assignment. It was later used in a meeting

Palomx that brings Indigenous excellence to contem-

with the Student Collective that called out President

porary times in music, art and existence. It was a final

Ellen Junn to denounce white supremacy on campus

piece for a figure drawing class.

after white supremacist posters started showing up again and taking down “You’re on Native Nototone Yokut Land”. Four years later after a white supremacist graduated and took up space on campus the President and her administration denounced white supremacy.

A lot of anger was drawn from this but at the end it is an understanding of intersectionality that can create solidarity. That there should be no tolerance for hate but another world is possible and to quote the Zapatistas “ a world where many worlds fit” is possible.

We can all do better.

Tonantzin - This print helped me explore texture in lithography. The meaning behind Tonantzin was drawn from Gloria Anzaldua The Coatlicue State. Tonantzin translates to “our sacred mother” in Nahuatl and Coatlicue is the “goddess of birth and death”. As I reflected on understanding the figure I couldn’t disconnect from the colonial influences. I centered on Coatlicue because she is a symbol of the birth and death of Tonantzin’s transformation to the Virgin Mary.

Solid, digital Tonantzin, lithography 11” x 14”, 2019 Palomx, charcoal on toned tan paper 9” x 12”, 2020

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BA GRADUATE

M A RC I A N A E L I Z A B E T H D I E T R I C H In a world filled with uncertainty, I have found solace in art. The works I have chosen to display were created during the beginning stages of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the present year and although each medium is different, they all share a desire to retreat.

I have a deep interest in both physical and visual texture and have always loved exploring various ways to express movement through brush strokes which can be seen in White Flag. Throughout this pandemic I have found myself starved for the simplicity one experiences during childhood and this has emerged in my work through allegorical symbolism. It has taken me significantly longer to appreciate digital art than any other medium, and it has been quite a journey discovering the numerous techniques and applications one can use to create both realistic and fantastical work for which I now aspire to learn more, but I will always be a painter at heart. I love getting my hands dirty, clothes ruined by mysterious color stains and the ability to attack paper, or a canvas, with vigor in my attempts to create the realities of my mind into an abstracted image.

Ground Control, linocut on paper, 8” x 10”, 2020 White Flag, acrylic on paper, 11” x 15”, 2020 Learning Outdoors, Photoshop, 10” x 4”, 2020

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BA GRADUATE

JANE ELIZABETH DRISCOLL When I was young, I was rarely allowed to watch television, and I often turned to drawing, painting, or reading to pass the time. In those formative years I developed a fascination with stories and an attraction to the traditional mediums of drawing and painting. I would often try to draw characters or illustrate scenes of the current story I was devouring. Today I enjoy pairing the malleability and flexibility of those materials with the most interesting facets of storytelling. I have become enamored with observational depictions of the human figure, as well as a recent captivation in the idea of the human shadow, each person’s personal demons or one’s id. This work started as I discovered I enjoyed creating work with a universal sense of feeling to them, and how we can acknowledge and integrate the shadow with ourselves. In turn, my artwork is often steeped with personal allegories, symbolism, and mythology and a subtle peek into the depths of the human condition. Pairing the mediums with the figure in flux easily ignites my creative spark and working with the figure I can make work that appeals to an inner collective between people. Anytime I work on a piece I enter this state of flow, and it is where I have been most content in life.

Twins, oil on wood panel, 16” x 19”, 2018 Head in the Clouds, lithograph, 11” x 8.5”, 2018 Denying the Shadow, digital multimedia, 24.9” x 13.9”, 2020

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BA GRADUATE

V E RO N I C A S A N C H E Z G A RC I A I am a storyteller and love to capture time with my

I am proud of the work I have created at Stan State.

camera. My work captures the essence of my culture

This time has allowed me the opportunity to look

through the use of color, design, emotion and feeling.

within myself. I look forward to continuing to create

The last twelve years I have owned and operated a

and explore.

portrait photography studio. I have focused on capturing weddings, Quinceañeras and many milestones in people’s lives.

