My practice is an effort at playfulness, form, and function. I explore projecting a wide range of aesthetics onto familiar ceramic vessels as I strive to push them into territories you would not expect them to enter, be they figurative or abstract. Content and design language in my work vary as I pursue fresh themes and learning opportunities.
Project
Mid-Century Concept
@andrewblackart
AMELIA ANGLIM
Stories have been my life for my entire sentient existence, I have read, watched, and heard so many that they mixed together in my mind to create the person I am today. And I am flawed. Perhaps the path to loving oneself is to see oneself in others, and I perform this through art. I do my best to fuel my artistic endeavors with love; love of my dogs, love of my family, love of my favorite foods, and a general love of life. Life is hard, life is beautiful, and art is the way I tell myself to move forward.
If I could do anything for a living, I’d want to tell stories that people feel moved by, that they identify with. My autism and queerness greatly inform my work, and if i could make someone like me feel seen, then it will have been worth it.
My work is focused on preserving, and executing, traditional handproduction methods of manufacturing. This is a means of exploring not only manufacturing as a valid form of sculpture, but the art of the manufacturing process as well. Hand-made toys are as much of a sculpture as any other form of art with a capital “A”, though do we consider it as such? What is it about a white-box gallery sculpture that maintains more sophistication than someone making a movie-monster in their garage? I am making a comment on what we consider to have merit in the art space over one another, as well as utilizing this project as a means to preserve methods of production that have been lost to time. This is through a multistep process of hand-sculpting in Blender 3D, to resin print, cast in a silicone mold, and then processed through various mediums to replicate the look, and aesthetic, of vintage Japanese art-toys. As we grow one step removed from what we use on a day-to-day basis, I am trying to once again, bring forth the visible hand of the crafter.
OMONIYI TEMIDAYO
Project
Who Are You
Multi-Media
Making art about yourself is strangely both the easiest and hardest thing to do. The subject me seems simple, but the real challenge is deciding how much to reveal. My work is a way of dissecting and layering my identity, using mixed media to create a space that feels both personal and protected. I combine traditional and digital materials, pulling from imagery and symbols like fingerprints or native drums to hint at different parts of my life without making them overly obvious. Some pieces explore my health, my childhood in Nigeria, and the hobbies that shaped me. Nostalgia and a quiet sadness run through the work, reflecting on lost moments of innocence and possibility. Each composition acts like a puzzle piece; together, they form a more complete picture not just of who I am, but of how identity is fluid, complex, and constantly evolving. I hope that in revealing pieces of myself, the work invites viewers to reflect on their own layers too.
SUSIE PARK
Project
Introspection
Mirror etching
Visit
susie0178.wixsite.com/ website
As an artist, I always love to find and draw inspiration from the mystical, the mythical, and the fantastical. Dragons and distant lands are always my go to, as well as the exploration of human body and tattoos when I create my artwork. Tattoos are a fun hobby of mine and a potential career of mine. What better way to express tattooing and the human form than to “tattoo” a mirror, where all my interests were implemented. Mirrors are interesting to explore as we use mirrors to see ourselves. They also symbolize how people must look at their inner self to the core.
For this exhibition, Introspection, I continued to research tattoo artistry and started my process, drawing designs into my sketchbook, cleaning them and sizing them up to scale on digital art programs, where I proceeded to print the designs out onto tattoo stencil paper. Each of my designs had different ideas in mind- such as rebirth, the self, inner self, and being grounded and connected. I proceeded to apply the stencil to my liking, took a rotary tool with diamond engraving bits to etch and engrave the design into the mirror.
