Julia Covelle, “Bed Bugs,” Oil on Canvas, 36” x 60”
The Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Art Gallery at Holy Cross is honored to present the work of nine graduating visual arts majors in the exhibition “Remember Tomorrow,” on view from Wednesday, April 27 through graduation day, Friday, May 27, 2022. An opening reception will be held Thursday, April 28 from 5:30 – 7 p.m.
The artwork on view was developed during the year-long Senior Studio Concentration Seminar by students Dora Calva, Aliyah Coplan, Julia Covelle, Paige Epp, Grace Hoelscher, Shea O’Scannlain, Sommer Ross, Natalie Scholz, and Stanislav Yarmoussik. The students will give presentations about their work during the Academic Conference on Wednesday, April 27 at 10:45 a.m.
Throughout their senior year, the students have participated in a concentration seminar, a rigorous capstone experience in which they are assigned an individual studio space and guided to cultivate their artistic practice through independent work and experimentation. During this time, students have worked closely with studio faculty to find their individual voice, develop and present in the exhibition a cohesive body of work. The students have selected the pieces most representative of this process, and collaborated with faculty and the Cantor Gallery staff to conceptualize and design the display.
The artwork presented includes drawing, painting, sculpture and mixed media in both figurative, landscape and abstract forms – reflecting the students’ range of experiences during the pandemic and their hopes for the future of the world they are entering into.
Aliyah Coplan created a series using a combination of printmaking and painting that was inspired by daily exploratory walks she took during the quarantine of 2020, illustrating the beauty of ordinary nature and its power to restore us.
Paige Epp employs found objects and natural materials to construct abstract interpretations of urban systems with a goal to inspire viewers to, “reflect on their own perception of their everyday surroundings and how they envision the role of humans, technology and nature in the future.”
Grace Hoelscher’s process and material-based abstract paintings stem from a desire to escape the trappings of “perfection” and work from a place that allows for improvisation, accident and discovery. She seeks the illusion of three-dimensional space, with “a successful piece uncovering more and more detail as the viewer looks at it.”
Stanislav Yarmoussik explores the intricacies of geometry and form using platonic solids, with an eye towards creating a spiritual, chaotic order. “My works are both constructed and informed by individual triangular segments—echoing the constitution of geometric composition as theorized by Plato in 360 B.C.”
Julia Covelle captures private moments through her oil paintings on canvas, attempting to memorialize the silence and beauty of a still moment in time.
Dora Calva’s wall drawing “Juxtaposing the Caribbean” is coupled with the installation of architectural forms in an exploration of time and memory, addressing built environments and the way in which people interact with them.
Sommer Ross’ work addresses the grieving process through mixed media constructed spaces that offer a way to both process the pain of loss and find a way to heal from it.
Shea O’Scannlain creates oil paintings that are both realistic and abstracted, drawing upon ideas of memory and identity through family photographs. While embracing the messiness of growing up in a large family, her paintings seek to organize and refine personal memories.
Natalie Scholz’s work is a reflection of experiences in the Navy ROTC, family sewing traditions, and her second major, mathematics. Her installation makes use of navigation tools and embroidery while following self- defined constraints, “When solving a math equation there are basic rules to follow. Thus, my artistic process always starts with research as a way to understand my subject.”
Meredith Fluke, director of the Cantor Art Gallery, and Cristi Rinklin, professor and chair of the Visual Arts Department, are pleased to present the work of this year’s graduating senior art majors, and will both offer remarks during the upcoming events.
Please note that, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, in-gallery visits from off-campus visitors will require proof of vaccination status, masks and social distancing practices. Additionally, the Cantor Art Gallery will be closed May 14-15, as well as May 21-22.
EVENTS
Academic Conference Presentations by Senior Studio Majors |Wednesday, April 27| 10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Opening Reception | Thursday, April 28 | 5:30 – 7 p.m.
