ABOUT THIS EXHIBITION

ArtsWorcester at the Davis Art Gallery

February 9 through April 8, 2023

Public reception: Friday, February 10, 6:00-9:00 PM (snow date: February 11)

Members and Supporters' Preview begins at 5:00 PM

 

After two years of virtual exhibitions, the College Show returns in person! The Nineteenth College Show is a competitive exhibition open to all undergraduate college students studying or residing in Massachusetts, in any major. This year's juror is Ellie Krakow, Assistant Professor of Art and Mazmanian Gallery Director, Framingham State University. Prize winners will be announced at the opening reception on Friday, February 10.

The Annual College Show is a juried exhibition open to all undergraduate college students studying or residing in Massachusetts, in any major. This year’s College Show was juried by Ellie Krakow, Assistant Professor of Art and Mazmanian Gallery Director, Framingham State University. From over 170 submissions, Krakow selected 55 works in traditional and new media, including filmmaking, printmaking, digital art, sculpture, and more. "Seeing the breadth of artwork being made by students in Worcester and the surrounding region is very inspiring," says Krakow. "The show includes political works that demand social change, introspective pieces that reveal the tenderness of humanity, and playful projects that engage curiosity and foster hope."

 

This program is supported in part by a grant from the Worcester Arts Council, a local agency, which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

  

 

Support comes from:

         

      


ArtsWorcester exhibitions in the Davis Art Gallery take place courtesy of Davis Publications.

 

Prizes for the 19th Annual College Show are generously supported by Marlene and David Persky and the Artist Prize Fund.


 

Capital

Christian, Bachez, Portrait of a Puissant Gladiator

College of the Holy Cross, 2023, Studio Art + Psychology Double Major

@BachezDoesArt & christianbachez.com

 

oil on canvas, 18" x 26", 2022, Not For Sale

 

This work is part of a larger series called 21st Century Overspray which deals with antiquated ideals of the (art) world and reappropriates them.

Overspraying is a concept in stencil spray paint art where the paint goes where it is not supposed to, just as BIPOC people are not necessarily always welcomed at higher education institutions.

There are elements and symbols of wealth from older paintings such as the celestial figures, fierce animals and flowers that are integrated within the work. The wavy line is an invasive, disruptive element meant to further the idea of BIPOC students being residual overspray.

Capital

Honorable Mention

Christian Bachez, Self Portrait 23

College of the Holy Cross, 2023, Studio Art and Psychology Double Major

@BachezDoesArt; christianbachez.com

 

acrylics and oil on canvas, 30" x 40", 2022, Not For Sale

 

There's always been this great tension in my time in college as I am a graffiti artist and student at Holy Cross. I have both had many fruitful experiences and pushback from both sides as a result of this.

I was challenged to visually exhibit this dichotomy using paint on a canvas. I used both vibrancy variations, contrasting colors, stylistic differences and dissimilar paint-strokes to exemplify this never-ending feeling of not fitting into one neat category.

This is a piece about the physicality of painting, belonging and the unwritten list of expectations we hold for others in our lives.

Capital

Jianing Bai, Transformation

College of the Holy Cross, 2023, Psychology and Studio Art

 

clay, 13" x 7" x 4.5'', 2022, Not For Sale

 

I explored abstract forms and organic shapes in Chinese calligraphy. I like to transform the lines in calligraphy into visual forms of abstraction and the fluid lines of my distorted Chinese characters show the process of choreography: my wrist and arm movement. Calligraphy serves as a bridge that connects me back to China since I realize I have been losing my ability to write Chinese fluently. I don't have many opportunities to practice my Chinese writing the longer I stay in America and write English every day. I feel I am losing control of my own language.

Capital

Jianing Bai, Transformation 2

College of the Holy Cross, 2023, Psychology and Studio Art

 

clay, 8" x 8" x 3'', 2022, Not For Sale

 

Capital

Jianing Bai, Transformation 3

College of the Holy Cross, 2023, Psychology and Studio Art

 

clay, 8" x 9" x 3'', 2022, Not For Sale

Honorable Mention

Brooke Bailey, Dissolve

College of the Holy Cross, 2023, Computer Science and Studio Art

 

video, processing programming language, 0:1:42, 2022, Not For Sale

 

As I way of investigating the overlap of technology and art, I introduce coding as a medium in my artwork. I particularly focus on translating representational imagery or ideas into emotive experiences and explore how my own life experiences relate to the digital environment. Through this concentration my work highlights formal qualities such as color and form. My interest in abstraction emerged based on my personal grappling with the relationship between technology and art. Exploring how these two worlds function together, my works visualize my internal struggle with the unknowns and ambiguities this process brings.