The concept for my animated short film is like a therapy session for myself. What I want it to be is like two people having a casual conversation and they ask me “Have I slept at all recently?” I would have myself explain the reasons why I can’t sleep, whether that’s due to insomnia or hyperfocusing on specific priorities. The conversation then deviates to weird dreams I’ve had in recent memories, and imply that the reason why I can’t sleep is because I’m scared of my own dreams and subconscious. This project I’m doing is one of the many lists of ideas I’ve had in the back of my head. It will have easter eggs to certain pop culture characters, fast imagery, explicit content, and much more. Why I believe doing an animation on this would be the best option is because I think it captures the weirdness and unpredictability of the theme. I would also be drawing and animating by memory, allowing room for experimentations in art styles. It also helps that animation as a medium, can be able to morph reality, defy the laws of physics, and dive into visual storytelling that just can’t be achieved if using any other sort of medium. This serves as a self reflective and confessional piece about myself. It is a subtle confrontation about my subconscious, focusing on stress, overthinking, responsibilities, and insomnia.
GREGORY DANIEL
MICHAEL QUACH
Like many others, I grew up watching cartoons and anime. I loved the way that characters were represented through these fantastical and magical stories. Perhaps that’s why almost all of my artwork includes some form of supernatural character. Art is my way of bridging the worlds of fantasy and reality. What I hope to communicate in my work are stories and emotions, I want to create scenes that bring depth to my characters.
My project explores my character Denys, a witch with powers that are connected to the moon and stars. I wanted to capture a moment of joy that comes from creating magic. Taking inspiration from video games, which use an iconic way to share their characters with their audiences, I chose to present my concept by illustrating and animating my own character in a splash art. The splash art also features Dante, the witch’s familiar, who is always by their side. I took inspiration from Greek mythology and desert landscapes to design the setting. This is done digitally, in a cinematic aspect ratio. I hope that by capturing Denys with dramatic lighting, dynamic posing, and a bewitching narrative, viewers will want to delve more into my story.
My body of work is diverse; I’ve got my fingers in a lot of pies. A common thru-line in my art is exploration. Whether that be of a character, setting, or new workflow, I’m continually seeking out new horizons. My work can most simply be described as a mixture of classical painting and modern technology. I prefer to view my art as a system of parts that come together to form a greater whole. Much like a person is a culmination of their experiences, my process involves the intertwining of several components to make a cohesive whole. This includes the application of traditional painting techniques in digital software. Ultimately, my goal is to captivate both audiences and myself with the concept of a world that exists on the cusp of reality and fiction, suspending disbelief with explorations of both the fantastical and mundane, all while refusing to definitively answer the questions of the audience.
Project
There’s Always Time for Tea
Digital animation
Visit
@bunniculoid_gl
GWYNETH LEWANDOWSKI
ALLYSON SANCHEZ
Project
Latinos vs. the world
Illustration and animation
my BFA project my work is mainly about my pride and love for being Latina. Through my art, my goal is to highlight the strength, beauty, and resilience of Latin culture but more specifically El Salvador. I focus on how Latinos have shaped communities both in the United States and in El Salvador and how Latin culture has created an impact far beyond what is often recognized. As a Salvadoran woman it is important for me to share through animation and illustrations how El Salvador has changed as a country and its history. El Salvador went through so much to get to where it is today, and there is still so much to change and not everything is the way it seems. As well as showing a side of my country that goes beyond stereotypes and what is on the news or what is seen on the media, I use my lens to expose gentrification and speak up for communities that are being pushed out or overlooked due to making the country look good for tourism. Tourism is new to El Salvador and the country used to be looked at in disgust due to its high crime rate. The citizens of El Salvador in rural areas are living in critical conditions and being forced to conform to regulations when they already barely make enough to live just to bring in tourists. My work is both personal and political, but it’s about celebrating where I come from, embracing diversity, and showing the world the power of our presence.
