Scholars Symposium 2025: Art, Design & Theatre

Ice king

by Keith Brock (Undergraduate)

Polar bears....... the largest and most majestic of all bears have lived in the most remote and desolate places on planet earth. A male polar bear can average 900 pounds and have a height of 7-9 feet. These bears may at first glance seem to be all fur and fat, lacking form and definition. Yet, on further inspection these bears have beautiful form and contour, definition and clear appearance. A polar bears natural form is both beautiful and subtle in nature requiring a careful study of their movements and proportions. I have sought to do this through the creation of the foam core sculpture called Ice King. Ice King is a sculpture exploring the form and proportions of an adult polar bear as well as seeking to balance the armature/ understructure and outer cover or skin. This piece is representational in form, yet simplified in the treatment of skin, ears, and claws. It was created through the construction of a central foam core "spine" with cross sections carefully shaped to follow the form of a bear in motion. Ice King is roughly 22 inches in length and 10-12 inches in height.

The Piffin

by Mira Lehman (Undergraduate)

This piece is created to visibly show the efforts that the designer has put into it. From afar it resembles a mythical creature, created from imagination. Emphasizing the creative abilities that God has given us.From a close proximity the viewer would see all of the details, the flaws, the scratches, the rough edges, and this is a way to show the process of the work being put together piece by piece.I believe this is a way to visualize an inner workmanship. Not only to become art, but to the inward self.From afar we can seem put together, but within no one can see our flaws and marks from our past or present, only God can.

A Bonsai Tree

by Luise Schmidt-Krayer (Undergraduate)

The art piece, “A Bonsai Tree“, was created by hand out of paper, with a wire understructure, and wood as a base. The tree trunk is robust and strong, which demonstrates stability, while the bushels on the branches create this sense of bursting life. The wooden base is covered with little bushels of grass. While there is not much variety in color there are different shapes and textures that play off of each other and the light which creates little moments of movement. Contrary to popular belief, the Bonsai tree originated from the Chinese empire. It is an art form of growing and shaping miniature trees to display in containers. Different techniques such as pinching buds, pruning, and wiring branches are used to restrict the growth of an otherwise normal size tree. The Bonsai tree is a perfect illustration of how God trims and prunes us to become more like Him and shapes us to be steadfast in our faith. He lets us grow and takes care of us, giving us everything we need. Just as the Bonsai must be pruned and tripped in order to show endurance and steadfastness. We too are called to be steadfast in our trials in James 1:12. “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”

White Dragon

by QiAi (Esther) Zhou (Undergraduate)

Growing up in China, I have always been fascinated by its culture and artworks. With this year coinciding with the "Year of the Dragon" in the lunar calendar, I decided to make a 3-dimensional sculpture of a Chinese dragon in celebration of its revered symbolism and cultural significance. The sculpture was crafted from foam board and card-stock paper. It depicts the dragon standing upright, mouth open, with one claw clutching a red ball. Inspired by the intricate artistry of Chinese craftsmanship, I incorporated the traditional paper cutting technique when creating the exterior of this piece. Through this piece, I want to not only capture the essence of Chinese cultural heritage and tradition but also showcase its enduring influence and beauty.

The Consumerism Coronet

by Kathryn Sigman (Undergraduate)

The Consumerism Coronet is a crown constructed of untraditional materials such as cardboard, spray paint, fabric/fur scraps, and plastic play food and accompanied by a scepter, similarly constructed. The crown itself is comprised of three main layers. The first of which is a black faux-fur ruff decorated with gold ermine markings. secondly is the main part of the composition, a golden circle laden with a cornucopia of gilded food items. They range from fruits and vegetables to sweets and bakery items. Lastly, a smaller diadem is placed within the second layer and raised to become the highest point. The appearance is very much the same as the second, however, the foods displayed are crackers and french fries interspersed with curved potato chips. The scepter is a rod, colored gold, with a woven grip placed centrally and finished off at either end with ornate capstones featuring cabbage, burgers, and a singular pineapple. The goal of this work is, to display the relationship that art and consumerism hold. Consumerism, in America at least, is king. The buying population drives what is successful and what is not through the power of the dollar and personal preference. Art is often roped into this game of chasing the whims of public opinion. Art, at times, seeks to challenge what is and to present the new, yet change and unfamiliar ideas don't always land well in the public sphere. That is where consumerism comes into play, if Art is to survive, there must be a reluctant symbiosis between the two. Art inspires movement and consumerism offers stability and financial success. As Christians, we serve the one true King. We are called not to be of the world, even though we may function within it. This work describes the colliding forces of Art and public opinion and displays the tumultuous state the broken world is in; which prompts viewers to ask the question: "Who is the king of my mind? and what am I serving?". The Coronet measures 11" X 11" X 13", and the scepter runs 25" X 2" X 2".

