Creative Work

Elisabeth Irene Story

McKeldin Mall

Cardstock and foam

This work is a representation of one of the University of Maryland's beloved landmarks, McKeldin Mall. Giving students a place to study, a spot for clubs to table, and even a fountain to take a dip in on a warm day, McKeldin Mall allows students to connect with the outdoors during academic endeavors. The multiple layers of paper represent the elements of the Mall that students can interact with- water, grass, sidewalk, trees, and entrance to our main academic library. Being at the center of campus, McKeldin Mall is the prime way to connect with nature daily at the University of Maryland.

Olive Beverly

Over-flowered Car

Graphite and cardstock

The abandoned car’s graphite, unblended appearance makes it look rugged and in disrepair—redirecting focus toward the flowers, which are vibrant and eye-catching. The flowers and leaves growing out of the car are cut from colored cardstock paper, with finer details drawn on some in pencil. The car, a symbol of human activity, is being commandeered by the flowers--one of the most iconic earth symbols. This contrast reminds us that on Earth, the extent of humans' power will never surpass that of nature. When humans are long gone and all that is left of us is our creations, nature will continue its reign without hesitation.

Eliana Harper 

Peaceful Unity

Acrylic paint and pouring medium

Layering the acrylic paint and pouring medium simultaneously on a canvas caused the colors to mix to create a galaxy look. This piece is meant to capture what true peace feels like in nature. The calming blues, purples, pinks, and whites recreate true serenity and peace within a big natural event like a solar eclipse. Peaceful moments like these unify people together to experience the beauty that nature has to offer.

Jana Ahmed

Tree Rings and By the Beach

Acrylic paint and pouring medium

I used acrylic pour to create pieces that showcase the integration of nature into everyday life. I recreated scenes from nature that generate calming, positive emotions. This is reinforced by the earthy browns and bright blues used in the works. Forests create tranquil rhythms and beaches share the soothing nature of their waves; they also offer the opportunity to socialize and connect. I wanted to recreate these experiences through my pieces because spending more time outside can positively impact your emotional state, cognitive ability, and physical health. 

Angeliki Papageorgiou

Integration

Cyanotype, pen, and plants

I did cyanotype because it triggered my interest the most from all the other forms of art we experimented with in the workshop. By creating a piece that is both geometrical and messy I am highlighting the distinction between man-made everyday life and untouched nature. While it is called integration, there is a clear distinction between them, and this is the main theme of my art piece. I believe in the values of both nature and the man-made world and my work recognizes that.

Michelle Reynoso

Encroach

Paint marker and scratchboard 

This emulates the way human plans, shown in black and white, will always be disrupted by unwanted things, much like graffiti on walls or weeds in sidewalk cracks. It is easy to forget when we are surrounded by human creations that nature was always here first, so I wanted to draw attention to this in my piece. When we meticulously plan out cities leaving only certain pre-planned spaces for nature to exist, it will defy our boundaries and continue to grow anyway. “Encroach” calls attention to the sometimes unwanted growth of things we call weeds in our sidewalks, saying that nature has a place in human development regardless of where we would rather it exist. Humans cannot control nature, instead, it finds its ways to live where we try to constrain it. 

Jessica Ononye

Neon Genesis Evangelion Panel 1

Scratchboard

Understanding how art can display the beauty of nature is the main message of my work. The main inspirations for both of my works stem from a manga named Neon Genesis Evangelion. I feel that this manga portrays many themes regarding nature such as both space and time. I chose to recreate certain panels because the contrast between the black and white stands out in a way that invokes feelings of safety yet confusion in those who view it. For the scratchboard piece, the main premise was learning how to create a drawing in reverse. I had to pre-plan all of the details, as there is no way to completely fix work that has already been scratched. This posed a challenge that I had to overcome. It is so interesting how the contrast of black and white compete with each other.

Noah Milholland 

Squirrel

Scratchboard 

Squirrel brings attention to the interconnectedness of nature with people. When paired with its sister piece, Robin, the two come together to tell the stories of different animals and their behaviors connecting us to nature even when we are not necessarily near it. When looking at Squirrel with its corresponding piece Robin, the roles of the two animals become even more clear. Their contradicting names display their similarities, while their color schemes show how they remain different. These animals exist with us daily and are influenced by our actions and presence, highlighting why it is so crucial to be mindful of them and the impact we have on their behaviors and characteristics.

Noah Milholland

Robin

Paint markers, ink pens, and alcohol markers on canvas board

Robin highlights the interesting relationship between urban wildlife and people here on campus. Depicting a vibrant pop art squirrel holding a briefcase while sitting on a bike handle, the composition paints squirrels as they are: curious animals who are much more in tune with the human world than they need to be. Despite being wild animals, they still appear in our day-to-day lives as neighbors, linking them to people in many ways. I have seen squirrels behaving humorously human-like, either by sitting on bikes or eating out of a bag of chips. This strange relationship is further exemplified through the inclusion of its sister piece, Squirrel, which carries a more fitting name and holds similar themes. 

Carlos Acosta

Life on The Wall

Markers, paint markers, wood, pen, graphite, and scratchboard

For this piece, I went with a mix of graffiti and scratchboard. Given the theme of “the integration of nature in everyday life”, I wanted to make a piece that showed how I see this in my life. Growing up I always saw a lot of graffiti everywhere, and over time I would notice how nature worked its way into the pieces. Sometimes, blades of grass or other wild plants would grow in cracks in the walls, or insects would create a home around the graffitied area. This is a phenomenon that I find interesting, and I wanted to show that nature will find a way to survive even in the harsh city.

Jessica Ononye

Neon Genesis Evangelion Panel 2

Ink and Mod Podge/gel medium

 This piece is about understanding how to transfer a photo of anything I want onto a canvas of my choice. I selected a plain white canvas and then used Mod Podge to coat the original photo to ensure it fully stands out through the background. The drying of the art piece takes around 24 hours to produce a product of my liking. While I was in the process of creating this piece, the main feeling that I wanted to provoke in the audience was comfort in confusion. Part of this workshop was trying out new forms of alternative art and I feel this is the perfect blend between nature and the alternative.