Growing up, drawing has always been my first outlet of expressing myself, while animation has been the first exposure for me to the world of creativity. Without animation, I wouldn’t be in the place I am today; being able to create my own work for others to see. This, along with my other inspirations and influences such as fighting video games and anime, fueled that drive to create for me. And ever since middle school, I’ve created my own characters that I would hold onto to this very day. These characters, Astra and Terra, have been ideas I’ve had for 10 years after watching cartoons and seeing examples of storytelling through animation. In addition, my fascination of the fighting genre in anime influenced the incorporation of fight choreography in my animation. These factors used for my BFA project are a reminder of my improvement in my art and my overall journey of developing, designing and now animating my characters to life. Many of the influences on how I approach creating animation are about the same as mentioned before. It has been a journey for me as not only an animator, but an artist in general and after finishing my fight animation, I will continue to grow.
TAMARA SIMONIS
JULIAN ALEXANDER
Project
A World Through the Lens of an Outsider
Digital, Print
Art, in all its forms, has been something I have been attracted to ever since I was a child. When I was young, I had plenty of time to imagine and explore those thoughts and ideas, even if those ideas were never stated aloud. As of current, I specialize in character design and illustration, and animation is a secondary focus that I am currently studying. My current goal is to create a long-running webcomic featuring characters and a world I have created.
Digital art appealed to me because they allow me to convey large amounts of information, emotions, and themes with only one, or a small handful of images. Art was freeing in that one could create whatever they wanted. I was a storyteller as a child, and I still am to this day. I wanted to tell my own stories, with my characters and in the setting that I had personally created. My art style is focused on line art, with thick bold lines that are straight rather than curved. Invader Zim and its creator Jhonen C. Vasquez are large inspirations for the direction of my artwork.
“Being an artist, especially creating my BFA thesis film, has been my greatest joy, offering constant opportunities to learn and innovate. While I initially focused on animation, this year I’m diving into live action with a skit show. My goal is simple: to create short, funny skits inspired by the humor of early YouTube channels like Smosh, Filthy frank, and Onision. Their videos were so funny, and ridiculous, it inspired my own humor as well. Filming “Grandpas Shenanigans” pushed me to embrace instinct and a gag-filled script. I even learned to sew, creating a plush stunt double! Filming “Spider-dude Buffoonery” allowed me to play a superhero and incorporate fun visual gags, including nostalgic nods to the Adam West Batman series. Ultimately, the experience of making these videos with friends and loved ones, all working towards a shared goal of laughter, has been incredibly rewarding. I believe everyone deserves the joy of creating and sharing a good laugh.”
Project
Grandpa Shenanigans / Spider - Dude Baffoonery
Video Visit
murattoons.wixsite.com/ sari
Video
youtu.be/4ymqsZcN3XY
MURAT
NIA S. CURRY
My project, The Crown, is a celebration of Black beauty, identity, and culture, told through the everyday yet deeply meaningful rituals of haircare. Each scene captures intimate moments of transformation, sisterhood, and self-expression, using bold colors and warm lighting to evoke the comfort and pride associated with Black hair spaces.
The salon is more than a place of beauty; it’s a community hub, a safe space, and a living archive of style, struggle, and joy. I wanted to highlight the emotional and historical depth of these experiences, from the tender care of a stylist to the artistry involved in creating protective styles.
Inspired by Hair Love and The Proud Family, my work blends nostalgic realism with vibrant visual storytelling to affirm the beauty of Black hair in all its forms.
By centering Black voices and aesthetics, The Crown aims to counter mainstream erasure and celebrate traditions that are deeply rooted in resilience, self-love, and heritage. This project is not just animation—it’s a love letter to the Crown we wear every day.
This work explores the complex, co-dependent relationship between creatives and consumers— two forces that both nourish and challenge one another. As a creator, I navigate a space where expression and expectation coincide. I created this piece to reflect the tension between authenticity and commodification, highlighting how audiences can shape, support, and sometimes distort the artistic process. Utilizing 2D animation as my medium as it is one of the genres that conjure the most commentary when it comes to media artistry, due it’s familiarity amongst society and its revolutionary way of visual abstract expression. Frequently, creatives are often put under tight restriction of the mainstream and palatability, (within the box) but when encouraged to extend outside of this, creatives truly develop new streams of conscious-thinking and ideas amongst society. Forever creating new waves of creatives and community. This piece was created with the intentions of challenging myself in hopes of reconsidering my role in this creative ecosystem, and to invite commentary on the boundaries placed on creatives and how breaking them can foster innovation. This animation’s layered symbolism emphasises freedom, transformation and the ever-evolving dialogue between artist and audience.