Rigid Detail

by Kirsten Havens (Undergraduate)

This is a sculpture and it is of you. More precisely, your emotion. Rigid Detail is a paper sculpture built out of multiple folded forms. Standing 20 inches tall with a width of 18 inches, an interior form of wire holds these angled features together. I created this work by first, designing a template that I would fold into the repeated shape. When dealing with a repetitive action such as folding paper into the same shape over a hundred times, my goal became not about the folding. It was how to simplify this task. Instead of tracing the new individual templates, I opted to cut each by hand. This would quicken the process and give variety to each form and a result was varied dimensions. This subtle detail alluded to the emotional aspect of this composition. The parameter of this piece was themes of nature and I chose emotions that can be found in nature that would also mirror human emotion. Such as anger, but also tranquility. This would guide the flow of human emotion. Forever changing and adapting, and reinventing itself. In this art, you will understand your emotion.

Funky Munky

by Wesley Kuperus (Undergraduate)

The intention of the piece is to provoke the viewer to see organic forms in structure and rhythm within order.

Revelation

by Charis Lauer (Undergraduate)

Revelation is a charcoal drawing made on 20” X 28” paper and portrays a woman seated on a stool in the middle of a busy station. Although the people around her are rushing by and distracted by their phones or personal plans, the woman has chosen to sit and contemplate the light that is shining down on her. This piece represents a time where I was overwhelmed by the amount of work I had to complete over a short period of time. I did not believe it was physically possible for me to accomplish everything I had to do. But God brought to my mind his character and his mercy which is new every morning (Lamentations 3). Once I was reminded of this truth and realized that all I had to do was let go of my plans and trust God I experienced, a peace that “surpasses understanding” (Philipians 4). All of this came through the reading of the Bible which sheds light on our lives. Just as the woman in my drawing is mesmerized by the brightness of the shining light, so I was moved to linger and ponder the truth of who God is and the promises he has made. God brought me through that week, and humanly I don’t understand how, but it speaks to his immeasurable power and grace. This piece not only recalls a moment in my life where God was immeasurably kind to me but also stands as a testimony to his faithfulness and his promise to remain the same.

To Miss

by Savannah Helm (Undergraduate)

To Miss is a carved wooden sculpture that depicts the form of a person in a hugging position. The work is meant to represent what it feels like to miss someone who is gone. The sculpture explores the use of positive and negative space to illustrate this sense of loss. There are indentations on the back of the figure where the one they are missing would have hugged them back. This, along with the negative spaces, creates the idea of another form being there without physically representing it. My desire with this sculpture was to create something that the viewer can place themselves and a loved one into remembering someone in their life that they miss.

Taken

by Mackenzie Hinman (Undergraduate)

The piece I am proposing to submit is titled Taken. This is about 3' x 3' x 2', and is made with multiple patterned fabrics and plaster. The sculpture features fabric in the form of a child standing on top of a blanket thrown to the ground. This piece is meant to emphasize a sort of innocent but also somber feeling. I have always been interested in creating pieces that really are a conversation starter. However, even more than that, I love creating pieces that can be viewed and understood in many different ways. I want the piece to be able to connect to everyone viewing it, even if they are all totally different interpretations. You could view this as an awareness piece towards human trafficking, or you could view it as mourning the death of someone dear to you. I wanted to use this piece to bring awareness to the homes and families lost due to the conflics and wars between Russia and the Caucasus countries. The patterns of the fabric are reminiscent of Eastern European and Baltic styles, as well as West Asia countries like Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The form of the child also helps to give an effect of loss or something missing because it is simply a sillhouette and not a whole form. However, I love to give this openess to interpretation and emotion that can be brought in and applied to this piece by the viewer.

