Explore The College Show

“RECONNAISSANCE” was born as a consequence of my lifelong saga with mental illness. Depression is largely hidden; it takes place behind closed doors, in my mind. It never occurred to me to position myself in front of the camera as I am usually behind it. Nevertheless, the constraints I was presented with pushed me to create. I was keen to explore self-portraiture to unravel the many layers of fear, shame, denial, and sadness in a world full of insecurity and judgment. I open the doors for the viewer to my safe haven, my vulnerable and scared self, in an attempt to reshape the discourse around gender, mental health and communication.

“Reconnaissance” is a military jargon used to describe the inspection of the rival’s territory to locate the enemy. In this body of work, it serves as a synonym for the dialogue with my own inner enemy.

“Free” serves as a representation of a daydream into a world of escapism, a place without distraction of the world that surrounds, fully immersed in oneself in the most carefree way possible. This photograph ultimately captures the unparalleled lightheartedness one experiences when becoming indifferent to the outside world. Given this was the creation of a photograph displaying feelings of freedom, it seemed logical that there be minimal staging. Not doing so would go against the philosophy I set out for this image. The one instruction I gave the subject was to shake her hair back and forth. The rest was all her. Once she began moving she suddenly became gleeful, an occurrence that truly added something to the image because at that moment, she jumped into her own world. This became the key that opened the gates to this land of pure reverie I sought after with this piece.

One of the main themes that I look to explore in my work is how humans connect to everyday environments. The goal of this piece is to highlight the complex interaction between humans and the built environment by revealing the interconnected layers of different building systems, grids and landscapes that make up our cities. Through the guidance of maps and architectural imagery, I look to create a three-dimensional, abstract piece inspired by the geometric patterns, structures and topographies of existing cities. I use a variety of mixed media and layering techniques, implementing plywood and foam board as well as laser cutting to create layered structures, grids, and plots of land representative of the multiple components of the city that I am uncovering. By integrating digital technology into my 3D work, I am able to create complex geometric recreations of street patterns, structures and landscapes.

Through explorative printmaking, I question the importance of the body’s physical appearance and my own internalized fatphobia. Creating multiples with common themes of abstraction and materiality allows self-reflection and discovery in my work as I explore the different levels of control occurring within the art process. Going through this process becomes a form of catharsis for me as I explain my experience to not only the viewer but myself. In this specific work, I thought about the comfort I find in physical touch and materials. The body is a part of this work but, by abstracting it, it's physical appearance is not vulnerable to being scrutinized by the viewer.

Through explorative printmaking, I question the importance of the body’s physical appearance and my own internalized fatphobia. Creating multiples with common themes of abstraction and materiality allows self-reflection and discovery in my work as I explore the different levels of control occurring within the art process. Going through this process becomes a form of catharsis for me as I explain my experience to not only the viewer but myself. A Forced Structure is a body of work I created about the lack of control I have over all the changes my body goes through. I screen printed images of my figure in ceramic glaze and embraced the uncontrollability of the kiln as the color and shapes of the forms were altered by the firing process.

This image is from a project called “Intentions of the Artist” in which I was tasked with researching an influential photographer and cultivating several images inspired by his/her work. I learned about Irving Penn whose photographs graced the covers of Vogue for more than 60 years. Most notably, he bridged the gap between women’s fashion and fine art. I applied several of his stylistic elements (including a simple grey backdrop, dramatic lighting, and color selection) to a contemporary context in my series entitled “COVID-Chic”. This particular image comments on how we look at the fashion and beauty industries in light of the pandemic. Many women use clothing and makeup to express themselves, so I challenge the viewer to think about the role of clothing and makeup in conjunction with the necessity of PPE (personal protective equipment, including medical masks and gloves).

Given the events I have experienced during my college career - the loss of my best friend Grace Rett, a global pandemic, and multiple concussions, I feel my work is the safest place to cope with it all. Due to the compounded nature of these events, I struggle with anxiety and depression and so I seek to create work that tackles mental struggles in a unique and personal yet universal way. I find it extremely important to use my work not only as a space for personal healing, but also as a platform to advocate for awareness of mental health. Tapping into my personal experiences and emotions within my work allows me to create a feeling of understanding and empathy for what many people may also be struggling with. In constructing these multi-media installations I not only create a space of healing for myself, but also seek to create a supportive space where my viewers can also engage with loss and struggle.

As a college sophomore pursuing a career in animation, I had to come to terms with the idea of monetizing my passion for a living. For me, art has always been something to fall back on as an outlet for self-expression, but I learned that enjoyment can morph as demands, deadlines, and monetary value come into play. Art is no longer just a means of self-expression for me but a means of survival, and with the strong tie between art and self-worth, this can be potentially devastating. This piece is a full-body self-portrait for my Draw200 life-drawing class and is meant to depict this shift. Stripped down to my underwear and covered in paint, this representation of myself expresses the vulnerability and intimacy of making art. The simple images on the wall beyond my figure are traced from drawings I made when I was young, creating a stark contrast.

I am a graphic designer serving consumerism; I relay information to my viewers – sometimes to make it more readable or visually appealing. In these vignettes of anthropomorphic objects, objects with human characteristics, I communicate complex topics about mental illness and death.

I consumed a lot of television in my life. As children, we watch TV our caregivers put on, often in the form of cartoons, like talking animals, shapes, food and any object imaginable. While television teaches children about math, science, languages, cultures, friendship, etc., it only skims the surface of the complexities of society that are not always explicit. By portraying mental illness and death in animation form, I show these complex topics in a simpler way.

Breaking down mental illness and death was difficult, as I had to correlate my own experiences with imagery in an uncanny way. These vignettes are short but speak loudly to my experiences.

The idea for this painting came to me in the daze of insomnia, unable to sleep in bed staring into my bedroom that's plastered wall-to-wall corner-to-corner in my own things, artwork, ideas, preferences, my life, my brain (so to speak). Bed Brain is one in a series of three; I created this series while taking a class on mythology and symbolism in studio art.