AUTUMN DIONICIO
Project
In The Box
2D Animation
YASYA TITARCHUK
Project
The Wonderful World of Oz-empic
Sculpture
Visit
yasyatitarchuk80.wixsite. com/yasya-titarchuk
Art is something I have known for my whole life and yet there is always so much out there to explore. Out of a whirlwind of concepts to discuss, I’m drawn to complex social situations that contain emotion and thought that is hard to communicate with simple words. A similar complexity of discourse centered around semaglutide injections, like Ozempic, has inspired me recently for this BFA project. There is importance in doing your own research amidst an ocean of misinformation and deception.
Throughout my BFA exhibition, which includes a sculpture of two women and a informational slideshow, I wanted to explore the societal and physical implications of medication being used for solely cosmetic purposes. By crafting one of the women as a Hollywood stereotype (ex. Marilyn Monroe), with flashy colored beads and desperate body language when holding the medication, I want to challenge the viewer to consider how much we’re impacted by seeing celebrities portraying medications as cosmetic enhancements, while instead promoting misinformation.
As a kid, I loved playing with dolls. My favorites were always the ones that had interesting stories behind them, and I’d care for and look up to them like they were real people. As I got older, I outgrew dolls when their stories no longer appealed to me, and my interests shifted toward stronger characters to look up to. Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games, Joan of Arc, and Eowyn from Lord of the Rings were a few of my favorites. Instead of leaving behind my interest in dolls,
I’ve decided to leave behind the frills and revive my curiosity by creating a character I would have kept by my side for much longer. I used digital art tools to create a reference for me to work from and sculpted her using air dry clay. She isa reminder that even the smallest, most delicate creatures are capable of extreme bravery, and that answering challenges and difficulties is what defines a strong character.
GRACE HEALY
Project
The Knight
Clay sculpture, digital print
SANDY NDEUTCHOUA
Project Honey’s Night
Animation
Visit
sandyartportfolio.carrd.co
This animated short film explores themes of abandonment, found family, and facing the fear of the dark.
2D animation has the power to make anything I desire and mesh it with a love of fantasy to create a heartwarming story of a father and daughter. I chose to create this film in 2D animation as it gives me more liberty to be creative with the characters and their setting.
I used to fear the dark when I was a kid, as it felt like something was watching me and I didn’t know what it was, but being with people helped me forget. Just like me, Honey was able to face her fear of the dark and is no longer alone when she sleeps.
RACHEL MANION
rachellynn021.wixsite.com/ my-site-1
My work in this series revolves around creating paintings of family photos from when I was younger that focus on capturing the specific people, the relationships between them, and emotional energy of that moment. The people are recognizable throughout the paintings, allowing the viewer to follow a narrative of these classic, domestic scenes that allow viewers a context to contend with their own childhood and family experiences. The brushwork tries to toe the line between visible, yet still soft in order to convey the idea of memory and the fading over time, as well as the gentleness of many of the images. The paintings are on the smaller side, not exceeding 18x24in, which contributes to the feeling of intimacy as viewers have to get closer in order to properly see the scene. I strive to create paintings that are stereotypically pretty and pleasant in order to mirror the emotional sweetness of many of the images.
DARRIN BROWN
Project
Turbo Drift: combining interactivity with graphics and illustration
website
Visit
djbrown0808.myportfolio. com
Turbo Drift is a racing game that pushes the racing genre to new heights. This project combines the elements of graphics, illustration and interactivity to create a website that engages the with the user to bring an unique experience. The vibrant art style and eye-catching graphics grabs the user’s attention to motivates them to further navigate throughout the website.