Beauty Is Pain

by Danielle Cheek (Undergraduate)

“Beauty is pain,” a common phrase articulated to justify societal pressures on women to conform to the culture’s depiction of ideal beauty. Beauty Is Pain is a wooden stool that illustrates this metaphor through its grain and sharp angles. Ambrosia maple wood was specifically selected for this project because the grain’s coloring is not completely uniform, allowing for diversity to be celebrated. Pain is visualized, however, through the three supporting legs, leading to the sharp points of the triangular seat. The piece itself, while intimidating in appearance, provides a natural feeling seat which leaves the pondering question, “should this juxtaposition continue to define the lives of many women and girls today?”

A Sense of Wonder

by Faith Thomas (Undergraduate)

A Sense of Wonder is a two-panel comic digitally drawn in Procreate. Drawn in a stylized manner, it depicts a boy staring at these swirling orange lights, which illuminate a dark forest. I used complementary colors to make these lights pop out from the blue background. The second panel focuses on his eyes, as they fill with wonder as he gazes at the wonderful light show being presented to him. I decided to not use any word boxes or readable cues, as I wanted the expression to speak on how he was feeling in this moment of wonder. In my art, I enjoy focusing on the facial expressions of the people I am drawing. Just by one simple facial expression, you can tell how the person is feeling in a moment. A crinkle of a nose, the widening of eyes, the furrowing of brows. These can tell us so much without one word being uttered. In my piece, I wanted to depict that feeling someone feels when they look at something so beautiful. Something that makes their eyes widen in wonder. Something that makes them think, “Wow!” Something that makes them want to praise the Creator of the Universe for making something so beautiful that our minds can’t fathom. Whenever I look at God’s creation, whether it's flowers, sunsets, sunny days, mountains, etc, I'm just in awe of the beauty I see before me. My eyes widen in wonder like the boy is here, and I think to myself, “God is good!” This magical forest I have created is a more fantastical representation of the world around me. The boy represents me and my reaction whenever I stop and take a moment to just look. Like the magic light show, God’s creation and every little thing in it gives me a sense of wonder.

Sanctification

by Noah Renfroe (Undergraduate)

This piece, titled Sanctification, is intended to be a visual representation of its namesake: the process of sanctification done by God—through the will of the Father, the sacrifice of the Son, and the effect of the Holy Spirit. Sanctification is composed only of wood and fake blood, and was crafted through various woodcarving techniques, including chiseling, whittling, grinding, and dremeling. It depicts a large chunk of rot, which represents the corrupt, depraved nature of humanity upon which God enacts the process of sanctification. From this rot, however, a beautiful Asiatic Lily is being carved. The lily itself has blood coming out from where it is being carved out, which is meant to symbolize the pain that is inherent to sanctification, while at the same time serving to represent Christ’s blood, shed for us in order that we could be sanctified. The whole piece is meant to convey a sense of redemption through the contrast between the rotten and the beautiful; the unclean and the clean. This redemption is not without its cost, though, in both our suffering and in Jesus’ suffering on the cross. My intention through this piece is to acknowledge the suffering one must go through to become what God desires them to be, while still displaying the beauty that comes through it and outweighs the suffering that led to it. As it says in Romans 8:18, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us,” and in James 1:2-4, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

Grandpa Mike

by Mikaili Prince (Undergraduate)

Grandpa Mike is an etched print made in remembrance of my grandpa, who passed when I was five years old. Much of my life was influenced by him, even his death played a formative part in my memories and who I am as a person. Each of the items portrayed in this picture have significance in my life and a story that has been told over and over by my family. The fishing rod, hooks, hat, and tackle box represent my memories of fishing with my grandpa, the nest with eggs is something that the two of us used to go look at, and the milk carton represents the times when my grandpa would let my drink milk straight from the carton, which my mom really didn’t approve of. This piece creates a connection with the viewer and challenges them to identify their own past experiences. The particular experiences and items in this piece are very individualistic to me but the ideas behind them are universal. Each of us has someone in our life that is very important to us and has given us great memories, and some of us have even lost those people. By holding on to the memories and things that remind us of that person, it is almost like it keeps a part of them alive and with us.

