Synaptic

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Sara Sienkiewicz ’26

ART 151 2D Problem Solving, still-life painting

The still-life painting project is where students mix their primary colors of red, blue and yellow to match the colors seen on the still life objects. While Sara’s accuracy in color matching is notable, capturing the reflective quality of the chromed Christmas decoration is what makes this painting come alive.

-Dr. Susan Wight Swanson

 

Morgan Schaben ’23

267 Metalsmithing I

Project: Create a sculptural animal form in metal that represents your inner animal or spirit animal using sheet metal and cold connections. Morgan’s sculpture sets up a richer narrative through the posing of the orangutan in relation to the constructed setting. It also utilizes some original approaches for the cold connecting of the arms and legs at the elbows and legs that are very interesting.

-Professor Brian Roberts

 

Madilynn Peitzman ’25

ART 270 Book Arts, A Day in the Life tunnel book

This tunnel book by Madilynn Peitzman is for the “A Day in the Life” project in the ART 270 Book Arts class. Here Madilynn chose to describe the hikes she takes on a favorite trail. Sometimes foraging, sometimes identifying plants and animals she sees, it is always a place where she sees how all the world is in some way connected. The title of the piece is “Hike on an Easter Afternoon.” The choice of working on toned paper and the delicate ink work on each page of this tunnel book matched the quiet calm Madilynn spoke of while hiking on this favorite trail.

-Professor Mathew Kelly

 

Grace Parrish ’23

265 Glassblowing I

Project: End of semester assignment of creating your own work based off the techniques learned during the semester. Grace’s vessel is a very original form for a first semester glass student. It has richness in its form and draws associations to things like flower blooms and sea shells.

-Professor Brian Roberts

 

Payton French ’23

ART 270 Book Arts, A Day in the Life tunnel book

This tunnel book by Payton French is for the “A Day in the Life” project in the ART 270 Book Arts class. Payton is a writer spending at least a little time each day writing her stories. In this book excerpts from these stories are printed on the pages with silhouetted images laser cut into some pages to highlight events in the stories. These images were built on the computer which created an additional technical challenge, and then laser cut into black paper before being assembled into a book form. The form and content work together to effectively convey the meaning in an elegant way.

-Professor Mathew Kelly

 

Madolyn Clark ’23

262 Ceramics I

Project: Replicate a historical, slip decorated vessel form and apply an original visual narrative about your interaction(s) with the world to its surface. Madolyn’s design utilizes a good sense of economy in the cre- ation of the visual narrative’s composition. The corn stalk border surrounding the neck is a nice detail.

-Professor Brian Roberts

 

Amelia Brown ’25

ART 270 Book Arts, A Day in the Life Tunnel book

This tunnel book by Amelia Brown is for the “A Day in the Life” project in the ART 270 Book Arts class. It is a visually powerful image with all of the intense color and detailed painting. The content behind it is equally potent. I was given permission by her to share some of this personal content. In this book, Amelia is describing the difference between what it is like emotionally and in some ways physically when she remembers to take her ADHD medication and when she forgets to. What Amelia described in class educated us all on the variety of ways ADHD can manifest itself, and the spectrum of responses to the medication. Through her work and the critique some of the myths around ADHD were dispelled.

-Professor Mathew Kelly

 

Sophie Kruger ’26

265 Glassblowing I

Project: Create a sculptural fish using decorative techniques learned during the semester and utilize bitwork to create fish components like eyes and fins. Sophie’s fish shows sophistication in modeling the body and fins while the overall form captures an effective sense of movement and fluidity through water. It has a richness of detailing and effective use of coloration, and patterning giving it a sense of realism.

-Professor Brian Roberts

 

Fynn Wadsworth ’25

161 3D Problem Solving

Project: Design a sculptural cup and a related saucer form using the visual language of organic organization (forms, textures, structure) found specifically in botanical lifeforms. Fynn’s cup and saucer forms have great visual appeal in the articulation of their surfaces. The forms are also very successful in meeting a goal for the assignment of creating new visual hybrids.

-Professor Brian Roberts