Synaptic

Synaptic 2025 Cover

Artwork Selections

By Various Artists


Sophie Kruger ’24

ART 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.

Sophie’s cup and saucer forms have wonderful visual appeal in the complexity of structuring and richness of detail elements. The forms are also very successful in meeting a goal for the assignment of creating new visual hybrids through the intermixing of botanical references.

-Professor Brian Roberts

Clay cup and saucer

 

ART 485: Senior Seminar in Art

In this class, students design and implement an art exhibition of their own creation based on a thesis or cohesive idea. Sophie created a large scale painting installation examining the relationships built with coworkers at a local restaurant and the profound loss when its owner passed away and the restaurant closed. Over the three week exhibition, Sophie cut up the main panel and each day painted over the original image with white paint effectively representing the process of dealing with loss. It was simultaneously a static display and performance requiring the viewer to visit the gallery each day to witness the transformation.

-Professor Mathew Kelly

Sophie Kruger Art Exhibit - various paintings of places and people with their faces obscured

‘Goodbye, Chiefs’ Timelapse Video

 

 

Lauren Litterer ’25

ART 265: Glassblowing I

Project: End of semester assignment – create work based on the forms and decorative techniques you have learned this semester.
Lauren’s fish cup is a fun, playful solution to utilizing bitwork, or the adding of glass components, learned during the semester.

-Professor Brian Roberts

Glass fish cup

 

Scottie Martin ’24

ART 485: Senior Seminar

In this class, students design and implement an art exhibition of their own creation based on a thesis or cohesive idea. Combining his interests in art and theatre, Scott crocheted masks representing aspects of his personality such as his drag persona, his student persona, how he sees himself, and how he thinks others perceive him, among others. Each mask shown at Scott’s height, with the drag persona just a bit taller due to the boots included in the display. An unusual and engaging representation of personality.

-Professor Mathew Kelly

Scottie Martin wearing crocheted masks
Crocheted Masks

 

Marshall Quast ’25

ART 267: Metalsmithing I

Project: Create a sculptural animal form in metal that represents your inner animal or spirit animal. The animal sculpture will be constructed out of nonferrous sheet metal using cold connections—no soldering.

Marshall demonstrated very effective problem solving in formulating the individual components of the gecko form. The textured metal is effective in communicating a sense of the textured skin of a gecko.

-Professor Brian Roberts

Gecko made from metal

Kaylee Peiffer ’25

ART 362: Ceramics II

Project: Create goblet vessel forms utilizing wheel-thrown and hand-built components: At least two should have thrown bowls with hand-built stem and foot components: strive for imaginative sculptural and narrative explorations in making the stem and foot.

Kaylee’s goblet is just a fun, playful investigation with the interaction between the fish’s mouth and the cup body as to how the goblet cup is elevated.

-Professor Brian Roberts

Ceramic fish goblet

 

Amelia Brown ’25

ART 362: Ceramics II

Project: Create at least six enclosed vessel forms on the potter’s wheel. The vessel forms will be resolved as salt and pepper dispensers, lidded jars, sculptural objects, or other utilitarian objects: at least one will incorporate in its design something that acknowledges how the lid and body align to each other. This can be done with sculptural elements added, texturing and patterning, and glazing.

A creative solution as to how to acknowledge the alignment of the lids as the rat tales bridge from lid to vessel
body. Also, the pair have nicely sculpted rats inspired by plague jars.

-Professor Brian Roberts

Ceramic jars with mice and a bug on the lids

 

Lauren Husz ’26

ART 270: Book Arts – Independent Study

Six Word Memoir-Accordion fold or Dragon fold book. Using her six word memoir “too much panic, very little disco,” Lauren visually described the difficult balance between obligations and leisure time. The book can be read from either direction and the weaving of black paper and colored elements clearly showed how one might weave obligations and leisure time together.

-Professor Mathew Kelly

A paper book sculpture with colorful pages and text

 

Kira Baldus ’25

ART 265: Glassblowing I

Project: End of semester assignment – create work based on the forms and decorative techniques you have learned this semester.

Kira’s vessel is a sophisticated vessel form for a first semester glassblowing student. The vessel has a very pleasing application of color and utilizes many techniques learned during the semester.

-Professor Brian Roberts

Blue and green glass vessel