As a non-traditional student, returning to complete my education after a decade away has been challenging, humbling and exciting. The opportunity to explore various mediums in which to create has pushed me to look within myself and challenge my prejudices. I have learned new techniques to convey what I am feeling. The power of symbolism, the use of color, the use of design all conduits in telling a story. My story, my history, is a story of growing up as a woman in a patriarchal household and raging against machismo.

Where value is placed on what you can do for others, and not on doing for yourself. This ongoing struggle lies at the heart of my work to raise awareness and celebrate everyday successes. Through this filter, I have learned to use values and shadow to build depth, it is a skill that I use in all the mediums that I work in.

Book of Love, linocut print, 6” x 9”, 2021 Into the Unknown, intaglio print, 6” x 9”, 2019 Love Thyself, acrylic on wood panel, 10” x 20”, 2020

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BA GRADUATE

M A RG A R I TA N AT H A LY G A RC I A My work recently has been oil on canvas. The paintings reflect places I have been to or what I am feeling. They do not have a true narrative, anyone who sees it will come up with their own story. I find a lot of inspiration from the places I go on walks or hikes. I focus on portraying the simplicity and beauty of nature. I also take a lot of inspiration from my home country and my memories of it. I want to lock those memories into a painting to look back on and reflect on the beauty and people I left behind as a child. My current work is more abstract with no direction just paint on paper, I let my emotions and mind do the work, art to me does not need a meaning and many of what I create is open to interpretation. To me, there is no right or wrong when it comes to making art and that is the beauty of it.

Oil on Canvas, 8” x 10”, 2020 Watercolor, 8” x 10”, 2020 Oil on Canvas, 10” x 8”, 2019

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BA GRADUATE

T I F FA N Y G E I S E N Having been interested in art from an early age, I primarily focus on digital illustrations, though I am a painter as well. Through my personal positivity and analytical mindset, I create pieces that focus on and explore emotions. In tapping into the human subconscious, art can leave an even greater impression on its audience, letting the mind see beyond what is physically in front of it. Art enriches the soul and can positively influence people for the rest of their lives, which is something I hope to accomplish with my own artwork. In creating art, I hope to inspire others to create, and those artists inspire others to create, ultimately leading to an endless cycle of creation. A picture is worth a thousand words, and every artist is filled with endless pictures.

Dreamy, digital, 800 x 1900 pixels, 2021 Lucky, digital, 1714 x 2000 pixels, 2021 Self-Portrait, oil on canvas, 11.7“ x 15.6“, 2020

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BA GRADUATE

JENNIFER HERRERA GRANADOS The theme of Jennifer Herrera Granados’s artwork

catching the viewer’s eye with what is soon to be torn

revolves around nature vs architecture.

down. She also creates a scenery to behold and lets the viewer choose which future they would prefer

In a modern world like today, it is easy to get dis-

to see.

tracted by new innovations coming in the future.

People become preoccupied with the thought of new technology. Often they will forget about the nature around them. This causes employees in construction to build over the natural ecosystems. Since most individuals know little about what wildlife may live around the area there is little pushback against companies creating more companies. Jennifer demonstrates this in her paintings, creating frames of buildings and pairing them with natural scenery. Jennifer’s artwork is an insight of what once was. In some of her art pieces you can see natural environments and what will become of them once people lay hands on the resources.

Jennifer explores the idea of nature being destroyed for capitalistic agendas. By looking at her paintings, you can easily imagine the trees and animals that will be removed in order to replace them with new buildings. Jennifer does well to mix in aspects of nature with architecture. Her pieces involved large trees and long branches placed in different areas on the canvas.

The frame of buildings can be seen behind various trees. This creates an emphasis on nature in hopes of

Transparency, acrylic paint, 18.5” x 20”, 2019 Upcoming, acrylic paint, 20” x 18.5”, 2019 Nature’s Taking Over, acrylic paint, 48” x 24”, 2019

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BA GRADUATE

J E N D AY I L A R I O S Art provides the perfect opportunity to experiment and explore. For years, I neglected my love for art because I was pursuing a pharmacy degree, but now, having accepted that love, I plan on becoming an art teacher. Adjusting to becoming an art major, I began by creating works that I would enjoy being surrounded by.