Brooke Bailey, Mood Simulation: Love

College of the Holy Cross, 2023, Computer Science and Studio Art

 

acrylic paint on matte and clear Dura-Lar film, 10" x 10", 2022, Not For Sale

 

As I way of investigating the overlap of technology and art, I introduce coding as a medium in my artwork. Through mixed media painting I introduce a harmony between computerized systems and the physical world. Finding surfaces that retain variety in mark-making helps me in this collaboration with the computer-generated imagery as I introduce the spontaneity and creativity from myself in conversation with the programmed visuals. With these works, I am able to address the questions of whether the essence of the digital world can be transformed into the physical world as well as what boundaries lie between these realms.

 

Capital

Juror's Prize

Skyler Barron, Dog Covered by Sheet

Clark University, 2023, Interactive Media in Video Game Design

 

graphite on print paper, 8.5" x 11", 2022, Not For Sale

 

Drawing of a medium-sized dog covered by a sheet, as if pretending to be a ghost. Made for a cloth study project.

 

Juror's note: “It’s brave to work small” said juror Ellie Krakow about Skyler Barron’s Dog Covered by Sheet.Awarded a prize for the Barron’s meticulous effort to achieve representation, this sweet little piece was clearly tended to with care. The artist beautifully balances the weight of draped figures and concepts of visibility with the playfulness of a wagging tail.

Capital

Mya Beausoleil, How Do I Look?

College of the Holy Cross, 2023, Chemistry

 

wire, plaster, foam, acrylic paint, 16" x 4" x 18", 2022, Not For Sale

 

This piece is meant to portray the way body image is scrutinized over through advertisements, social media, "influencer" culture, and this idea of health. As a young woman, I've felt this obsessiveness throughout my every day and am well aware of how destructive it can be both mentally and physically. I created this piece to try to take away this expectation, symbolized in the eyes, as in if we took away the vision, the judgments, and false beauty expectations, how much easier it'd be to just exist.

 

Capital

Rebecca Carrillo, Texas Natives

Clark University, 2023, Political Science and Environmental Science

 

acrylic on canvas, 20" diameter each, 2022, Not For Sale

 

This piece holds four species native to Texas: the Caracara, a Palo Verde, the Prickly Pear, and a Field mouse. I started working on the piece when I was home in Texas for my brother’s funeral. It was something I could control at a time when I felt helpless. My brother was much more of an artist than I’ll ever be and he was consistently on my mind as I painted it. This piece is both a part of my heart and a part of my home.

 

Capital

Juror's Prize

Aldona Casey, Second and Third Place Horses

College of the Holy Cross, 2024, Studio Art and English

 

bronze, sterling silver, and cotton cord, 3.5" x 7", 2022, Not For Sale

 

This necklace was inspired by the Palio races that happen bi-annually in Siena, Italy. Horses are extremely important to Sienese culture and are revered for their role in the Palio. During my time there I took a metal-smithing class and this was my “wax” project. Using files and a curled saw blade I carved a horse out of a block of wax. The wax charm was made into a special mold and had molten silver and brass poured into the mold. I soldered silver rings to attach the three horses and cut a wax-cover cotton cord for the necklace bit.

 

Juror's note: Aldona Casey’s Second and Third Place Horses is not only extremely well-made, but also conceptually strong. The humor of the necklace and its title is embedded in the intrinsic meaning and value of the silver and bronze. Casey plays on this idea while also transforming “second” and “third place” materials into jewels in their own right through her clean craftsmanship.

Capital

Honorable Mention

Ellen Choe, Landslide

Clark University, 2023, Psychology

 

copper plate print, 9" x 12", 2022, Not For Sale

 

A reflection over water. Some things stay the same. But, some things are different. Similar, yet not. This piece is reminiscent of the song by Fleetwood Mac. The closer you look at the reflection, the more you see the changes within the image. The more changes you see, the bolder they appear.