In the beginning stages of my research, the obvious choice would have been to come up with a name that related to the gambling and entertainment nightlife that the city is most known for. However, I wanted to dig even deeper and differentiate the name from all of the Las Vegas sports teams, making this team truly unique. I took it upon myself to learn about the history of Las Vegas, the culture of the city, and everything that makes up the area. Following that, I learned how common the scorpion insect is to the Las Vegas area. Ultimately, learning that the city is home to 25 different species of scorpions, and so I dug further and found out that no major sports team in any sport had “Scorpions” as their name or mascot. Right then and there, I knew that the “Las Vegas Scorpions” was the perfect fit.
CRISTIAN SANTANA
The Frog Army is a brand that is made for anyone over the age of 4 who loves frogs. Through university making these hand sewn frogs was a way I could take a break and make something, it helped with stress relief when I was overwhelmed. They took about an hour to make start to finish, and it helped. My hope for the people who buy my frogs, or my products, is that it’ll bring them a little joy. The frogs are small enough to be a stress ball— and they’re cute—and having a little soldier as support for the young ones can help them have more confidence.
My project is a sports gambling awareness campaign called “Keep it A Game” with the slogan: “Be a Fan, not a Gambler” The project involves 3 posters that highlight the negative effects of sports betting, shirt merchandise with the slogan and mission statement on the back, and accessories like stickers, keychains, and buttons. The campaign also features a website that serves as the homebase for resources and tools for those who need help or more information on the effects of sports betting. I was motivated to start this campaign because I love sports and when I turned 21, I started to bet money on them. I won $1000 from a $20 bet on a sports betting app and that’s where the addiction started. I kept placing more and more bets and losing more than I won, but I would tell myself that “scared money doesn’t win money.” However, this motto changed when I put more than $200 of bets on the Superbowl and won a grand total of $0. The problem that my campaign is responding to is the addiction of sports betting and raising awareness and providing information on its effects.
This is concept art of two antagonists for a 2D platformer fighting game. This race is born with a soul with the same energy as a star. Most people can contain it, but a select few are born with a disease that makes their skin fracture and not be able to contain the powerful cosmetic energy their souls withhold, and tend to combust within a few hours of being born. These two antagonists learned to control their destructive cosmetic energy that is released through the cracks on their skin and use it to create chaos and disorder to neighboring rival kingdoms that refuse to merge with their own and conform to their way of living.
TECUTION is a fictional Psychedelic Rock band inspired by the psychedelic imagery and sound of the 1960s and 1970s. The gig poster and album cover are part of a collection of work documenting the band’s first album release, merchandise, and concerts.
SARAH BURRIER
Project
Tecution
Hand Inked, Digital Color
MALAKHI
Project
My BFA project is a tribute to my best friend Kuma, who encourages me to be the best version of myself. Drawing inspiration from her shows not only my love and appreciation for her, but also showcases my fascination with Japanese sub-culture (gyaru) she actively participates in.
Ganguro
Betty Davis was a trailblazing funk musician of the 1970s, best known for her raw vocals, unapologetic sexuality, and fierce independence. An artist far ahead of her time, Betty’s bold, sensual stage presence and uncompromising sound defied industry expectations and mainstream acceptance. Though overlooked in her era, her work continues to influence and inspire a new generation of artists. My artwork for this show is made in honor of the courageous, rebellious, and self-possessed force that is Betty Davis—an artist who refused to shrink herself, and whose legacy speaks to the freedom and power I strive to channel in my own creative expression.
Project Nasty Gal
Poster
SHAKAYLA FISHER
ELIAS GRAY
Project
I am an artist who strives to do any works regarding fiction. I strive to do comic books, video games, and novels. From an artist standpoint, it helps to study different mediums to see what clicks with you. I strive to laser focus on one medium while doing other projects regarding other mediums. These are concept art for a thesis based on a video game idea I developed. I aim to have it a full project in the future.
