Scholars Symposium 2025: Art, Design & Theatre

Cenotaph of the Fae

by Adrian McGuire (Undergraduate)

The title of this work is Cenotaph of the Fae and is an assemblage piece measuring a little over four inches in height, width, and depth. This piece is composed completely out of plastic building block toys to create a roughly-spherical geometric abstraction of a mausoleum or cenotaph. There is a symmetrical balance to the work, but it also heavily relies on variety to make the viewer move their eye across the work and see the whole of the composition. This piece is a memorial of the fantastical and spiritual realities that permeated the middle ages, but were soon considered obsolete or unsophisticated during the enlightenment.

Using molded elements that invoke mechanical imagery and a blend of greys and bright, “childish” colors, I hope to visually reinforce the modern idea of a fairy, yet call us to question if that is all that the stories are. As we continually throw out the idea of an ever present, earthly spiritual reality, now is when supernatural attacks are gaining traction, cult followings, and the like, under the guise of aliens, sleep paralysis, and even DMT. We may think we have killed the fae, burying them in the tombs of fantasy novels and movies, but the tomb is empty, and was never really filled to begin with, and we are left to consider the consequences of creating it.

Stampeding Hope

by Mira Lehman (Undergraduate)

Stampeding Hope is a piece created to envision hope for the future. It represents the work and toil required to reach pre-determined goals by handicraft and patchwork.

Peafowl Meadow

by Mira Lehman (Undergraduate)

Peafowl Meadow is a redesign and remake of Josiah Wedgewood's Portland Vase. Created for ceramic foundations second course project, this piece shows a unique level of handicraft, precision and simplicity. While incorporating the shape and style of the Portland Vase, Peafowl Meadow recreates the sense of modernity.

Sustaining Grace

by Tamaryn Hunt (Undergraduate)

This two layer print combines etching and linocut to create one unified piece. By layering these to forms, it allows the etched writing to recede into the background, bringing the starkness of the linocut figure to the foreground. This allows the work to have an effective hierarchy, keeping unity and movement. This piece entitled “Sustaining Grace”, was the closing piece to a set of works, that were working through the idea that God sustains us in our time of need and provides for us in unexpected ways. The etched background of this piece contains snippets from the artists journal entries over the span of a year, while the foreground displays a girl reaching up and grabbing the hand of another person.

The goal of this piece was to create a work that externally processed the close of a season in life. Choosing words to fill the background, allows the viewer to delve further into the piece while getting a glimpse of the context and purpose for the significance of the image. Yet it was more of a reflection for the artist than for the viewer. It contrasts this sense of personal despair, and searching, with the hope of a God who sustains and provides in every season. This piece, though personal, allowed the artist to give the viewer a glimpse of how God has worked in her life, with the goal of encouraging others who may be going through something similar.

Nostalgia

by Jayne Freevol (Undergraduate)

This vase is based on an ancient Longquan vase made in mid-fourteenth century China. The surface design of the vase is covered with beautiful molded peonies and glazed with the iconic jade glaze of the time. This design symbolized wealth, beauty, and peace in Chinese culture. This vase is thought to have been used as decoration in public spaces because of its size.

In the re-creation of this vase, I have changed the surface design to resemble what this symbolization would mean in today’s culture. While wealth was the main symbol of royalty in ancient Chinese culture, freedom is our biggest desire in American culture not only in the government, but also in daily life. I used butterflies to symbolize this freedom and added cartoon-like flowers onto the vase to symbolize the freedom that comes from a child-like perspective.

Wooden Toys

by Layne Osborne (Undergraduate)

“Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that” (Galatians 6:4-5). To understand this verse and myself a little better, I reflected on my past to see what I have been good at and what I have loved to do.

One of the earliest memories I can trace of embracing creativity comes from a hot summer day with my brother. In our garage, my dad left dozens of wooden pegs from a construction site in a purple bucket. My brother and I took markers and doodled faces onto what we imagined as canvases for new toys. We did not have much growing up, but I learned to make the most of what we did have.