Capital

Jacob Czerepica, Malamute Priest

Clark University, 2024, Interactive Media Design

@lungaraast

 

2D digital character artwork, 26.6" x 16.3", 2022, $120

 

Capital

Grace DiCicco, Wrapped

Clark University, 2023, Studio Art

 

plaster, 9" x 8" x 9", 2021, $100 (sold)

Capital

Grace Dicicco, Giving it a Lot of Thought

Clark University, 2023, Studio Art

 

watercolor and acrylic marker on paper, 18" x 24", 2022, $30

Capital

Parker Doerr, Water

Clark University, 2024, Studio Art and Geography

 

gouache and ink on mixed media paper, 14" x 34", 2022, Not For Sale

 

This is a piece that shows the different sides of a bridge over a river.

Capital

Wynne Dromey, What is Confidence?

Clark University, 2025, Studio Art and Marketing

https://www.colorsofthewynned.com; @colors.of.the.wynned

 

graphite on Canson edition paper, 22" x 30", 2022, $500 (sold)

 

In this graphite drawing, I challenged what we define as confidence and question what it truly is. Is confidence purely visual? Can you be confident without “looking” confident? In my final piece for my figuration drawing class, I investigated these questions by depicting two figures in the same setting but in different seated positions. With the blank environment, both figures are isolated in their own spaces to show how confidence is internal and personal. Though one figure may look more confident than the other, the viewer does not truly know if one, both, or any figure is truly confident.

 

Victoria Freitas, Silence

Assumption University, 2023, Graphic Design

@victorias_freitas; https://victoriaslfreitas.myportfolio.com

 

animation (Procreate and After Effects), 0:01:02, 2022, Not For Sale

 

This was my first attempt at rotoscope animation. I wanted to create a short story that depicts how silence itself can be stifling. The only way to subdue overthinking is to overstimulate to the point the overwhelming noise will eventually silence unwanted thoughts.

 

Capital

Juror's Prize

Libia Goncalves-Quintero, The Gray Heron

Worcester State University, 2026, Art Major

DColorex.com. DColorex Arts & Crafts for all

 

mixed media, foam, acrylics, 20" x 40", 2020, $700 (sold)

 

I am a multifaceted artist; I like to explore all kinds of media and techniques. “Color” is what attracts me. The Gray Heron is made of foam painted with acrylics over a wood panel. I believe that part of being an artist is that we must experiment with every new thing we discover, sometime becomes a compulsion to find out if we can come up with something beautiful, and there we go, we try, and we achieve, and sometimes we amaze ourselves and others with our creations.

 

Juror's note: Libia Concalves-Quintero’s The Gray Heron exhibits, in the words of the juror, “a true observer’s eye.” The artist’s sense of touch and awareness of the physical world, and her ability to portray it, come across particularly well in spots where two-dimensional paint blends with and mimics the three-dimensional media.

Capital

Kathryn Healey, Together

Clark University, 2024, Psychology

 

watercolor, salt, chalk pastel, and colored pencil on paper, 18" x 24", 2022, Not For Sale

 

Conjoined twins are a rarity that challenges our understanding of bodily subjectivity. The language we use to define the self is centered around a body that is not more than one, using words such as "individual" or "oneself.” Conjoined twins exist outside of this concept of a body, with the ability to be categorized as both one and two beings. As non-conjoined siblings grow up encouraged to share toys and spaces, conjoined twins are born knowing the importance of sharing (sharing organs, nutrients, and energy), and it is because of their uniqueness and intrinsic generosity that this piece was made.

 

Capital

Brooke Hendershott, To Be a Virtual Cat

College of the Holy Cross, 2023, Chemistry

@brickdraws

 

digital inkjet print on matte paper, 17" x 22", 2022, $120 (sold)

 

Inspired by an opinion piece from the New York times, this illustration aims to show the development of realism in the world of video games. Over time, many have progressed from overcoming technical limitations with fantastical concepts to emulating real life as closely as possible. Now, able to retrospectively analyze both genres, we must decide which we prefer. What will last the test of time?

