The 20th Annual College Show

/// ABOUT THIS EXHIBITION

ArtsWorcester at the Davis Art Gallery

February 15 through April 21, 2024

Reception: Friday, February 16, 6:00-9:00 PM /// Learn more.

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 Chloe Zaug, Associate Director of the MassArt Art Museum. The College Show recognizes the next generation of regional artists, drawing on the strengths of student artists in Worcester and beyond. From over 230 submissions, Zaug selected 71 works by 58 artists. Students from 10 Massachusetts institutions have work on display, showcasing a multitude of techniques and media, including filmmaking, printmaking, digital art, sculpture, and more. "The strength of submissions for the 20th ArtsWorcester College Show was inspiring, with careful and deep consideration of today's most pressing issues," says Zaug. "Working in a wide range of media, today's college students are richly navigating their creative practice through themes of identity and self, sense of place, and materiality."

Awards, which come with cash prizes, will be announced at the opening reception on Friday, February 16, in the Davis Art Gallery, located on the third floor of the Printers Building. The reception is free and open to the public.

Support comes from:

/// ABOUT THE JUROR

Chloé Zaug is the Associate Director of the MassArt Art Museum (MAAM). As an administrator and team leader, she is committed to the role museums play in shaping communities and cultural dialogue. Since joining MassArt’s gallery staff in 2004, Zaug has helped foster the evolution of the Bakalar & Paine Galleries through their renovation and metamorphosis into MAAM. She oversees the museum operations and outreach. She was selected by MassArt’s former president, David Nelson, to serve on the College’s Strategic Planning Steering Committee, Zaug has been the project manager for several major strategic planning and development initiatives at the College. She holds a B.A. in Art History and Psychology from Trinity College and an M.A. in Art History from Tufts University.

One photo from a series finished last semester for an independent photography study. The series was about the various people in my life and what the meaning of marriage is to them. The concept of it being a union, rather than the glitzy aspects of marriage; who can get married in our society; what barriers exist for people who can't, etc. I was trying to document both the light and grief in love.

@magnetmoons & @earlyaftermath

Selected for a Juror's Prize

Much of the imagery I use in my work is sourced from vintage photographs. It's amazing the kinds of things people discard, the people and lives that no longer hold value. Through working with these photos, I've found that memory is a privilege. In Melting Rabbit Softness, as in many of my works, I felt like I came to know my subject despite how few details of his life I was privy to. He was no longer a stranger separated by decades of time, but someone who I could reach out and touch.

@jadambee

My work represents my thoughts and feelings about my observations. I use real images from nature to tell a story about my life and relationships. Through symbolism tied to both spiritual beliefs and the biology of nature, I try to reconnect humanity to its natural elements. The animals represent people and relationships. My work also stands to explore my own experiences with self-image, ego, and coping with the realities of transitioning to adulthood.

@tarabpaints

"Heart" is a project born from a desire to merge the traditional art of weaving with contemporary technology. This woven heart comes to life upon contact with movement, reacting to human proximity. It begins to beat, emitting light and sound when there is motion around it. This artificial biological rhythm encourages interaction between the artwork and the audience. It also questions the very nature of our humanity in an era of technological development.

@alinebdg

I rarely make self portraits, but I wanted to capture myself in my favorite colors incorporating one of my favorite animals as the shadows in my hair. I love the planning and detail and trials it takes to create a pixelated likeness to something that is real via crochet, which really challenged me and my own recognition of my face throughout this process. I want this piece to celebrate patience, fun, and birds!

@madiconqueso

Natalie Brescia

Massachusetts College of Art and Design, 2024, Photography

Like a Muddied Spring

digital-inkjet print , 24" x 30", 2023, $750

This body of work examines gesture, behavior, social norms, interpersonal relationships, and transcendental ideals. The individuals represented are deliberately rendered without identifying features to emphasize gestural communication and fleeting moments of interconnection. Physical touch then becomes the force that both literally and metaphorically holds one in place — a container for emotive potential.