Influenced by pop art and nature (mainly flowers), this led me to the use of bright colors and super-sizing small objects, both sculpturally and in flat works. As I grew more comfortable, both with the artistic process and myself, my artwork’s focus on aesthetics shifted to begin including an exploration of my identity as a transgender man who still enjoys stereotypically feminine things.

Before works become a reality, they exist as fragments and lists in my sketchbooks, clay experiments in my workspace, and reference photos across my devices.

This process of planning and research is what I am most drawn to. The digital age we live in means there is endless inspiration for almost anything you can think of. My instructors and peers at CSU Stanislaus have helped show me how to turn those plans into realities.

Final pieces hold not only the symbolic and representational meanings I give them, but also memories of their creation. My hope is that viewers can find their own enjoyment in my pieces.

Concert Shirt, digital, 2019 Trypophobia, acrylic painted ceramic, 12” x 12” x 6”, 2018 Childlike Fascination, screenprint, 9.75” x 7.75”, 2019

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BA GRADUATE

ANNIKA MAGALLON HERNANDEZ Many find beauty in animals and in nature, and in that

the fantasy-like quality of nature within anthropomor-

I suppose I am not any different. Since childhood I

phized animals that, with hope, would prompt any who

have been captivated by animals, specifically by big

would look upon my art to connect with animals and

powerful mammals who have always captured the

come to love them.

human imagination such as canines, big cats, and horses. Artists capture their likeness to express their outward majesty and power and in that I wholly relate, but as a naturally quiet, shy person there was always this longing within me to embody the raw power and unbridled nature of wildlife. As a child I would pretend to be a ferocious lion and chase my peers or be a wild horse and race across the schoolyard, but having since outgrown that I channeled my fantastical desires into my work by depicting these powerful animals as they are in nature but with an anthropomorphic flair to their expression and body language. I achieve this by studying animal forms and anatomy as well as the facial anatomy of humans to translate the corresponding muscle structures on animals in order to relate human emotion to my audience through my animal subjects.

I relay this depiction of animal subjects with line work that heeds the silhouette of their forms and fine details that provide uniqueness and variation within every animal that I draw. Ultimately my aim is to encapsulate

Wolf Spider, pastel on paper, 5.5” x 8.5”, 2021 Hydra, acrylic & ink on carved panel, 19” x 24.5”, 2020 Empty Howls, acrylic, ink, watercolor, pastel on wood panel, 48” x 48”, 2020

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BA GRADUATE

JUAN MAGALLON HERNANDEZ My work explores aspects of natural simplicity as well as beginnings and endings: photography, digital media, and painting. I am curious about the way color interactivity is impactful when viewing an artwork that leads to several different thought processes as well as catching the eye. I work hard to illustrate what form of natural simplicity captures my attention through my own imagination or capturing it how I see it through photography and it’s editing process. When I capture my photos I like to capture angles that provide a clearer symbolic meaning for what I am trying to convey to align with the sort of framing I choose to go with, preferably with full shots. With my painting I enjoy leaving textures on my work through heavy brushstrokes and reasonably rough mark making.

My thoughts behind this is that I believe it creates an aspect of existentialism where it almost comes to become a map of the world on it’s own with topographical-like textures. I feel it also adds to the heavy feeling we get thinking about life, its offerings and its inevitable end. I see digital media as a basis for entertainment interactivity. That would include graphic designs for logos, advertisements, posters, and album covers. My work is an example of my curiosity that lies in everyone which enables me to pursue my curiosity and reveal the world through my eyes.