Wooden Toys is a series of handmade figures inspired by this childhood memory. The toys maintain a cylindrical shape approximately 3’ x 3’ x 4’ each. The wood is unfinished hand carved, adorned with button eyes, wire hair, and balloon shoes. These simple materials culminate to explore the creativity of my childhood that still inspires me today.

Bloom

by Faith Thomas (Undergraduate)

Bloom is a self-portrait with a little twist. Flowers are blooming out of a crack where my eye should be. Inspired by a photo I found while scrolling through Instagram, I knew I wanted to make something like it. I settled on myself as the subject, since your life is the best source for your own artwork. The painting itself is acrylic paint on canvas. Warm-toned flowers are sprouting from a crack in my face. There are flowers in my braided hair as well. Flowers are one of my favorite things to paint, so combining them and a self-portrait was a no-brainer.

Bloom symbolizes my growth over time. I feel as if I have grown a lot in the past couple of years. Not only in my art but my faith in God and myself as a person. I feel more confident, both in my skills and myself, and my connection to God has grown stronger. I’m finally blooming into the person I want to be and as the years go on, I know the flowers growing in my soul will get bigger and more abundant.

Familial Memory Book

by Mackenzie Hinman (Undergraduate)

Much of my work is about my family and our genealogy. I do a great deal of work about my Grandma Kizer who passed away and her character and background. I have branded myself as a sort of “mini-me” to my Grandma and my Mother. I believe that much of my interest in culture originates from the mindset of older maternal family members. Once they immigrated to the United States, my Great-Grandparents wanted to “Americanize” fully, even if that meant not passing on their language and history. This mystery and loss of knowledge of my Grandmother's family sparked my desire to know and understand more. In a way, my art is my familial/historical record, or atleast the process of my understanding and knowledge seeking. I think that my search has also made me more open and loving towards the cultures around me and has created an eclectic taste of interests.

My current body of work has primarily consisted of oil paint/fabric mixed media; However, I do also work in some charcoal, sculpture, printmaking, and clay. Sewing and working with fabric is something that I learned from my Grandma Kizer and my Mother, and has become what makes me feel most connected to them. I have been diving into quilting techniques and color blocked in portraits, which creates a thread of narrative that flows through much of my work. I also enjoy superimposing blocks of color onto a busier surface in order to flatten it out and guide the eye. This is a way for me to bring a modern touch to the traditional values and community I grew up around.

Folded Line: A Site-Specific Textile Installation

by Catelyn Mailloux (Faculty)

Folded Line is a site-specific fabric installation made whilst in residence at PADA Studios in Barreiro, Portugal. PADA is located at the former site of Companhia Uniao Fabril (CUF), one of the largest corporations in Portugal that produced a wide range of goods from petrochemicals to carpets from the 1930’s through the 1970’s, employing upmost of 10,000 people. In its prime, it provided housing, schooling, medical care, and a live-in community for its employees. Folded Line runs down a set of monumentally sized steps that once served as stadium seats for company football matches. The dramatic diagonal edge of the steps marks the entrance to the CUF complex.

Made through a process of tracing, mapping, pattern making, and sewing, Folded Line forms a fabric cast of bleached out color running down the steps, mimicking a slice of light cast from an open door at the top of a dark stairway. The sewn line is patchworked together from thrifted shirts, sheets, remnants of old projects, and new yardage sourced from Lisbon. Like dog earring a page in a book or setting a stack of stones to mark a path, the line temporarily demarcates the transitional nature of stairs, occupying a space between architecture, sculpture, and a path made by walking.

Joyful Tunes

by Anna Nicol (Undergraduate)

This art piece is called 'Joyful Tunes' and was done in 2023. Its dimensions are 6x6 inches and it was done fully with alcohol markers in a realistic art style. This piece depicts a lively jester character playing his violin for a dog companion in a colorful and relaxed setting. I experimented a lot with character design and storytelling, and thought about how I could bring forth an interesting and convincing composition. This piece was a part of a portfolio that involved storytelling specifically, and turning real-world scenes into something that was more fantastical. I wanted this piece to bring a sense of comfort, playfulness, and joy to the viewer, as if they were also able to enjoy the fun company of these two characters.