@nataliebrescia

Colby Casacca

Massachusetts College of Art and Design, 2025, Painting, Sculpture

MEN

acrylic paint, acrylic markers, gelli printing, paper collage, 24” x 30”, 2023, $275

This piece is a personal device attempting to conquer the internal homophobia I’ve developed growing up in a rural town. A place to reconcile with my own queer sexuality and create a place for refuge. The ability to challenge my understanding of what is means to be a man? What is means to be masculine? And what it means to be gay?

@colby.casacca_

Aldona Casey

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

A Holy Trinity

spray paint, acrylic paint, printmaking, and colored pencil on masonite board, 52'' x 24'', 2023, $525 (sold)

This triptych appropriates Christian artistic tradition to break down the patriarchal lineage that has been so valued and to rebuild something that celebrates women. My scenes show a mother figure, a daughter figure, and a Holy Spirit figure. The first figure holds a rosary and her gaze is averted from the central figure. The middle figure references Jesus in his most iconic position: that of him being crucified. There is a sense of vulnerability, but also freedom. The final character bites an apple, the notorious symbol for sin. I used a linocut of two crocuses for the background.

This piece visualizes the experience of internalized fatphobia. The text, carved into the thighs, reads "The body is hazard to the soul, able to demolish the hardest won spiritual gains merely through ingesting the wrong material" from R. Marie Griffith, a celebrated scholar in the growing academic field of fat studies. My work is centered around the theory that one's body is a spiritual place upon which rituals, worship, and damnation take place. The text, in combination with the praying hands, evokes religious imagery that challenges thinness, not just as a beauty standard, but as an ethical standard.

@maria.cazzato.art

Selected for a Juror's Prize and Youth Committee Honorable Mention

Carlos Crespo

Quinsigamond Community College, 2025, Engineering

Silver, Sword, and Stone

oil on canvas, 24" x 32", 2022, $1,500

At first, I could hear the salsa music playing through the speakers and el bodeguero cashing out a customer at the counter. I could even feel the cold air coming from the coolers behind me and smell the platanos and yucca an aisle over, but then the rows of colors started looking like our flags. The cans looked like my people being lined up and segregated. Separated and divided by the fluorescent light above and El Rio de Plata below. Our heritage became marketing schemes. Even the shadows became our African brothers and sisters. I can't unsee it now.

@creslos1

Selected for a Second Juror's Prize

Sarah Crinnion

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

Prison of Addiction

woodcut on Stonehenge paper, 14" x 11", 2023, $250

Inspired by my work at a residential rehabilitation center and my own experience with addiction, I created relief prints expressing the pain of being trapped in addiction. I aim to create work that allows viewers to explore new perspectives and find their own resonance with the piece, so I chose to put the viewer inside of the cell. I hope to give viewers a glimpse into the fear and agony of the struggle of no longer wanting to use, but feeling trapped in addiction and unable to stop.

@sarahcrinnion_art

Eve Deleon

Clark University, 2024, Geography

Entrelazadas

casting plaster, corn leaves, corn granules, paint, adhesives, and various metals on wood, 12" x 17", 2022, Not For Sale

Crafted from corn, “Entrelazadas” delves into the complex narrative of my bicultural identity and the historical trauma endured by the Maya people. On one hand, I shape a representation of life, sowing seeds on fertile ground, embodying cultural resilience of my community. The other hand, engulfed in ash and gripping a grenade, symbolizes the profound conflict and suffering imposed upon Mayan communities. This dual imagery reflects my United States-born privileges and the heavy legacy of settler colonialism. It serves as a profound commentary on the United States' involvement in the Mayan genocide.

@jadarisaurus

Youth Committee Prize

Eve Deleon

Clark University, 2024, Geography

Kukulkan y la Mina Marlin

paint, plaster, insulation foam, EVA foam, adhesive, Apoxie Sculpt , 12 in x 24 in x 24 in, 2022, Not For Sale

Kukulkan, a prominent figure in Maya mythology, is the feathered serpent deity embodying both natural and civilized elements. Revered by the Maya as a symbol of wisdom, knowledge, and creation, and held profound significance in Mesoamerican cultures. In 2005, Montana Exploradora displaced numerous families in my home state of San Marcos, promising alternate housing and compensation. In this scene, Kukulkan's presence emerges amidst the remnants of a village, seeking retribution against those who violated the rights of indigenous people and the land of San Miguel Ixtahuacán, where the now abandoned mine stands as a testament to the injustice perpetrated.

