Soft Launch features the work of Villa Maria College Fine Art Thesis students alongside work by students in the College’s Mixed Media studio class. The mid-year exhibit looks at some of the processes and ideas pursued by thesis students that will be further developed for their thesis exhibition in the spring of 2025.
It also highlights the achievements of advanced students in the Mixed Media course. This course pushes students to expand beyond their usual mediums and comfort zones to create larger, more varied, and exceptionally conceptual work.
Cooper Bowe
Ascention
Welded steel, aluminum, various disassembled electronics, raspberry pi
The human form perfected, unshackled, from the limitations of nature and made anew. A magnificent combination of machinery and sapience, dawning the next echelon of evolution. Brought to life after months of arduous work and preparation, and couldn’t have been done without the help of my close friends.
Levi Burrell-Cook
Vibraciones del Pasado (Vibrations of the Past)
Arcylic, gold leaf, found objects on panel
My piece explores the past and present of my cultural background as an Afro-Latino and Caribbean descendant. I borrowed the design concepts from the Panamanian flag and used elements of symbolism and iconography from the flora and fauna native to the region. Part of the inspiration for the bright colors was clothing worn for the Panamanian holiday “Etnia Negra,” a day celebrating the Black identity. The gold leaf and lace highlight my religious and cultural upbringing, and the cowrie shells serve as a symbolic connection to my family’s ancestral roots to the Caribbean and Latin America.
Leanna Curts
“Solitude” is a mixed-media sculpture, a miniature version of the artist’s bedroom on a moon surface, symbolizing the isolation of agoraphobia. The bedroom represents safety and confinement, while the moon reflects the overwhelming world outside. The piece was made to capture the fear of venturing from a space of safety and comfort.
The untitled paintings are portraits of my sister and me. They are painted with vacant eyes, representing the connection and disconnect of sisterhood.
Courtney Elsaesser
Numbered Nights and Sparkling Lights
Acrylic paint, rhinestones, scrapbook, elements on panel
“Numbered Nights and Sparkling Lights” is a vibrant, textured art piece that captures the breathtaking beauty of a sunset. The artwork begins with a paint-by-number sunset scene. The painting includes selected scrapbooking elements, like stickers. To add an extra touch of luxury and whimsy, there are rhinestone embellishments spread across the panel to resemble the twinkling stars emerging in the evening sky. As the light catches the rhinestones, the artwork shimmers and sparkles, evoking the magic of the sunset. This piece captivates the idea of the beauty of nature, the joy of creativity, and the glamour of sparkle and shine.
My art piece is about reliving and continuing to love things from when I was little. Since before I could remember, I would always look at the sky. No matter if it was the sunrise, sunset, or the night sky, it always interested me. I would lay in the grass during the summer and look at the sky with my friends and figure out what shapes and creatures we saw in the clouds.
Katherine Myhalenko
Threads of Hope
Wood, acrylic, paint, jean fabric, news articles, styrofoam eggs
No person can be described in one word. This artwork is a powerful exploration of dual identity that visually intertwines both the Ukrainian and American parts of myself. The patterns evoke the traditional Ukrainian folk art that surrounded my youth and the modern American lifestyle I live. The blue and yellow colors represent the Ukrainian flag while the classic stars and stripes represent the American flag. Together, they create a dynamic representation of the mental journey of navigating these two worlds.
In a time where both the American and Ukrainian parts of me feel strained and at their breaking points; amidst geopolitical turmoil, this piece radiates a quiet yet profound hill. It is a visual testament to resilience, illustrating how, even in moments of tension, the fusion of cultural elements can create something beautiful. It is a reminder that identity, though tested at times, remains a source of strength and renewal.
Sarah Salisbury
Rupee, Buddy
Fabric, glue, thread, needle felting on canvas
My pieces represent my appreciation for the animals in my life and the comfort they provide. The works are made of collaged fabric. The color and pattern of the fabric are mainly random. However, each work is differentiated by a different grouping of fabric swatches. The use of fabric supports the themes of comfort and coziness.
Chris Weitz
The Human Experience
Chicken wire, paper, wood, foam board, plaster mixed with concrete, acrylic paint
My piece symbolizes taking experience, thoughts, and lessons that weave together and make you as a person. Further, they symbolize the messy and imperfect nature of life.