Hidden Beauty

by Ava Kincade (Undergraduate)

This artwork is a set of ceramic nesting bowls designed to look like geodes. From the outside, a hard and bumpy rock exterior. But from the inside, a beautiful shimmering gem. This set consists of three bowls, all stacked within each other and designed so that you can see all the bowls at once. When making this artwork, I wanted to play with texture and color. The outside of each bowl accomplishes my texture goal. You are able to take your hand and run it along the side and feel all of the bumps and ridges I pressed into the surface of the clay. An underglaze was used to create the color on the bowl; then, I went in with a clear gloss glaze on the inside to make sure it was shiny, leaving the outside with a matte rock exterior.

Another element I wanted to play around with was the idea of creating a family portrait in a less traditional style. This required thinking outside of the box. When looking overhead at my bowls, they reminded me a little of an eye. From that realization, my idea started to take shape. The inside of the largest bowl was glazed in blue, which is the color of my dad's eyes. The medium bowl was glazed with green, the color of my mom's eyes. For the smallest bowl, I was a little stumped about what color to use because I have three brothers, and we each have different colored eyes. I finally decided to use reds and purples, which, to me, were colors that signified love and brought the entire picture together.

Technological Conformity

by Carson Wells (Undergraduate)

The sculpture “Technological Conformity” is a combination of technology and society, as exemplified through the cardboard, android bust. So often we walk this Earth, oblivious to how technology and machinery have integrated themselves into our world and proved themselves to be nearly essential. This piece simply makes a slight commentary on it, by showing that technology has disguised itself so well, and now appears seamlessly in our lives, as we walk alongside it. The sculpture is comprised of a droid-like head and upper torso, all designed with individual parts, implying a mechanical origin. The symmetrical parts reminiscent of hardware are capped off by a common enough accessory, a NY Yankees Cap. The baseball cap is often used as a way to cover one’s identity and is no different in this case. My goal in creating this was to create a piece that was not overly complex, but still clearly relayed a message to the audience. I wanted to create a slight element of confusion, as the piece seems to ask the question of whether this is technology looking like man, or whether man looks like technology. This piece is comprised fully of cardboard, combining the texture of the cardboard’s exterior, as well as the corrugated parts of its interior structure. This piece stands at about two feet tall, with a width and depth of around 1 foot each, it is lifelike to the typical human head, with sizing reflecting that of a classically created bust. The style is modernist, as the sculpture displays simplicity through its form and attention to craftsmanship. Some of the elements and principles of design most evident are the form and shape of the sculpture, as well as the uniform color throughout the piece.

The attention to detail and craftsmanship of the work amplifies its message, amplifying the theme through the clear presentation. The modern form of “Technological Conformity” causes the viewer to consider what the piece is asking and what it means, hopefully causing the audience to reflect on the effect and impact of technology in their personal lives.

Line Exploration

by Tori Reynolds (Undergraduate)

This geometric piece was created with the intention of using line to explore the idea of a compelling composition. The small lines arranged in squares in the background, with varying density, allow for more depth to the piece. The shapes around the composition, seemingly coming out of a portal in the top left corner, increase in both size and detail as they seem to come forward. I wanted to use these aspects in order to create a composition with lots of movement and interest, even without the use of colors. I really enjoyed creating this piece and feel as though my understanding of how to use line has grown greatly through this project.

Self Portrait Through Objects

by Tori Reynolds (Undergraduate)

This graphite drawing is a self portrait, just in a different form. Rather than creating an image of my physical self, I have depicted items that are important and representative of me. There are a couple of books, as literature is greatly impactful in my life; my paint pallet, in order to illustrate my passion for art; fabric, in order to depict my loved of sewing; white roses from my graduation cap; my great grandma’s tea cup; and my button collection. Through all of these things I believe that you can get a general understanding of who I am and what I am passionate about. I worked in this piece to push my understanding of graphite to a point where I can use it to its fullest potential.