Golden Abstract

by Rebeca Nogales (Undergraduate)

Golden Abstract is a project that was made of a broad group of materials. The materials used for this sculpture were paper, chicken wire, other wires, and paint. The size of the sculpture is around 65 cm x 42 com x 45 cm. The approach of Golden Abstract was to show something eye-catching that would bring many viewers interested in what this sculpture was made of. The sculpture is abstract yet communicates life and growth. The shape of the sculpture itself shows the roughness of growing, but it also shows the beauty in it. This sculpture’s color is gold, which makes it shiny and gives the whole sculpture a state of finish. The most noticeable elements and principles of design in this sculpture are repetition as the “petals” from the sculpture repeat and create a shape in the sculpture. The sculpture also has a wide range of movement, making the sculpture full of life. The sculpture has a balance within the abstract parts and with the real and clean look, transforming this sculpture into something more interesting than just paper. This sculpture stands out due to its shape and color, however, it also presents a lot of unity within the whole. My goal making this artwork was to challenge me as an artist to use material I never used before, as well as to explore my creativity more than what I had planned for this sculpture. As I built this sculpture, I had an idea that I liked, but was not fully excited about. The more I worked on the sculpture, the more ideas, changes, and inspiration took place, which I used to produce the final sculptural result. To be honest, this was a bit challenging because I never combined wire, paper, glue (a lot of glue) and paint, however, the more I worked on it, and the more time I gave to it, I started creating a sculpture where it exceeded the plans I had for it at the beginning.

A Deprived Mind

by Ian Bilger (Undergraduate)

“A Depraved Mind” is a chaotic collage of personally captured photos that combine to embody a sense of corruption and apprehension of the mind. The piece displays hints of an assimilation of eve shown fallen to the ground and a setting consisting of flames and a threatening color palette. The composition emphasizes the center, the fallen figure, and the flames that entrap it. Your eyes are centered in the middle of the piece and as they travel outwards you see a distant colorless reflection of the piece bordering itself. A Depraved Mind challenges its observers to see a life without guidance, a life without God. A mind that is left to its own discretion will only rot in its inevitable turmoil. The piece is a challenge to hold fast to what is true and a warning for what is to come if you don’t.

Vibrant Expressions

by Andrea Drews (Undergraduate)

Inspired by the transformative essence of the living world, my artistic work employs natural and vibrant forms to illustrate the more complex emotional realities of my life. My curiosity lies in investigating the physical collage of material, texture, and pattern alongside the metaphorical collage of my transformations in thought and being. The scope of my practice reaches a variety of media including painting, ceramics, and sculpture. My work exudes playful energy, visual rhythm, and child-like joyfulness with motifs of florals and diverse organic structures found in the outdoors. I am captivated by the idea of infusing vivid color into emotionally heavy areas of my story and looking at them from a new, often more light-hearted perspective. Art-making is a significant avenue for self-reflection and emotional regulation in my life. In my presentation, I will walk through my visual journey thus far and elaborate on the context and concept that elicited each piece.

No Longer Silent

by Sophia Tonti (Undergraduate)

My name is Sophia Tonti and I’m a senior Studio Art Major at Cedarville University. I am submitting an artist talk that I wish to present at the Symposium. I will speak about my artistic journey throughout my time here at Cedarville and how I’ve grown as Christian artist. I struggle to express myself. Thoughts, feelings, hopes, worries--nothing escapes my mouth the way I wish it would. Creating art has not only taught me how to express those feelings that I’m unable to capture with words, but also how to find a sense of peace with myself. I’m able to accomplish this using various 2D and 3D mediums including oil paint, ceramics, and printmaking. My hope is that my work represents my personal story in a truthful respect. I will be addressing my techniques and my finished pieces throughout my presentation. A common visual theme across my art is abstraction. The best way I can describe my desire to create non-objective work is similar to learning how to talk for the first time. Sure, none of us remember speaking our first words; but I imagine it was a huge feat to the people who were around to listen. I have a similar relationship with my abstract art. I feel like I finally have a way to voice the feelings I can’t describe with words. My work is not meant to be understood by everyone who views it, and that’s okay. From the playful animal sculptures to the somber abstract oil paintings, everything I create represents a part of me that I’m finally able to outwardly express.