 

Capital

Honorable Mention

Alexandria Hensel-Courtney, Night & Day

Worcester State University, 2022, Liberal Studies

@spacecatxalexhensel; www.alexthespacecat.com

 

drypoint prints, pastel, and gouache on rice paper, 20"x 24", 2022, Not For Sale

 

This past semester I got the opportunity to explore the method of dry-point printmaking. This is a method where the artist etches an image into a plexiglass sheet and is typically used for very detailed images. This illustrative print is inspired by "Alice in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll.

Capital

Arsema Hindeya, Table for 1

Clark University, 2024, Marketing and Studio Art

@Phxtx.by.a

 

film photography, 12" x 8", 2022, $250

 

This photo was taken in a small restaurant in Harlem in the middle of the summer. It was a moment of quick action because I am not used to shooting people candidly. But this was a really nice setup of the customer comfortably eating alone and the employees in the back in a completely different world than the customer. I'd like to believe that I have an eye for shots, and this is one of my favorite photos because I was really able to commit to what I saw.

 

Capital

Kira Houston, Bird-Serpent Kintsugi Dragon

Clark University, 2023, Art History and Spanish, minor in Creative Writing

@kiyyesart; https://kiyye.com

 

digital metal print, 11" x 14", 2022, $250

 

I create digital character and creature designs for sci-fi-fantasy projects. This illustration combines three objects from the Worcester Art Museum: a Vietnamese parrot vessel, a Roman snake sculpture, and an Egyptian Scarab. The result is a composite bird-serpent, god of artifacts lost at sea.

I usually design concept art solely for digital viewing, but I wanted to bring my characters into the physical plane. I printed this piece on mounted aluminum, recalling the visual language of technology: rectangular screens, illumination, and crisp, mirror-like surfaces. My printed work makes apparent these born-digital sensibilities, uplifting the aesthetic value of digital illustration.

Capital

Obiamaka Igwenagu, Black and Yellow

College of the Holy Cross, 2023, Visual Art and Health Studies

@obiamaka.i & o.amaka.I

 

oil paint on fabric, 40" x 30", 2022, $1,250

Capital

Madison Kapulka, Still Life of a Shadow Box

Assumption University, 2023, Graphic Design

@madison_kapulka

 

oil paint on canvas, 13" x 17", 2022, Not For Sale

Capital

Arina Kharakhashian, A Splash of Revelation

Clark University, 2023, Marketing & Studio Arts

@smuttnaya

 

digital inkjet print, 24" x 36", 2022, $300

 

I’ve always been captivated by the astuteness of red and blue colors shadowing at night from the lights in parking lots, college dorms’ windows, or neon signs at the bars. Capturing these colors through artificial lighting and combining it with an isolated setting allows me to replicate the loneliness and mystery I experience on the streets of Worcester at night. During my photoshoots, I tell my subjects to put on a mask of sadness to align their emotions with the atmosphere I strive to create. I find beauty and peace in this melancholy, and hope for my audience to relate.

Capital

Annaliese King, Tune In Next Time

Clark University, 2026, Undeclared

@aliendnadraws

 

acrylic, pencil, paper collage, Mod Podge on wood panel, 24" x 24", 2022, $200 (sold)

 

Whenever I create a collage I always end up following the theme of chaos, confusion, and being overwhelmed, and this piece is no different. Specifically, I wanted to capture the way media has taken over the way we often think. Though our favorite franchises or brands can bring us happiness we have to be careful we don’t become severed from the simpler joys of life, or in the furthering of our humanity we may lose our nature.

 

Capital

Margret Lambert, Perspective #1,

Clark University, 2023, Studio Art, Art History

 

watercolor on paper, 9" x 5.5", 2022, Not For Sale

 

"Perspectives" refers to a larger series using photos taken of my face with my phone to be used as references for realistic watercolor portraits of my face just after washing it. The zoomed-in portraits are the same size and shape as my phone screen, bringing together the intense focus on appearances social media cultivates, and the artistic tradition of self portraits.

Capital

Serena McCarthy, Modern Masculinity

College of the Holy Cross, 2025, Biology and Studio Art

 

acrylic and oil paint on canvas, 40" x 30", 2021, Not For Sale

 

My works mostly revolve around forms of identity, and in "Modern Masculinity", I wanted to question the societal expectations for what it means to be "a man". The black and white faceless figure allows the emphasis of the piece to be on the ballgown rather than the identity of the person who is wearing it. If we can appreciate a dress for its beauty, why should one's perspective of that change based on the body occupying that space?