Blindness

by Charis Lauer (Undergraduate)

Blindness is a 15x18 oil painting which depicts a figure standing in the midst of a snowy wilderness. Where she stands, a beam of light breaks upon her as it starts from the upper right hand corner until it reaches the figure, spreading across the ground and throwing a shadow behind her. The figure is unable to look directly into the light and instead blocks it with her hands. Blindness is intended to explore humanity’s inability to fully know God. Similarly to how Moses had to hide his face behind a rock in the presence of the Lord when he passed by, so we too cannot fully comprehend or understand the majesty of God’s glory. This piece also reminds me of how Saul was struck blind by the glory of Christ who appeared to him in light on the road to Damascus This piece was first inspired by the thought of the sun hitting dazzling white snow which is almost overpowering to eyes that have grown accustomed to a dark room. The paradox of this piece is that even though we will never fully comprehend God, he still reveals himself to us, making himself known. Even in glory when we see Christ and are made like him, we will never sound the depths of what there is to know about him. And that should not be a discouragement, but it should move us to awe as we consider the depth of his glory and majesty.

Olivia Stipe Artist Talk

by Olivia Stipe (Undergraduate)

This artist talk will be a presentation that explores and explains my body of work in relation to my artist statement. The presentation will walk through significant pieces and explain their meaning and role in relation to my artist statement.

The greatest inspiration behind my work is the women I know. They are so deeply tied to my identity as a person, a woman, and an artist. The women in my family have begun to represent to me the most essential aspects of the human experience; joy, grief, growth, and change. My current body of painting began with contemplating my relationship to the women in my family who I know in such a limited way. I was struck by the fact that they had lived entire lives before me, and there are so many versions of them that I can never meet. The fact that we all are a part of an elaborate family narrative full of complex dynamics informs my work, and much of mywork is my way of processing that story. My current work is focused primarily on painting and ceramics. In my paintings, I work in bold lines and a consistent palette. I layer images in various ways to create abstraction and add depth. In my portraits I am interested in the essential properties of a true likeness, working in painterly and decisive marks. My goal is to balance decisive lines and deeper subtlety to create a painting that encourages your eye to linger. My ceramics are focused primarily on creating functional, beautiful items with my illustration style. My goal with ceramics is to create objects that are not only well-crafted and easy to use but convey a sense of playfulness to the user.

Lounge  Chair

by Todd Brahler (Undergraduate)

The lounge chair that I have designed is based on the simple pool chair that many see near pools, but there are a few distinct differences in the lounge chair. The lounge chair has a combination of geometric and organic movement. The base of the chair has a geometric shape for support, but the top of the chair flows more organically with the body so that it is comfortable to sit in. The base and structure part of the piece is made out of elm wood and the slats, or part of the chair you sit on, is made out of pine wood. The lounge chair is held together by screws, wood glue, and staples. The lounge chair was constructed in a way in which any glue, staples, or screws would be hidden as much as possible. To finish, the chair was painted chocolate brown with a clear, water-based polyurethane finish. The paint and finish help unify and complete the artwork. The lounge chair has a modernist style and conveys movement, while also having a strong structure. The main goal of this artwork was to create a functionally simple chair with visual complexity.

Ideas Splat

by Hannah Pierce (Undergraduate)

Ideas fall through the cracks. Sometimes the ideas or plans that you believe will be the most successful are those that sorely disappoint your expectations. You fail an exam. You don’t get the job. The issue in your family escalates. The idea for your project doesn’t work out. Life does not go as planned. This sculpture aims to visually embody what happens when your bright idea goes “splat”. This sculpture was created using cardboard as the main base structure. The light bulb was crafted using cross-sections of cardboard filled with crumpled newsprint giving the base volume. This volume was covered with masking tape and then overlaid with layers of paper mache. To add the texture of ridges to the base of the light bulb, I removed the top layer of a strip of cardboard. The hole in the paper mache is ripping and cracking to resemble a cracked egg. Pouring out of the hole are the “drips” of the egg that were built from multiple layers of curved cardboard stacked on top of each other. Part of this “dripping” structure was covered in paper mache to relate it to the texture of the lightbulb and also to give it a smoother quality. The base or stand of the sculpture, consisting of 3 layers of cardboard cut into curved shapes, resembles an egg that just fell on the ground. The egg yolk made of stacked cardboard and paper mache is the only element in this work that shows color. The yellow serves as a balancing point between the overwhelming volume of the light bulb and the relatively flat surface of the base of the sculpture. While this sculpture shows that our plans and ideas may fail us, we serve a God who will never fail. Proverbs 16:9 reminds us that “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”