I created Self-Evident Truths as a platform to use wit and satire to create a commentary of the current events in the United States of America. With the oversaturation of ever-changing information about what is happening in the Trump administration wanted to create a humorous reprieve so that people can laugh at current events rather than cry.
LINDSAY SLAWSON
Project
Self-Evident Truths
Digital
ROWYN
NIKOL
Project
Cryptid Anthology Comics
Digital Ink
For the Spring ‘25 BFA show I worked on a series of 4 comics based on Cryptids; which is a creature that is reported in folklore or through eyewitness accounts. For each comic I drew from the reports of the creature and re-imagined them in light-hearted “slice-of-life” stories.
The first story imagines the Snallygaster (a dragon-like creature from Appalachia) making a new friend in a Highland Calf.
The second story imagines a couple of cryptozoologists searching for a gathering of Nightcrawlers (known best for their sightings in Fresno, CA.)
The third story imagines the Squonk (a pig-like creature from Pennsylvania) dealing with some bullies in High School.
The fourth story imagines a late night driving encounter with the HorseMan (a horse-like creature from Ireland.)
This is a project derived from my own personal gripes I’ve encountered with most graphic clothing, either the integrated designs are far too minimal that it seems pointless, or way too complex that it just looks obnoxious to wear. In many cases, it was just the brand and logo repeated on the fabric over and over. And that’s dumb. I’m not a billboard. And so, the idea for the Omen-Eye brand was created, an experiment to design minimal clothing with simple yet ornate images that you can wear, focusing on more sleek, unique-iconography, rather than maximalist imagery or endless branding plastered across your body.
Essentially, this was a project to fulfil my vision of what I had hoped my closet may one day look like one day- self-made art on clothing under a brand that doesn’t force itself as the focus.
BILLY RAYBOEN
Project
Omen-Eye Clothing Brand
Digital
LEONARDO WADDELL
Project
Pride of Exorcists
Digital Illustration
Leonardo Waddell’s Pride of Exorcists is a love letter to his Chinese heritage, the art and inspiration that comes from it, and all the family members and friends that have supported him to get to where he is today. It blends the wonderful energy of dance and martial arts from several nations into a melting pot of bright colors and effervescent movement to reflect the wonderful diversity of its characters.
Art is a conversation, one that allows me to stay present in the moment and respond to the complexities of life through the act of making, as well as a meditation, a way to contemplate and process the world around me.
My senior thesis “Falling Asleep Used to be Easy,” encapsulates my personal experience with insomnia. I was driven to explore a dream-like setting to show past and present sleep aids. Toys from my childhood were brought into the scene, alongside herbs and flowers which both bring me peace. The two crib mobiles were placed inside of insect domes to represent the feeling of being observed. Specifically those moments of being on display and vulnerability when being medically treated. The goal was to use my art to speak on an issue that is not often talked about. I wanted to create a blossoming and comforting experience for myself and others who have experienced acute or chronic insomnia.
My work conveys my concerns, beliefs, and hopes surrounding our nation’s anti-woman sentiment. Through the combination of oil paint and fabric I explore our nation’s obsession with the subjugation of women, the rollback and threat to women’s rights, rise of digital sex work, and the increase in anti-women rhetoric online and in spheres of government. Fabric arts are historically considered “women’s work”—it’s women’s work to resist and create in response to adversity.
My body of work combines my Hispanic heritage and queerness into a single piece, using expressive figures, bright colors, and personal experiences. Through my drawings I explore my Hispanic heritage and queerness using a combination of bold, symbolic color and patterning, and expressive figuration. My goal is to make being queer and Hispanic feel “normal” and to share my personal journey and how these two identities shape my life. Sometimes, my work reflects joy; other times, it addresses challenges I am facing in the present.
I primarily work with graphite and colored pencils, but I also explore other mediums such as painting and printmaking to express my ideas. Portraiture is a constant in my work, whether through self-portraits or depictions of people who have influenced my life. I incorporate line and shape in the backgrounds to create an unconventional approach to portraiture. I create dynamic, frequently patterned abstract backgrounds that suggest the ways your subjects identify through symbolic association.