Adieu, etching on copper plate, 6” x 8”, 2020 Model Portrait, oil on canvas, 18” x 11”, 2019 One by One, pigment on paper, 24” x13”, 2021

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BA GRADUATE

D AY A N A A L E X A N D R A M A N ZO I am a Central Valley based artist that focuses on bringing attention to multicultural relationships of domesticity and the consumer culture. I use my work to explore how Hispanic ethics and morals influence communities and their spending habits in large retailers. I consider how culture is established around collectivism, which has me considering morality when creating.

My work predominantly uses the imagery of clothing and textile elements. The purpose is to open discussion specifically based on the impact of fast fashion and the ways it lacks in sustainability. Sustainability ethics focus on current actions, but also anticipates potential consequences for the choices made today.

I consider myself a mixed media artist who incorporates elements of illustration, printmaking, painting, and embroidery. My subtle use of embroidery is reminiscent of the otomi embroidery that surrounded me in my youth. I usually begin by illustrating or printing an image to build up a narrative and then add color.

Color is usually added throughout the piece with paint to highlight areas of importance. The embroidery I add towards the end of a piece is to emphasize key elements and give a physical texture to the final product.

Show Yourself, dry point, watercolor and thread, 6” x 9”, 2020 The Way You Seam, relief print, 10” x 8” , 2020 Nothing Shameful, acrylic and thread on canvas, 16” x 12”, 2021

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BA GRADUATE

STEPHANIE LOREN MORALES Nature photography has always been something I have enjoyed. Without purposely doing so, I tend to visualize a rectangle out in the middle of a landscape that I find a photo in. I have always had a connection with nature, and I want to capture the beauty the world offers us. When it comes to photographing nature, I believe in only light editing. Too much alteration takes away from the natural and in-the-moment concept of my photos.

Throughout my time at California State University, Stanislaus, I have been finding quite the interest in sculpture. It gives such freedom in what and how you want to portray an idea or feeling. A lot of my physical work stems directly from emotion. If my emotional state changes, my work substantially changes as well. I have always had a want for people to understand me. To understand exactly how I am feeling, what I am thinking, and grasp the message I am trying to convey in my works.

7:15pm, iPhone photography, 12” x 16”, 2021 An Invitation, iPhone photography, 11” x 14”, 2019 Palpitate. Pound. Tighten.3D print, wood, wire, and nails sculpture,12.25” x 5.5” x 8” 2020

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BA GRADUATE

SABRINA NASH As an artist there are so many different ways to make

face. While the struggles might be hard and can make

art. Digital Art is something that always has been an

life difficult it is good to see the light at the end of the

art form that I have been interested in. I find slight

tunnel. I want my art to show the struggles, but also so

perfection in it and it is visually pleasing. There are also

the good and happiness in the world.

so many possibilities in Digital Art. Whether it is working for a company creating their logos or magazine spreads for them. Even going into the movie industry and designing posters or creating the movies. In art the simplistic and minimal detail is sometimes the most beautiful. The little detail can be used to tell such a powerful story, that comes with so much details. The majority of work that I have created has been from the assignments I have made while in school. I have made a few things that have not been in class, but I still have not been entirely pleased with them. My goal is create pieces based on the emotions and difficult challenges individuals go through in life. These challenges are something that they will deal with for the rest of their life, it will affect everything they do. Just like displayed in my art work, I too have experienced these struggles that are shown in my art, of abandonment and abusive relationships. By adding my personal experience, I feel it helps tell a better story. I find artwork to be a beautiful way to discuss those struggle that people can

Abandonment, charcoal on plywood, 12” x 12”, 2019 Happiness, digital, 26” x 10”, 2021 Abuse, acrylic paint on BFK paper, 24” x 12”, 2020

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BA GRADUATE

ALONDRA LIZBETH QUEVEDO My art ranges from cartoon drawings of people to paintings of landscapes, still lives, and abstraction.

Knowing that you can create a character and see it on the big screen is what got me to draw. For painting, it was the use of a variation of colors. Color is something I appreciate most in art because it can make an image stand out even more and is also capable of affecting one’s emotion. I hope to captivate the audience through my art and for them to enjoy what they view. The inspiration for most of my work comes from Disney and Impressionism, with the artist Claude Monet being the most influential.