Racers Faces

by Melanie Polanco (Undergraduate)

A color penciled in shifting display of a automobile, in three phases turning from a detailed, black and white realistic drawing into a multicolored abstract. The longer you look, the more detail in color shift the viewer will begin to notice, it takes time to see how each piece has something just a little off, inaccurate or off the wall.

Crown of Symptoms

by Melanie Polanco (Undergraduate)

This is a 5 sided, crown-like paper statue, each side displaying an array of detailed patterns, each side conveying a different side to a story. The artist, battling a medical disease called Hypothyroidism, suffers from muscle and nerve tension that cannot be cured easily. Because of this symptom, the art piece is to display how it feels in her legs when she walks or stands. One end shows the actual bone, one having swirling motions to depict light headedness or the swelling of water in her joints. Or the sharp, multi layered pendants, visually representing to feeling of shin splints. Making it entirely white was not only intentional, it forces the viewer to question the depth of the layering and shadows of each and every intricately placed piece of paper to tell this disheartening tale.

Very Soon: In Time

by Melanie Polanco (Undergraduate)

The art piece "Very Soon : In Time", is one of a two part piece with a double meaning. In description, an impaled Victorian-like decorative clock with blue and white stained glass detail with golden lining and adornments on the corners and pole ends of the time teller. Gutted by a matte black, butterfly hilted dagger with electric blue and white detailing, a completely different design compared to the clock, its own kind of elegance. As for the story, one would say that it could just be killing time or the radical and abrupt change in style was forced to a stand still. In theory, these wouldn't be a bad guess but in reality it is deeper. In the world that God has made, we are called to move when He moves, go or stay when he gives the green light. So when Jesus comes, and he is coming soon, are you prepared to draw the sword, no matter when? In time, he will call. Will he be heard and will we fight by his side? That is the bigger picture.

With Our Back Toward Each Other and I'd Ask To Rest

by Kristen Havens (Undergraduate)

I’d Ask to Rest and With Our Backs Toward Each Other are a two-part series that is an a. 18.5’’ by 15’’ and b. 14’’ by 30’’ dry-point engraving on plexi with black ink. With six prints of each, this work is a collage of family photos that have an emphasis on overlapping portraits and objects. The family photos have been cut out and rearranged to create balance and allow space for a focus on content. Both pieces have been arranged for the portraits to carry the flow as they direct the viewer’s eyes. The mark shows a hierarchy of detail to refine focal points and sometimes becomes abstract to frame portraits and objects. Harsh edges create the borders with soft overlays, shaping the core of the work.

Familial relations have engaged me as an artist. In this piece, I wanted to explore how I see the relationships between my family members, specifically maternal and paternal, along with those of my siblings. My goal for the piece(s) was to not only portray the relationships for the viewer, but also to navigate them for myself. As I traced memories and experiences into overlapping lines and figures, I created a live grid of my familial perception. I believe past memories can be recomposed and documented to navigate relationships between experiences. This belief forced me to reevaluate my childhood and current standing within my family and make connections that would promote the content of the piece(s). This work is to be viewed from many angles with an understanding that there are deep personal layers within. I would invite the viewer to create their own connections and reflect on what an image of their family would look like cut out, rearranged, and challenged.