@jadarisaurus

Eve Deleon

Clark University, 2024, Geography

El Último Adiós

ink on paper, 15" x 12", 2023, $300

In Guatemala, our burial traditions involve a community pilgrimage carrying a deceased family member's casket to their final resting place. When my cousin Luis Emilio passed away, I observed the somber procession remotely in the comfort of my college apartment. In "El último Adiós," my beloved cousin’s truck—adorned with roses—becomes a symbolic vessel connecting the living with memories. In times of profound grief, art, like this, becomes a window to shared joy and pain, navigating turbulent emotions. The vibrant ritual signifies more than burial traditions; it bridges the gap between the world of the living and the realm of memory.

@jadarisaurus

Anna DeMetrick

Massachusetts College of Art and Design, 2026, Printmaking, Minor in Sculpture

Me and My Companion

silkscreen ink on white paper, 11" x 15", 2023, $120 (sold)

This is a self portrait in an unrealistic sense. I combined a drawing I did of my face with a fictional costume that I probably would wear in real life, with a creature from my imagination. I often come up with things that seem just a little too strange to be real, and this felt like a good way to include myself in this world that lives in my head and in my art.

Selected for a Juror's Honorable Mention

Ethan Doyle

Clark University, 2024, Computer Science

Classroom

digital-inkjet print of scanned and converted paper negative, 40" x 50", 2023, $850

Classroom, the photograph in this exhibition, explores the intricate process of capturing moments through unconventional means. I use paper negatives as an alternative to conventional film in an 8" x 10" large format camera. It is a study of precision, exposing and developing the paper to achieve a perfect negative. The negative is digitally scanned and converted to a positive with minimal adjustments, dust and imperfections are not removed and carried over to the final print as a reminder of the analog origin. This image is a testament to the fusion of traditional methods and modern technology to create a distinctive visual narrative.

Wynne Dromey

Clark University, 2025, Studio Art, Marketing

Embrace

mixed media acrylic painting on canvas, 38" x 38", 2023, $7,000

Embrace is a mixed media bricolage painting that underlines the importance and power of love and belonging. The abstract space surrounding the central figures is composed of materials such as plastic bags, bubble wrap and written notes that have the purpose of holding or protecting. The figures in the center collaborate with the material to depict the time when I was adopted from China and was given the privilege to experience embrace without question of my background or identity. I embraced these disregarded materials and transformed them into a visual surface changing their narrative.

@colors.of.the.wynned

Youth Committee Prize

Taylor Green

Massachusetts College of Art and Design, 2026, Painting, Minor in Sculpture

Dual Action

oil paint on stretched canvas, 33" x 44", 2023, $1,000

My artwork allows me to explore my sense of identity, memory and perception through paintings and sculptures. The subjects I choose within my pieces are inherently connected to my personal life. Simple scenes and objects found candidly are often what I am drawn to. I find myself pulling color from the atmosphere that is not often visually there to make a modest subject more appreciated. My mind will have conversations with the material, color, and subject matter in my artwork to further understand myself as a creator and as an individual person.

@taylorrgreenart

Sumeyra Gunduz

Clark University, 2025, Psychology

A Palestinian Girl in Palestinian Embroidered Dress

watercolor and gold leaf on cold pressed watercolor paper, 10" x 14", 12/18/2023, $5,000

Beyond the discursive and practical actions of social justice advocacy, it is essential to employ an aesthetic experience (painting, story telling, poetry and music) for illustrating the everyday lives of Palestinians. Colors and patterns of the embroidery are not only a manifestation of Palestinian culture but also an aesthetic experience of everydayness in which one can explore the roots of Palestinians amidst the war-torn circumstance of indeterminacy. Installation of Palestine in my works is a product of an ethic that intents to respond to that which is beyond one’s control while avoiding a slide into passive resignation or political despair.

