Izzy Duell, ‘26 and Autumn Enright, ‘26 are the first freshmen to share the Freshmen Best in Show award that was given out at the opening reception for the interior design student exhibit in the Paul William Beltz Family Art Gallery.
“For our work we were asked to pick a chair,” said Enright. “We used color pencil because we were familiar with them and how they work on bond paper. I chose the Costes chair because of my initial thought, ‘wow, it’s got three legs.’ But really, I just liked the color and wood grain. I was very familiar with wood grain as it was my strength from last semester. I really was happy to be chosen for the best in show, it has made me more confident in my work and I look forward to three more years at Villa!”
“Chair renderings are not new to me,” said Izzy Duell. “They are something we learned in Introduction to Interior Design I with Professor Jesse Walp. We practiced these using graphite pencil and it became one of my favorite assignments. As soon as we came back this semester, Professor Sandra Reicis had us working with colored pencil. Prior to this i had little experience with colored pencil. I chose to recreate the tulip pedestal chair by Eero Saarinen because it stood out to me. The shadows of the white chair looked challenging. It took some practice renderings but eventually I got “the one.” I was excited to display my artwork in the interior design showcase and honored to be awarded best in show. I am looking forward to my future in interior design!
The reception was attended by interior design students, faculty, staff, families, and industry professionals – all of whom cast their vote for the Best in Show award. This is the first time there has been a tie in the program’s 18-year history.
Duell and Enright created their chairs in their Introduction to Interior Design II class.
Introduction to Interior Design II is a foundation course that teaches visual communication techniques. Students concentrate on the study of color theory, color schemes for interiors and the preparation of accurate color renderings. Also introduced are the psychological and practical influences affecting the choice of color. Upon completing the course, students have developed drawing skills and understood various rendering techniques through learning to apply texture, pattern, and color to their drawings. Students also explore various media including colored pencil, marker, and water color. The interior design student exhibit closes this week; the Fine Art student exhibit will open on February 20.
Learn more about studying interior at Villa Maria College: https://villa.edu/academics/interior-design
