The work of graduating students from the Department of Art and Art History was highlighted during the annual Senior Art Exhibition in the Art Gallery this May. With an opening reception on May 9, the exhibition featured senior capstone projects in digital media design, studio art, illustration and art history. 

“The Senior Art Exhibition showcases a wide range of media, including paintings, drawings, illustrations, sculptures, printmaking, installation, interactive media, animation and more,” said Lora Lee, art professor and department chair, adding that the diverse range of works were mentored and curated by faculty members. 

“The exhibition is a culmination of our students' dedication, creativity and hard work,” said art Professor Afarin Rahmanifar, who advised seniors concentrating in studio art. “The student showcase highlights the diverse and exceptional talents of our graduating class, which offers a glimpse into their artistic journeys and achievements.” 

The featured students include Trevor Angevine, Hailey Bill, Jacob Bleggi, Leslee Chavez-Gonzalez, Leah Coelho, Maria Fernanda Reategui Davila, Kaitlin Gervais, Benjamin Giammattei, Shannon Kennedy, Jenna Levesque, Nathan Melia, Nicholas Mendolia, Kevin Mendoza, McKenna Miller, Megan Muzyka, Aaliyah Norton, Ashton Pesante, Megan Raimondo, Jillian Rappi, Mabel Saccomanno, Amirah Samuel, Devin Slead and Jay Urban. 

Gervais contributed to the event’s reminiscent atmosphere through “Nostalgia,” which she described as “representational of some events I got to experience and will continue to experience.” Muzyka also revitalized memories in “Reflections from my Childhood Pond.” 

“Shades of greens and blues mirror the lush foliage and calm waters of my childhood haven,” she said. “This pond holds the essence of my youth, a place where my friends and I could escape the troubles of childhood and play in the water, catching frogs, fishing and skipping rocks.” 

Enterprising seniors of the illustration and digital media and design concentrations took full advantage of the large attendance; many had physical prototypes of their product designs, books and pamphlets that visitors were free to interact with. 

“My goal for this project was to design an engaging, competitive, yet silly card game that could easily be integrated into your next family game night,” Said Coelho, referring to her final project “Jaws, Claws, and Soft Paws – A Card Game,” which was displayed in its complete, playable form. 

Mendolia combined storytelling and digital illustration into a whimsical children’s book titled “Hank’s Perfect Magic Show,” the tale of a wizard cat who learns the importance of persevering in one’s passion project. 

“Despite its humble nature, this book is as much of a piece of art as is every other piece in the gallery,” said Mendolia. “This story can be important for children to read because it can help teach kids a valuable life lesson: that not everything you work on is going to be perfect. And that’s okay, because you are still putting in the effort.” 

According to Rahmanifar, the exhibition served as a vessel for students to amalgamate the skills they’ve carefully cultivated over the years into a lifelong dream; seniors celebrated not just their accomplishments at Eastern but also the things they will create in their artistic careers. 

“Each piece in this exhibition reflects the unique perspectives and skills of our students, developed through years of study and practice,” she said. “The works on display represent the culmination of their academic and creative efforts as they prepare to embark on the next chapter of their creative careers.” 

For a virtual tour of the current and past senior exhibitions, visit the Department of Art and Art History website.