Untitled, charcoal on paper, 18” x 18”, 2019 Spring, acrylic on canvas, 20.5” x 20.25”, 2019 Goal, digital, 3750 x 1500 pixels, 2021

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BA GRADUATE

HANNAH REAGERS Expulsion from Paradise (Revisited) 5/8 is an appropria-

ing natural resources from the land. I wanted to give the

tion of past images throughout history illustrating the

environment human features. The trees are shaped as

biblical story of Adam and Eve being exiled from

arms with hands and within the mountain landscape is

Eden. Instead of the male and female being pushed

the shape of a face with tears running down from the

out of Eden though, I am using the idea to make an

eyes. The men are cutting down the arms with hand

environmental statement of how we may eventually kick

shaped trees. There is blood splattering out of the tree

ourselves out of “Eden” (earth) by continuing to destroy

like human flesh. The message I am trying to convey

it with pollution. The dark form to the left of the figures

is by destroying the coral reefs, rainforests, etc we are

resembles an angel and/or a reaper, representing death.

harming ourselves and our world.

In the background is a skyline of factories. Behind the two mourning figures is fire as the earth burns. Pollution has accumulated over the ground the figures walk on.

Life of the Living Dead 4/5 is a business man in his office, with a zombie-like appearance. I was inspired by the artist Bill Fick with his grotesque faces creating wonderful texture and form. The idea is that this zombie businessman who spends the majority of his life working in his office is not really living life to its fullest.

The subject’s quality of existence is as if he is already dead as he has become a work drone to the system.

The smiley face coffee mug is supposed to be ironic to the situation given that he is not happy. The mug also represents how we work excessive hours and try to find happiness by buying kitsch objects in our obsessive drive to make money.

Elegy 2/3 is an allegory of the destructive behavior humans have exhibited on earth as a means of exploit-

Expulsion from Paradise (Revisited) 5/8, relief print, 6.338” x 7.917”, 2020 Life of the Living Dead 4/5, relief print, 5.679” x 4.533”, 2020 Elegy 2/3, relief print, 6.175” x 7.917”, 2020

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BA GRADUATE

STEPHANIE ANGELA REYES This collection of work has been heavy on my brain since 2019. Almost a year after I had my son.

When people think of a young artist, they usually do not believe that they have a whole family at home (children and significant other). Most artists dedicate their 20s to achieving their academic, artistic goals.

For me, it was different. I became a mother before I started engulfing myself in the art scene. I wanted to show people what it is like to be a young mother and still follow your passion. I wanted to show everyone the dark and the light sides of being a mother and an artist. It comes with its challenges. I also want people to know the importance of supporting mothers who are artists. Yes, everyone struggles, but when you are a mother and a young artist it is harder to achieve your artistic goals. It usually feels like you cannot relate to everyone else in the same way. You start to distance yourself from everyone because you often feel like you do not belong, have children, and being the primary caretaker. It’s hard to work and be a successful mother at the same time. We often feel judged, both in the art world and in the mother community. We feel like no one has our back. Through my art, I wanted to create a show where everyone can feel what a mother feels. This way, we can provide the support mothers need.

Natural Strength, intaglio print with oil-based Ink,11” x 14”, 2019 Keep On Dreaming, acrylic on plywood, 24” x 24”, 2020 Untitled, acrylic on plywood, 24” x 24”, 2020

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G E O RG E B L O N G X I O N G For me, art is stories that I can tell. I am a narrator who uses visuals instead of words. I believe inspirations come from anywhere. I’m mostly inspired when my ambiguousness and open-mindedness drift me away and set off for a journey to explore. Even though I am open minded to try new things, I believe my work does not specifically fit a theme. The majority of my work deals with the human experience and how it affects the everyday life of a person. My work ranges from the emotions, context of thoughts, and the physical and spiritual characteristic of what a human life may experience daily. I tend to take random thoughts and make them profound in the most creative aspect as I can. I want people to be able to visualize what I was thinking rather than having to explain it with words. Usually, the subject matter will affect the choice of medium I use. I find it fascinating to be able to create my own world for viewer’s to see.