The Gift of Transience

by Aliya Rubio (Undergraduate)

In a world where time seems to slip through our fingers, work is focused on celebrating the gift of transience. For many years, I wrestled with the sting of time passing by. Clinging to the paradise of my childhood years, I found comfort in nostalgia, looking back to the "good times." Fearing the future, I desperately grasped at every moment in an attempt to capture it before it slipped away. This tiring pursuit continued for years until I brought my frustration to God, and He revealed that I have been in His hand all my life. Just as He had been the artist of every noteworthy moment thus far, so would He continue to paint my days with color. As it is written, “For what He has started, He will finish.” This revelation changed my perspective and inspired my work. Instead of mourning the passage of time, I look boldly ahead, trusting that God's abundance will continually prevail.

In the past few years, my main goal has been to cast a wide net in terms of the mediums I use. From painting, to printmaking, to sculpture, I strive to illustrate my impression of the emotional forms within a moment. With slightly exaggerated detail and natural, fluid compositions, I elevate otherwise overlooked features. Through my current works, I aim to convey the spirit of celebration and gratitude I feel toward the gift of fleeting beauty. To achieve this, I have sought to create a balance of precision and play. This is evident in my artistic process, where I prioritize being driven by improvisation and then refining that foundation. My oil and watercolor paintings venture into abstraction, inviting the viewer to experience a memory with me and form a connection of their own. In my Artist Talk titled “The Gift of Transience”, I hope to share my testimony, my artistic process, and my current work.

Uprooted

by Nate Stikeleather (Undergraduate)

“Uprooted” (2023) is a linocut print on 2.5x3’ paper. It is a scene of a church building with roots protruding from its base that are entangled with American political symbols. Most of the work is solid black ink, with the white areas comprising the image of the church building and its roots. In the roots of the church, an American flag, a “Make America Great Again” hat, an assault rifle, metal cuffs connected by chains, dollar bills, a brick wall with barbed wire lining the top, and a newspaper can be found. The church is a traditional American chapel, with white wooden siding, stained glass windows, and a steeple topped by a cross. The scene is stylized and graphic, and utilizes repetition, contrast, and symmetry primarily to create a compelling composition. The main purpose of the work is an exploration of and reconciliation with my childhood growing up in the “American church” in an area where Christian values and principles are often confused for political ideologies and partisanship. The image depicts a church building being uprooted from political causes that the church is often associated with, so that it can be re-planted in the rich and life-giving soil that is the pure and undefiled gospel.

Bounty

by Esther Overbeek (Undergraduate)

“Bounty” is a black and white linocut print that explores how fishing (done well) is a good example of man exercising his dominion over the fish of the sea and using well the resources God has given us on this earth. The process for linocut prints involves using gauges to carve a design into a sheet of lino, applying ink, carefully placing paper onto its surface, and then running it through a press. This piece is 18x24 inches. In the center of the composition there is a swirl of fish, and around that swirl are different boats which signify both commercial and subsistence forms of fishing that are present in my community. The boats and fish are reined in by a circle of rope, and at the four “corners” of that circle, there are puffins looking both up and down. There are also clams and mussel shells at the top and bottom of the piece. The style is quite simplistic but is also not trying for realism in any way. A principle of design that I see at play is line, since the arrangement of the fish in a swirling line create radial movement, forming a focal point in the center of the composition that leads the eye outward.

My goal in creating this artwork was to show those different ways of fishing and how we all find sustenance in this source that God has given us to nourish our bodies, fish. I also was tying in the narrative in Genesis where God gave Adam the commandment to be in dominion over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, and to subdue the earth. The elements of the both the fish and the puffins support this concept. The elements of the puffins, fish, and boats all tie together in this piece to signify how sustainable fishing is a part of having dominion and making good use of the resources God has given us for sustenance and nourishment.

Mary's Vase

by Gracie Yoder (Undergraduate)

I painted this painting titled, "Mary's Vase" visualizing the vase which was broken to wash Jesus's feet. From the vase the oil spills, and washes in the crack in the group, and from the crack tulips grow, which symbolize pure, fatherly love. This symbolizes how our sacrifices to the Lord help "fill in" the crack separating us, helping us to experience Him more. the tulips growing from the oil symbolize this as well, as the sacrificial oil helps grow the plants which symbolize pure love. In the corner there is a renaissance style halo that usually surrounds Jesus's head in paintings, which symbolizes His presence.