@aryemus.art

Sumeyra Gunduz

Clark University, 2025, Psychology

The Sun

watercolor and golden leaf on hot pressed watercolor paper, 9" x 12", 2023, $4,000

Enemy of The Sun, by George Jackson

". . .You may put out the light in my eyes.
You may deprive me of my mother's kisses.
You may curse my father, my people.
You may distort my history.
You may deprive my children of a smile
And of life's necessities.
You may fool my friends with a borrowed face.
You may build walls of hatred around me.
You may glue my eyes to humiliations,
O enemy of the sun,
But
I shall not compromise
And to the last pulse in my veins
I shall resist. . . "

@aryemus.art

Lauren Haley

Assumption University, 2024, Graphic Design

The Twins

mixed media collage, 8" x 12.5", 2023, Not For Sale

"The Twins" is a collage of vibrant juxtaposition, fusing mirrored images of twin-like figures within a lively scene of an outdoor market. Resembling a playing card, the piece captures the symmetry of the figures and evokes a harmonious convergence of past and present. The composition acts as a visual dialogue, encouraging viewers to observe the interplay between history and contemporary life.

@renn_designs

Lauren Haley

Assumption University, 2024, Graphic Design

Regalia of Birth

mixed media: wooden box, acrylic paint, film negatives, 9.75" x 10" x 4.5", 2023, Not For Sale

This sculpture conceals a delicate home for two birds to capture life's delicate balance. The gilded interior of the box and birds covey a regal aura, while the floating composition suggests a weightless, timeless quality. The sculpture invites the viewer to contemplate the mysteries of creation, transformation, and the cyclical nature of existence in a concise and visually striking presentation.

@renn_designs

Jerry Keefe

College of the Holy Cross, 2026, Studio Art, Political Science

Record Player

Adobe Photoshop, 0:00:30 2023, Not For Sale

My animation is a heartfelt tribute to my deep love for music. Centered around a traditional record player, it captures the transformative essence of music. The basement scene portrays a character transcending reality, symbolizing the uplifting power of music. By looping the animation, I create a never-ending format, inviting viewers to find their escape. While playful, it underscores the universal language and connection that music provides. Despite the absence of sound in this project, its completion marks a proud milestone, a reminder to immerse oneself in the boundless joy of music and float away from the confines of everyday life.

@_lizardsarecool_

Jerry Keefe

College of the Holy Cross, 2026, Studio Art, Political Science

Bike Route

wood, acrylic, spray paint, 18" x 5.5" x 6", 2023, Not For Sale

Bike Route is a piece inspired by a special place where I abstracted and created an imaginative and dreamlike wave-riding bike. Crafted from wood, the waves transcend static art, creating movement within the ostensibly stationary object. Emulating the ocean, I sculpted dynamic spaces between waves, forging depth and an ongoing spatial narrative. This piece serves as a visual to the transformative power of place on individual experiences, revealing the connection between imagination, creative expression, and the representation of a locale. Bike Route invites viewers to explore the boundless possibilities that personal expression unveils within the context of a special space.

@_lizardsarecool_

Ami Lamontagne

Worcester State University, 2025, Studio Art

The Crown He Bears

charcoal on gray-toned paper , 20" x 24", 2023, Not For Sale

This charcoal drawing is of a picture I took of my nephew. I don't get to see him often due to geographic and personal circumstances, so this piece helps. I took some artistic liberties when making this piece and I believe it adds to his charm. The hand smudging represents the hands involved when raising a child and that external forces around him.

@ameee_viridianart

Dat Le

Quinsigamond Community College, 2024, Interactive Media

Dark Strings

digital, 11" x 14", 2023, $180

When I learned the "Triangle Clothing Technique," where you would create details on clothing using shapes of triangles, I experimented with it in several drawings. In this piece, I used the technique to create the rugged clothing of the character. This artwork uses the colors purple, blue, and pink to describe the character's depression. There are many strings in this image, hence the name "Dark Strings." These strings are sewn by the character.