More Often, lithography, 11” x 14”, 2020 When We Had Joy & We Were Innoncent, lithography, 14” x 21”, 2020 Through the Storm, pastel on wood panels, 30” x 14”, 2020

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E VA N YO U N G I’m Evan Young, an Art Major at CSU Stanislaus. My works are primarily abstract in nature or heavily incorporate purely abstract imagery alongside recognizable images. My subject matter is typically an intangible idea such as thought, emotion, or experience rather than something physical and I believe this is reflected in my work. The art I most enjoy producing is generally meant to reflect elevated thought, past experience, or otherworldly environments that reflect certain states of being or existence.

I generally turn to a combination of sharp line work produced with drawing pens and loose application of ink and/or paint. These parts of the work are typically created separately, independent of each other with their combination being the final step in the creation of a piece of artwork. I never truly know what it is I’ll make in advance, preferring to find my way as I draw forms, recombine them, and add multiple layers of depth with ink or paint.

Falling With The Leaves, manipulated digital photography, 24” x 16”, 2021 Cabin Doors To Nowhere, manipulated digital photography, 24” x 16”, 2020 Ghosts In Our Dreams, manipulated digital photography, 24” x 16”, 2020

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I S A B E L Z AVA L A C O RT E S I like to paint what I see, and then, I change the colors or objects within a painting so that it becomes more colorful or tense. My process in creating artworks begins with a focus on trying to closely follow observed light, objects and people. I usually have a solid idea before painting; it anchors me as a starting point because any idea I get does emerge while I am focused on painting something well-known or recognizable, (like a landscape or a small object). I shift the observed color I often add in or take away details for a space that feels recognizable and tense. I anchor myself with an overarching theme and build up from there, using metaphors to enable interpretation.

My preferred mediums are digital art and painting, although I continue to explore different mediums to combine and contrast them for more flexibility within the creation of art.

Candy Jar, oil paint and charcoal on paper, “12” x “18”, 2020 Four Figures, oil paint on paper, 8.08” x 11”, 2020 Light As a Character, digital media, 11” x 8.5”, 2020

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A C K N OW L E D G E M E N T S California State University, Stanislaus

Dr. Ellen Junn, President

Dr. Kimberly Greer, Provost/Vice President of Academic Affairs

Dr. James A. Tuedio, Dean, College of the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

Depar tment of Ar t

Martin Azevedo, Associate Professor, Chair

Patrick Brien, Lecturer

Tricia Cooper, Lecturer

Dean De Cocker, Professor

James Deitz, Lecturer

Daniel Edwards, Associate Professor

Patrica Eshagh, Lecturer

Jessica Gomula-Kruzic, Professor

Daniel Heskamp, Lecturer

Chad Hunter, Lecturer

Dr. Carmen Robbin, Professor

Ellen Roehne, Lecturer

Dr. Staci Scheiwiller, Associate Professor

Susan Stephenson, Associate Professor

Jake Weigel, Associate Professor

Meg Broderick, Administrative Support Assistant II

Alexander Quinones, Equipment Technician II

University Ar t Galleries

Dean De Cocker, Director

School of the Ar ts

Brad Peatross, Graphic Specialist II

BFA&BA’21 - BFA & BA Graduating Seniors Exhibition 2021 May 14–June 26, 2021 | Stan State Art Space, California State University, Stanislaus | 226 N. First St., Turlock, CA 95380 300 copies printed. Copyright © 2021 California State University, Stanislaus • ISBN 978-1-940753-59-1 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of the publisher.

This exhibition and catalog have been funded by Associated Students Instructionally Related Activities, California State University, Stanislaus.

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BFA&BA’21 - STANISLAUS STATE BFA & BA GRADUATING SENIORS EXHIBITION 2021, CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, STANISLAUS

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