On Friday, April 14, 26 seniors in Graphic Design and Studio Art showed their capstones at the Thorne Art Gallery in an event that was three or four years in the making.
Each student got their own section of the gallery and could decorate it however they wanted. Studio art projects ranged from ceramics, projection, painting and sculpting. Graphic design students showed off detailed portfolios of design work from throughout their time at Keene State.
Paul McMullan, the director of the Thorne Art Gallery, explained, “[the left side of the gallery] is…our BFA and BA students, they show the work they’ve accumulated over the last couple of years…[the right side] is…the graphic design portfolios, [graphic design] is here for one night only.”
There were ten graphic design students, and each student had one table and was there to discuss their portfolios with whoever was interested. On the studio art side, there were sixteen students with work covering walls, floors, and some were hanging from the ceiling. The studio art projects will remain up for the rest of the semester.
McMullan said, “[Students] get the whole semester, some of the work might be from last semester, mostly it’s the work from their senior year…they pick out different themes… it’s kind of their own personal journey, it’s their last hoorah at Keene State.”
The themes depicted range from landscape to practical use. Senior Mina Hinkle displayed her work on a dinner table and invited onlookers to touch the art and “indulge.”
McMullan stated that people who come to view the art will see “we offer a lot… from painting to photography to ceramics, there’s print-making and sculptural pieces… it’s a well-rounded art program… our students can go in whatever direction they feel they want to.”
The Thorne Art Gallery was filled with members of the campus community, as well as friends and family of the seniors showcasing their work for the gallery reception. “During one COVID year you had to social distance and no parents or off campus people…were allowed, that was really upsetting. This Friday there’s probably going to be two hundred people or more from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.,” McMullan said. The graphic design work was on display for one night only for the reception, but the studio art work will be displayed from April 14 to May 5 at the Thorne Art Gallery.
Benjamin Martins can be contacted at
bmartins@kscequinox.com