JAINSON CEDILLO
ERIC ABELE
As figurative subjects, cats are creatures with a fascinating body shape, capable of twisting themselves into contorted forms impossible to those of us with collarbones. Cats are apex predators who have trained humans to wait on their every need while playacting their ferociousness through pink sticks with dangling strings. This absurd juxtaposition of power and play creates sources of narrative that are as playful as they are intense.
But for you to look at these oil paintings of cats is for you to witness how I experience love and connection. As anyone who has also survived complex trauma can attest, the constancy animals can provide serves as a better model, a safer model, of unconditional love. My cats trust that I will show up and care for them and, in exchange, they offer me physical and spiritual protection, and affection that comes without strings attached unless dangled from the aforementioned pink stick.
I want for us to recognize not just the obvious, but the overlooked; not just the grand, but the granular; not just what we have assumed to be true, but what has always been true, waiting for us to finally pay attention.
My work explores relationships in my family and meaningful small moments through the use of color, textiles, and collage. In my tapestries, I incorporate a variety of techniques such as drawing, embroidery, crocheting, and beading to highlight these memories through a humorous lens. In my series Dear Lolo and Lola, I focus on the connections within the family my grandparents built. The series serves as both a love letter and a thank you to them, honoring their impact on my life and the foundation they created for our family.
MAYLEA MAGSINO
Project
Dear Lolo and Lola
Mixed Media Tapestry Visit
maeswhimsicaldreams. com
JASMINE CONYERS
Mixed media
Visit
jasmineconyers.my.canva. site
My paintings celebrate the importance of personal style within Blackness as a powerful expression of identity, history, and culture. Painting from both personal and collective experiences, I depict portraits and figures that highlight fashion, hair, and adornment as symbols of resilience, creativity, and resistance.
By combining oil paint with found materials, I create layered surfaces that mirror the complexity of Black womanhood. The tactile richness of these materials reflects the depth of lived experience and emphasizes the physicality of presence. These elements aren’t just decorative—they amplify the narrative, embedding meaning and context into every piece.
My work engages in a dialogue with the broader canon of Black art, challenging narrow or stereotypical definitions by centering nuanced stories of beauty, power, and self-determination. I aim to reclaim aesthetic spaces where Black women are often marginalized or misunderstood. In doing so, I hope to contribute to an evolving conversation about representation.
Project
Fur N Ice
My art is an extension of my emotions and thoughts that I struggle to understand solely in my mind. I build up my work in layers starting with the background and focusing on what color I am associating my emotions with, and gradually making my way to the foreground. Each line and shape talking and working with one another, what the viewer sees is a conversation. My works are not constricted by type, but I do find most of my work to be impressionistic as it portrays my emotions and thoughts best.
I primarily work with oil paint because of it’s blending properties and it’s texture. Smoother paintings tend to be quieter, while one’s with lots of texture are loud. My goal is to understand my mind and why it says the things it does. I also want to understand issues that affect people my age. All of those thoughts I share to the world, so others may understand themselves and understand each other.
CATRINA KOHLBUS
Project
Self Images
Oil on canvas
E. A. MATSUI
Project
Sugarcoated
Mixed media
Visit
@messyglitterhands
I have felt that there is such a push to grow up fast in our lives, to prepare for a future, and to leave such ties to our childhood behind. Bright pinks, glitter, sprinkles, and desserts are all elements that have strong visual associations with childhood, one that those who grew up with a feminine childhood might have an in-depth connection to. I want to use these elements to create sculptural work that displays an alternate world parallel to ours, where these playful concepts exist easily. Bringing a different world to the viewer that allows them to explore the details and textures included in my work is a big priority for me. The work represents not just this alternative world of play, but a reflection of my own interest in expressing a love for the playfulness of using childhood art supplies and reclaiming a rejection of pink and cuteness deemed childlike and too feminine.