Olivia Fish Artist talk

by Olivia Fish (Undergraduate)

I consider myself an artistic storyteller. From a young age, the realms of fantasy and myth were fascinating. Gaining the ability to read endless worlds and possibilities beckoned me to listen. The art I make is in response to my love for lore. Through studying legends and reading books I found myself drawn to a common theme. This theme is one of hope. Taking inspiration from experiences of my own life I want to speak to others. Our experiences shape us. These experiences can go on to shape others. Through my art, I wish to speak to others about the past and present stories in my life. In my artmaking, I want to use my worldview to share hopes, thoughts, and personal struggles with others.

The main mediums that I work with are printmaking and ceramics. In my prints, I pull heavily from Japanese symbols and motifs as inspiration. In my prints, I utilize more stories, both my own and from other sources. In my ceramic work, I tell stories differently. In using surface treatment along with form, I seek to use them to create a story of movement. When creating art, I want to be honest speaking to others and myself through my work. There is so much chaos and darkness in this world I wish to go against. As Samwise Gamgee says in The Two Towers “there’s some good in the world, Mr. Frodo. And it is worth fighting for.”

When speaking about my work I want to draw attention to the history of my art and the story of how I began finding my voice in the art I created. Behind pieces of my art, there are separate stories and inspirations yet guiding principles and similarities that go between pieces and mediums. When speaking about art there are insights and observations that the artist may share that are not seen from just the viewer's standpoint and point out the truth behind the tale.

Recollections: Art's Role in Preserving Memories

by Lynsey Stratton (Undergraduate)

My creative work is grounded in the preservation of memories that are a part of my personal history and identity. I was raised by artists and storytellers that continually pushed and encouraged me to be creative and to feel sentimental. Having a stronger memory of my childhood than most people do, I have found that my memories are often what I seem to cherish most. In my creative practice, the act of preserving my past is exercised through the use of old family heirlooms and artifacts, or holding onto specific moments by freezing them in a two dimensional plane. Many of my concepts are formed in light of my awareness of the ways my memories and childhood continue to reconstruct and adapt my life experiences today.

I have explored these ideas through seven three-dimensional processes, I will often alter the appearance of found objects or recreate a familiar form using an unconventional material or process, invoking a sense of nostalgia while also challenging the viewer to reconsider the object in a new way. Two-dimensional works push me to do more than recreate an image that already exists. The image needs to be a strong enough vessel to carry its concept without spoon feeding the audience an image that invites no further consideration. These pieces often draw on very specific moments in time. I like taking a conversations and package it neatly into one image that memorializes a time I can later reflected on. Our past is what forms us. So whether we are proud of it or we look at it through a lens of mourning, there is always a way to benefit from processing it further.

My intention in this presentation is to break down my works and tell the stories that inspired them. I find that my biggest strength as an artist lies in the narratives of the works that often go untold. My desire is to honor my family, my friends, and my home while continually noting the traces of God’s unending grace through every season.

Re-ligamentation: Reconnection Through Quilting

by Catelyn Mailloux (Faculty)

The quilts in the series Re-ligament find their inspiration in the Latin root word of religion, ‘re-ligio’, signifying a process of re-ligamentation. In the physical body, ligaments are the fibrous tissue that connects cartilage to bone and allows joints to move. Religion, then, implies a reconnection. The series Re-ligament is comprised of large and small quilts utilizing techniques of traditional and improvisational patchwork, appliqué, and embroidery. The genesis of this series can be traced back to months after the birth of my first child. Their compositions, imagery, and abstractions were influenced by the summer days I spent with my son, seeking a sense of connection with God amidst the transformative and challenging experience of being a new mother. Layered in a manner reminiscent of drawings, these quilts continue an ongoing investigation within my artistic practice, delving into the logic and luminosity of stained-glass windows. However, they evolve further, transitioning into collages that weave in quiet vignettes of domestic life—the shapes of windows, shadows cast onto walls, and light filtering through trees during neighborhood walks. The quilts themselves mirror my search for a connection with the divine, formally employing the color black as a connector, in outlines, shapes, and overlays meant to mimic the line work of the lead between pieces of stained glass. Engaging in a dynamic interplay between organic shapes and repetitive geometry, the quilts in the series expand traditional patchwork to create dense, layered collages.