Carter Lee

Clark University, 2024, Studio Art

Untitled (IMG_2139.jpg)

permanent marker and acrylic paint on mixed-media paper, 40" x 44", 2023, Not For Sale

I projected this image onto a wall and constructed a workable surface with sheets of paper. Piece by piece and line by line, I brought the digital photograph back into the physical world. Untitled (IMG_2139.jpg) revisits a sweet memory, playing with medium, style, and color to create a new experience of the moment. My mom celebrating her 66th birthday, rendered in various shades of blue, sits in a pocket of both joy and grief.

@turtlemitosis

Serena McCarthy

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

Trashed 2: The Human Impact

magazines, acrylic and mixed media on wood panel, 11” x 16”, 2023, Not For Sale

Trashed 2 explores the atrocities of ocean pollution in today’s society. This piece consists of layers and layers of collage, peeled back and built back up to create a final product. This metaphorically represents the footprint humans leave on the Earth, no matter how hard we try to undo the damage to our world, the imprint of what has been done remains forever. The edges of the collage are filled with images of the human impact, where the areas peeled back show the beautiful ocean we are destroying.

@studioxserena

Andrew Myers

Anna Maria College, 2026, Graphic Design

Calm vs. Chaos

modeling clay, western steel utility tie wire, 48" x 72", 2023, Not For Sale

This clay sculpture depicts the nature of a two-part abstract (nonrepresentational) sculpture based on these opposing descriptive words: Calm vs. Chaos. The roughly textured, island-esque form in the middle represents the chaotic mess of the human mind, with wires springing in all directions and spiraling around and around. The smoothly textured lines are calm waves enveloping the chaotic island on all sides in direct opposition. Calm vs. Chaos portrays the duality of what can take place in our minds as we navigate the busy world and its stresses around us.

Alexander Nguyen

Clark University, 2025, Sociology

Lucifer

digital-inkjet print on Premium Luster photo paper, 20"x20", 2023, $275

Through my self-portraits, I want to express the transgender body that is scarcely seen in media. By choosing to reference “The Fallen Angel” by Alexandre Cabanel, I am showcasing how outcast transgender people at large feel from society, especially with the rise of legislation against us. In making art like this, I want to show those who feel downtrodden by low visibility what could be in store for them in the future.

Charlie Owusu

Worcester State University, 2024, Communications

Butterfly Effect

archival inkjet print, 11" x 14", 2023, $115 (sold)

This artwork is a visual expression of my passion for music and how it shapes my identity. Music is more than just sound; it is a force that connects with my soul and influences my emotions, thoughts, and actions. The butterflies and moths represent my journey of personal growth and transformation as I explore different genres and styles of music and discover new aspects of myself. Through this artwork, I hope to share my love for music and inspire others to find their own musical voice.

Emily Patenaude

Massachusetts College of Art and Design, 2025, Illustration

This is Home

acrylic gouache, canvas, recycled dollhouse pieces, 40" x 43", 2023, Not For Sale

"This is Home" is a piece about childhood nostalgia, memories and growing up. So often looking back on photos of my childhood I feel like she is a separate version of myself, the child versus the adult. I wanted to recreate the feeling of looking back and reflecting on childhood as an adult, and how we as adults perceive our childhood. Though both very different, childhood and adulthood are intertwined with each other, and even as we grow up we are all still the child in those memories and moments of time.

@emily__patenaude

Gyani Pradhan Wong Ah Sui

Clark University, 2024, Screen Studies

Memory Box

digital-inkjet print of 35mm film scans, 20" x 10", 2023, $350

Memory Box is a part of a larger photo series titled Hometown Still Lives that visualizes my shifting perception of home as nomadic immigrant. This image allegorizes the experience of looking forward and backward simultaneously through two separate still photographs, fragmented by metal, glass and concrete. Parts of the landscape are either obscured, reflected and refracted like my fuzzy childhood memories of Curepipe, the rainy and sleepy town at the heart of the island nation I left behind when at the age of nine.

@gyani13wasp

Megan Remington

Massachusetts College of Art and Design, 2025, Sculpture

Bent and Squared

ash wood, brass, 8" x 21" x 41", 2023, $4400

This work's title -- "Bent and Squared" -- not only refers to the physical processes used in its creation, but also the recurring cycle of trial and error the artist endured while attempting so many new techniques in a single piece. From using bent lamination to create the curved legs, to fitting precise dovetails and casework, a wide range of woodworking knowledge was gathered from both the multiple failures as well as the successes. All of that has culminated into a semester's worth of work in the form of a functional furniture piece, meant to be used and admired.