Capital

Honorable Mention

Serena McCarthy, Royalty

College of the Holy Cross, 2025, Biology and Studio Art

 

charcoal and gouache on paper, 30.5" x 42", 2022, Not For Sale

 

This piece sparks a conversation about lgbtq+ representation in traditionally royal portraiture. To create a contrast between old techniques and new representation, I used a traditional material, charcoal, and portrayed a queer couple posed in the likeness of 18th century portraiture. The colors of the background are jewel tones to further allude to the idea of royalty and power.

Capital

Ethan McGrath, Finding Atmosphere

College of the Holy Cross, 2023, Studio Art

 

ceramic, wood, glaze, gold leaf, wire, 19" x 23" x 10.5", 2022, $1,000

 

These lungs grew from the time surrounding the pressures of fall respiratory infections, flu season, and the COVID-19 pandemic reaching its third anniversary.

The respiratory system allows us to breathe. Alveoli increase the diffusion of gases between the lungs and the blood by enhancing the lung surface area, yet these lungs lack internal structures.

As seen from the back of the anatomical left lung, a strange river flows from an interior world. The hollow nature leaves interpretation to the imagination and offers a moment of escape from the harsh realities of the present.

Capital

Juror's Prize

Ethan McGrath, Allegory of the Cave

College of the Holy Cross, 2023, Studio Art

 

acrylic, oil, spray paint, and gold leaf on custom wooden cabinet, 14" x 16" x 2", 2022, $1,000

 

By juxtaposing this painting with my sculpture "Finding Atmosphere," I reveal the physical manifestations that a painting can produce. I worked simultaneously on each piece while thinking about the idea of a make-believe world. Even though they may seem unrelated at first, they are tied together by the power of gold, curiosity, and by illustrating humankind's existence in the universe. Even though humans are limited by their mortality, their ideas, dreams, philosophies, and imaginations are unconfined. Plato's Allegory of the Cave, which deals with the "effect of education and the lack of it on our nature" inspired this curious cabinet.

 

Juror's note: The juror was impressed by Ethan McGrath’s mastery of surface handling in Allegory of the Cave- from the neat application of gold leaf to the incredibly detailed painting of the fantastical environment. This piece blurs the lines between sculpture and painting, and offers reflection on one’s interior imagination, something the juror noted that “artists are all about.”

Capital

Honorable Mention

Benjamin McQuade, PAUSE

Clark University , 2023, Psychology and Studio Art

 

Ilford multigrade pearl surface black and white photo paper, 36" x 28", 2022, Not For Sale

 

My project "PAUSE" revolves around the pressure that you can feel while being observed. This series of film photographs are taken from my second floor balcony, where I document the everyday interactions on my block. Without my subjects knowing they’re being captured, the pressure is absent, as if they were only walking by a doorbell-camera. Some captured moments feel invasive, like when I’m able to report how many objects are in your backseat, while other moments feel serene. I offer my photographs here for you to view, as you are the subject, and ask, what is it about being watched?

Capital

Andrew Myers, December Dusk

Anna Maria College, 2026, Graphic Design

 

pencil and Sumi ink on Bristol paper, 18” x 24”, 2022, Not For Sale

 

Capital

Raven Nelson, Where Does it Hurt?

Clark University, 2024, Studio Art and Art History

@_rav3n.h3art_

 

acrylic on paper, 48” x 24”, 2022, Not For Sale

 

This piece is a map showing where I feel the most physical and emotional pain. It explores gender, identity, depression and other mental health struggles, body modification, and coming of age. All of the body fragments are from references of my own body and this piece is essentially what it feels like to be me. When I presented this piece to my class for critique, I was shocked to find that almost every student resonated with it in some way, and so I feel it also is a summary of what it’s like to be a gen-zer in their twenties.

Capital

AJ Orringer, Untitled (Angry)

Clark University, 2025, Studio Art and Women's and Gender Studies

@anechointhemirror

 

gouache paint on canvas, 12" x 9", 2022, Not For Sale

 

untitled (angry) was my first painting following the overturning of Roe v. Wade in June of 2022. Fueled by mixes of fear, anger and sadness, I let myself paint the bloodshed that would undoubtedly follow this decision; the bloodshed of those who will die because an abortion would have saved their lives, of those who thought they could get away with the annihilation of human rights, and of those caught in the crossfire of a battle that we will not lose.