Ordinary Wonder

by Nina Friess (Undergraduate)

My work as an artist primarily explores wonder in ordinary life. The earth is filled with experiences that engage the senses—beauty that is touched, seen, heard, and felt—and stirs hearts and souls toward God. From the beginning of time, God has invited all men to find joy and pleasure in their work and play, or to “taste and see” that He is good. The Biblical narrative displays the truth of God’s love through artistic imagery, metaphor, and stories. In my work, I emphasize the tangible ways that this truth appears through everyday life. I primarily use natural materials such as clay, textiles, and wood, which invite exploration through touch. I have seen that the simplest things—such as a fresh snowfall, the taste of good coffee, or an early sunrise—can fill anyone with an awe of God, so long as they have the eyes to see it. While much of my work draws directly from Biblical stories, some highlight the beautiful nature of story and narrative itself. Other pieces are derived from my own story, growing up in the wintry forests of Minnesota and the Scandinavian heritage of my family and home. I often use motifs from Scandinavian folk art in my work, and sometimes include an interactive element for viewers to explore. My hope is that those who interact with my work might be challenged to find wonder in the ordinary world around them.

Giving Physicality to Faith

by Sydney Mason (Undergraduate)

My artistic work is preoccupied with identity, relationships, love, and suffering, which I explore through a variety of media, including painting, ceramics, and sculpture. Humans are constrained to bodies, to physical experiences of touch, smell, taste, and sight, and yet we are obsessed with cerebral matters. Much of my work touches upon universal human experience, mainly, the transcendentals—the innate longing for truth, beauty, and goodness—alongside the inevitability of suffering. My paintings explore the human condition, informed by the teachings of Christian scripture. Stylistically, I paint representationally and abstractly, utilizing depictions of the human form and non-objective brushstrokes, often using circles to mark unity and completeness. Sculptural work is formed by personal stories and relationships, allowing love and compassion to be worn and felt. Repetition and pattern are common themes in my practice, revealing my tendency towards mechanical discipline. My mind endlessly tangles and untangles its beliefs, and through material, I search for the spaces in and between what Ecclesiastes names “eternity in the hearts of men” and the words of Genesis “from dust we came and to dust we will return.” As an artist I long to help cultivate a taste for beauty in the Christian, and to create work that is intriguing to those not in the faith. In this presentation I will share images of my work and the intentions behind each piece, as well as my philosophy of art-making as a Christian artist.

Fibers of Memory: Exploring Culture, Relationships, and History Through Art

by Madeline Smith (Undergraduate)

This will be an Artist Talk, a practice common for full-time artists. I hope to share my personal artist practice and share with others how I have used quilting, ceramics, and painting to explore many facets of life. As an artist, I’m interested in what happens when objects are taken out of a familiar context and reimagined, in objects as containers for memories of relationships, history, and culture. I explore this by uniting found and made objects, painting onto family quilts, and finishing ceramics by weaving personal materials throughout. I do this across all mediums, repeating patterns reminiscent of my past, curving lines, floral imagery, cursive handwriting, things we all once shared. I memorialize seemingly trivial things by giving them a permanent armor or resting place. This results in a blend of functional and sculptural ceramics. My family and history have been consistent themes throughout my undergraduate career. I have worked to better know my family members by creating pieces with their input, imagery of our lives together, and our shared experiences. A sense of home and community is often created through warm colors, organic shapes, weaving, braiding, and visual hierarchy. These help me to convey the idea of being in relationship with others, or family.

2020 Aflame

by Jerod Trotti (Undergraduate)

This work was finished in 2020 in the midst of the covid 19 pandemic. The colored Pencil work represents how 2020 began an unexpected collapse and despair for many people. Everyone felt the heat in 2020. For many it felt like our world was on fire and we could do nothing but tolerate it. In this creative and detail colored pencil artwork I have illustrated how I and many others felt during this time period.