@museum_of_meg

Kat Sales

Worcester State University, 2023, Communications

You Would Think It’s About Dishes

digital video, filmed on iPhone 6, 0:02:28, 2023, Not For Sale

This piece aims to capture simple moments through the eyes of someone who looks at the tedious with wonder. "You Would Think It's About Dishes" uses the protagonist to capture the natural beauty of the space. The protagonist moves through it and becomes a part of it as they go through their tasks. My aim as an artist is to show the beauty of the mundane.

Mason Terra

Bridgewater State University, 2024, Fine Arts-Studio Painting

Yellow

oil and charcoal on canvas, 55" x 55", 2023, $1,100

"Yellow" is a modern oil painting that grabs attention with a bright yellow block in the top-right, standing out on the canvas white. Layered brushstrokes create texture, highlighting the contrast of light and shadow. Below the yellow, a simple skeleton is drawn, adding a stark touch. This combination invites thoughts about life's fragility and vibrant aspects within it. "Yellow" tells a powerful story, exploring the balance between vividness and the somber in an obscure way. Viewers are encouraged to reflect on the simple imagery and form a more personal relationship.

@masonnterra

Selected for a Juror's Honorable Mention

Nehemias Torres Pacheco

Quinsigamond Community College, 2024, Interactive Media-Digital Design

Sight

digital print on matte paper, 11 in. x 13.995 in. 2023, Not For Sale

This surrealist work is a self-portrait that combines old and new images that I've taken over the years and creates something uneasy to the eye. My inspiration for this art piece was from the works artist René Magritte made. The other inspiration for the theme came from analog horror works such as Alex Kister's Mandela Catalogue.

@neon_f1v3

Gabriella Trznadel

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

Then and Now

charcoal on paper, 30” x 44”, 2023, Not For Sale

I wanted to draw myself into childhood photographs, especially when it comes to photos that show how my Babcia and Dziadziu encouraged my love of art starting at such a young age. It is a drawing of appreciation, reflection, and connection to the loved ones and past selves that make us who we are today and continue to shape us. It is also an acknowledgment that while some people are not physically present, we can still feel them in our everyday lives.

@Trznadelart

The 20th Annual College Show

/// ABOUT THIS EXHIBITION

February 15 through April 21, 2024

/// EXPLORE

Heba Abdi

Heba Abdi

Alexander Auger

J, Bee

Tara Bilotta

Abigail Bopp

Aline Boubee de Gramont

Madi Brady

Natalie Brescia

Colby Casacca

Aldona Casey

Maria Cazzato

Emma Christian

Jennifer Collins

Jennifer Collins

Carlos Crespo

Sarah Crinnion

Eve Deleon

Eve Deleon

Eve Deleon

Anna DeMetrick

Anna DeMetrick

Eh Doh

Bromly Domingo

Ethan Doyle

Wynne Dromey

Jasmine Eastman

Merna Elnesr

Taylor Green

Sumeyra Gunduz

Sumeyra Gunduz

Sofia Guzman Farias

Lauren Haley

Lauren Haley

Elliott Hunt

Elliott Hunt

Elliott Hunt

Jerry Keefe

Jerry Keefe

Jay Lam

Ami Lamontagne

Dat Le

Carter Lee

Luke LeMond

Zihan Lin

Sean Magee

Becky Maher

Hilda Abneris Maldonado

Rhiannon Mansur

Anette Martinson

Serena McCarthy

Andrew Myers

Alexander Nguyen

Mara Novick

Charlie Owusu

Ciara Pape

Ciara Pape

Ciara Pape

Emily Patenaude

Gyani Pradhan Wong Ah Sui

Valerie Raffi

Megan Remington

Eleanor Rueffer

Kat Sales

Courtney Sherwood

Mason Terra

Nehemias Torres Pacheco

Nehemias Torres Pacheco

Gabriella Trznadel

Annika Wainwright

Isaac York

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