Capital

Zeke Palmer, Texture Collage

Clark University, 2023, Computer Science

@zekepalmer14

 

graphite on mixed media paper, 14" x 17", 2022, $300

 

Tasked to go out into the world and find 4 different textures, we then had to collage those textures together into one cohesive piece. As a class, we started by taking pictures of different textures, printing out the pictures, then collaging them together. The final step was to draw the collage. I used a combination of stones, woodchips, bricks, and a unique looking tree I found, and collaged them in a way that appealed to me. Then I began to draw my collage, and this is the final product.

Capital

Myles Popple, "I am a Jedi, like my father before me."

Quinsigamond Community College, 2025, Biotechnology

@myles.popple

 

colored pencil, 9" x 6", 2022, Not For Sale

 

I made this piece using Prismacolor pencils. It's based on the Empire Strikes Back scene where Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker duel. It took me around two weeks from start to finish, I'd say I probably spent around 10 hours total drawing.

Capital

Hadear Rizq, Fruit Bowl

Clark University , 2026, Computer Science

 

oil paint on canvas, 12” x 36”, 2021, Not For Sale

Capital

Hannah Rose, New Perspective

Worcester State University, 2024, Occupational Therapy

@hannahelrose

 

Epson Surecolor digital inkjet print on Epson premium luster photo paper, 8.5" x 10", 2022, $230

 

This piece was part of a Photo Essay I created for my Digital Photography class. I used a LensBall in each photograph, which challenged me to come up with new ways to take photos that did not all look the same. In the end, the collection created an interesting critique on the concept of perspective in photography, as well as how that translates to life in general. This particular photo stood out among the others as it really captured how a slightly different viewpoint can present a familiar object in a less common way.

Capital

Elizabeth Rozmanith, Self Monument

Clark University, 2023, Studio Art and Art History

@creation.rozes; erozmanith.wixsite.com/mysite

 

acrylic paint and colored pencil on imitation vellum, 25" x 36", 2020, Not For Sale

 

I created this piece to explore my own personal power and identity through converting myself into a sort of “monument.” Making a monumental image of myself has allowed me to reflect more deeply on my privileges as well as my identity as a young queer person. Here, I grant myself agency through my pose and eye contact. Viewers are invited to question how our society visually displays power and how we view ourselves in relation to the varied identities we hold.

Capital

Juror's Prize

Elizabeth Rozmanith, Self Reflection

Clark University, 2023, Studio Art and Art History

@creation.rozes; erozmanith.wixsite.com/mysite

 

gouache on paper, 18" x 24", 2021, Not For Sale

 

Here I present a self portrait that investigates feelings of dissociation and depersonalization. For me, these feelings are not consistently present, but when they do appear it can feel as though I am outside of myself or unable to recognize myself in a mirror.

For this work, I situate the viewer so they appear to be the figure just behind my shoulder and therefore become implicated in the story. Is this unknown figure a comforting presence or a menacing one? That is for you to decide.

 

Juror's note: Elizabeth Rozmanith shows great strength in painting and design in Self Reflection.The composition is both playful and highly psychological. Which of the three depictions of the self is true? And is the shadowy figure alarming, calming, or even real? Rozmanith has managed to capture a moment of many meanings, all relatable at once.

Capital

Maia Simone, Poker Night

Clark University, 2023, Psychology and Studio Art

@maiasimone_art

 

acrylic on canvas, 16" x 20", 2022, Not For Sale

 

This painting captures the art of deception through a poker game. First drawing the eye to the moment of placing chips on the table, the story becomes apparent that the player, with a hand of five Aces, cheats. Forced to observe the composure of those being deceived, the honesty of everyone’s hand is uncertain. However, the various expressions of the other players contrast the viewer’s inability to inspect the face of the deceiver. The artist calls into question: what is inauthenticity if cheating and trickery are part of one’s nature?

 

Capital

Maia Simone, REM

Clark University, 2023, Psychology and Studio Art

@maiasimone_art

 

charcoal, ink, graphite, and marker on paper, 23" x 23", 2022, Not For Sale

 

This piece represents the phenomenon of lucid dreaming and the natural flow and repetition that one experiences in REM sleep. Inspired by her own experiences at a young age, the artist draws upon a seemingly endless search for water within her lucid dreams. Contrasting that world with a sleeping figure centered in the middle of the piece draws the distinction between daily life and the vast workings of the subconscious.

Capital

Emily Steiger, Lean Back

Clark University, 2023, Media, Culture, and the Arts; Minor in Marketing

@emilysteegs

 

mixed media collage, digital inkjet print, 24'' x 36'', 2022, $235 (sold)

 

Emily Steiger is a current Clark student majoring in Media, Culture and the Arts, from Worcester County. Her art has been inspired by that of Gerald Scarfe, Laurie Anderson, and Brian Eno that has culminated into an essence of ethereal chaos. Originally influenced by grunge-core and the motif of the grotesque, this has transformed into a lighter mind-set over the course of her creative journey. The artist primarily works in mixed media, combining photography with her paintings and sketches.

Capital

Emily Steiger, Beauty Mark

Clark University, 2023, Media, Culture, and the Arts; Minor in Marketing

@emilysteegs

 

spray paint on canvas, 24'' x 36'', 2021, $300

Capital

Amrita Thokar Karki, Value and Scale

Anna Maria College, 2024, Graphic Design

 

scratch board, 8" x 10", 2022, Not For Sale

 

I learned a lot about value scales and how various value scales may define the dimensions while creating this artwork, thus it holds a very important place in my heart. This art piece, I believe is well-constructed artwork with a clear sense of negative and positive space where you can explore and observe the use of various value scales and how each sort of value scale is incorporated to create an idea that is aesthetically complete and beautiful.

Capital

Gabriella Trznadel, Hallway

College of the Holy Cross, 2024, Studio Art, Chemistry

 

charcoal drawing on paper, 18" x 24", 2020, Not For Sale

 

This drawing is of my childhood bedroom, which I would attend my online classes in freshman year. As I was drawing the room, I recalled the memory of seeing a figure in the hallway, walking in and out of the doorway while I was in bed. I wanted to recreate the figure but depict the room as it was in the present, playing with the idea that spaces hold memories too. It also offered reflection on how the room and I both may have changed, but there was still a part of me that was the same scared child.

Capital

Gabriella Trznadel, Birds

College of the Holy Cross, 2024, Studio Art, Chemistry

 

charcoal drawing on paper, 22" x 30", 2022, Not For Sale

 

Here I was experimenting with narrative self portraiture. I wanted to evoke a feeling of playfulness through the expression and movement of the birds, but also the idea of being poked and and prodded. With the messy hair and the action of the bird in flight, it reminds me of the feeling of being stuck in a rut and having to be pulled out of it. The facial expressions depict stubbornness and how silly making a good change can seem to someone who's stuck.

Capital

Noelle Ventura, Inner Noise

College of the Holy Cross, 2023, Studio Art

 

wire, chicken wire, felt, plaster, spray paint, and acrylic paint on foam installation, 27" x 28" x 9", 2022, Not For Sale

 

Inner Noise involves organic shapes, vibrant colors, and varying textures that desire to be interpreted with a psychological response. I am questioning attachment vs. risks and how they can stunt or improve a piece of work. This sculpture is adorned with lumps of plaster, exposed plaster bandages, and wire mesh to display integral parts of my working process rather than covering the surface completely with smooth plaster. Within this work, I use textures, impulses, and shapes of the materials as a guide to improvisational abstract artmaking.

Capital

Martina Villanueva, One Person's Trash is Another's Treasure

Clark University, 2023, Studio Art

 

mixed media: fabric, yarn, beads, dried flowers, sticks, 2022, Not For Sale

 

All the materials used in my pieces are sourced from nature and thrift stores, and are hand sewn and crocheted by me. This work is inspired by my relationship and experiences with secondhand shopping, which I did for the majority of my childhood, with my mother. I used to hide from windows in thrift stores, in fear that someone I knew would see me. Thrifting is now a widely accepted and celebrated way to shop, a stark contrast from how it was seen while I was growing up.

For sales inquiries, please contact the galleries at sue@artsworcester.org or call (508) 755-5142.