Nature Tranquility
Amalie Deshais

Nature is good for us in so many ways, yet there are many people that tend to be disconnected from our natural world. Being in nature can boost our focus, mental clarity, and creativity. Nature can spark feelings of joy, serenity, and contentment. When life becomes challenging and difficult to manage, nature can gently lead us back to a more blissful state of mind. I was drawn to using the concept of nature in my artwork for all of these reasons. My overall goal for creating my art was to relax and restore a person’s perspective.
This art collection sheds light on the intricacies of plants. Each plant’s texture is unique, attempting to highlight the texture and detail within plants is enchanting. Sometimes growth happens slowly, underneath the shadow of larger plants. Other times, growth happens suddenly when conditions are near perfect. Nature is captivating with its variety of plants and ecosystems.
We all need to do what we can to ensure that our vast environment stays healthy. I hope my artwork inspires you to enjoy the beauty and mystery of nature. Whether you enjoy art that reflects the great outdoors, hiking, or walking in the sunshine, I encourage you to find ways to immerse yourself in nature and take steps to make a positive impact on our natural world.

Artist Statement 
Mary Holmes

I am attracted to the movement and beauty of the natural world and specifically the beauty and motion of animals. Animals have always been a part of my life and have made my life richer. I am interested in representing all animals, whether domestic animals who live in our homes and join our families, or wild animals who live among us. Domestic animals have added quietness and comfort to my daily routines.  Non domestic animals have added curiosity and beauty.  
I am not an animal portrait artist. I prefer to celebrate  the energy and personality of the animals and wildlife  through vibrant colors and energetic lines. I want to celebrate animals with energy and joy. I tend to represent domestic animals, because those are the animals that live in my world. When I see a wild animal, I am only getting a small snapshot of their life.  I am interested, but ignorant about their lives. I would like to learn more.
I am interested in animal representation with the focus on the animals, but also I am interested in representing animals interacting in the human world; either as a domesticated animal, showing the comfort and companionship that can exist, or animals interacting without human contact.    
Although I primarily work in graphite, watercolor and ink, I like to experiment with almost any medium, particularly pastels, acrylic and clay.  

Ghost Stories
Taylor Kochinskas

My thesis is all about short story horror and the thrill of telling scary stories. My inspiration was sparked by the fictional horror podcast The Magnus Archives, where each episode is a different story made to frighten and unsettle you. In each of the episodes, as well as many stories, there is always a point of no return. That moment when the true danger is realized. In my works, each piece is meant to be that same moment, snapshotted in that realization they cannot turn back. There is a lot of unknown in these pieces that are up for interpretation, in some stories especially, that air of mystery can be a powerful tool. 
Originally, my thesis did start out as something similar but still very different. However, like many things in life, it transformed and took up a much more sentimental meaning for me. I grew up reading all kinds of scary stories and “Creepypastas”. They were not books that were officially published, and many of them were not beautifully written, but they had their own charm to them. They were the kind of stories you told around campfires or through the flashlight at sleepovers. They were exciting and chilling in their own right. 
Each work in this series has their own unique story, though it is one you cannot read. Some are oblivious to the fate that lies before them, others are looking it directly in the eye. There are hints of the upcoming doom but theirs an air of mystery of how it got to that point. Connection is something very important to me in my work. If I don’t feel connected to my art, how could I truly do my best with it? I look at each of these works and their stories unfold before my eyes. Art is subjective, however, and what I might see is not what everyone else will see. There's a uniqueness in the way two people can look at the same artwork and feel connected for entirely different reasons. There is a story attached to each of these works, but none that are written. There is no one right answer, only what your overactive imagination can conjure.

Preserved Night
Ami Lamontagne

My work features a story that reflects the life, living, and process of death of several animals telling a short story that is reflected through hand drawn ink illustrations and a combination of pressed flowers I've collected over the years. Through my hobby of collecting pressed flowers I've developed a passion for them. My dozens of sketchbooks filled with pressed flowers from my own yard and through life have come full circle to my senior art show. Combining the flowers with the several animals repeated throughout my work, it depicts how they lived and their process of death. It features main animals such as a fox, bobcat and a mouse but it also features curious onlookers such as several birds such as a barn owl and dove that pass through.
My artwork is meant to tell these unseen stories that reflect the beauty and cycle of nature. As also heavily featured in my artwork I make several references to the lunar cycle as I believe it reflects life and death. My artwork plays on the idea of preservation and life. Although these flowers may fade and break down over time the illustrations will still hold the same just like the beautiful aging and cycle of life.

Narrative 
RAM

Narrative is an homage to the art of illustration; examining the historical and contemporary methods of artistic storytelling which inspire my work.
This series flows between eras and movements, exploring what narrative means from an artist's perspective. While narrative often refers to oral or written communication, art can and will always carry meaning. Simply put, there is no art without narrative. 

Energetic Emotions
Sreypich Phoeuk

In my abstract art, I want to show emotion and ideas that words can’t fully express. I use colors, shapes, and textures to create pieces that allow viewers to think in their own way. By removing clear images, I want each person to find their own meaning in the work. What you see and feel is unique to you, and that connection is what makes abstract art special. I’ll call this art Energetic Emotions because each piece will represent feelings like joy, anger, and love through colors while the whorls on the canvas represent energy and motion.
The main theme of my art is freedom and transformation. I think my art  explores the idea of movement of energy even on a still canvas painting. Paint pouring can be unpredictable, you never really know what the end result will turn out to be and that shows that being creative isn't something you can always control but it's about letting the materials do the work for you.

Muse
Jillian Simpson

My first love in art was portraiture. Realistic portraiture with colored pencils was my passion. In recent years, I've found myself exploring other mediums, and now, I've returned to my roots.
This collection explores passion, connection, intimacy, and vulnerability. Featured in my artwork is my partner-my muse, and my number one fan. It is thanks to him that I was able to reconnect with myself and my feelings.
These pieces are deeply personal. I pushed myself further than I've ever done before with every element reflecting passion and intimacy. Each piece, though not always noticeable, takes place in my bedroom, my sanctuary. It is an invitation into my vulnerability, and my inspiration. 

Constrained by the Norms
Bryan Thongphala

Society has a funny way of boxing humanity in and forcing us to live very boring, droning lives. It  kills off our childhood; restraining us and forcing us into boxes. We are contained and controlled, forced to work until death. Through whimsical childhood imagery within office spaces, curated pieces capture the existential dread of adulthood.
Freeing yourself from these ideas, you  must strip yourself from the fabric tying you down. These fabrics are the roles you have to fill. Stripping them off and releasing yourself from your burdens allows for understanding and a deeper comprehension of your soul, spirit, self, however you see yourself.
“In middle school, I told a friend I wanted to die, and they said, ‘Then you better die naked. If that embarrasses you, if you’re still bothered by what other people think of you, then you can’t die just yet.’” -Ryuji Ayukawa, Blue Period: Episode 9 (Blue Period Manga)

Abstract Landscapes of Life
Cathy Webster

Abstract Landscapes are defined by AI as a piece of art that uses abstract techniques to depict nature moving away from realistic representation.  The focus is shifted to forms, shapes, colors, and textures which express the artist’s feelings and memories, or the atmosphere of a place. There is an emphasis on mood and creative interpretation.
My version of landscapes as an artist leans toward a natural perspective but it is not limited to the natural world. I freely employ abstract designs and brilliant colors, forms from nature and/or urban settings, varied perspectives, and botanical, manufactured, or abstract forms in real or imagined spaces. The subject for each work is inspired by places visited, personal experiences, or my imagination.
This series of work was completed with acrylic paint on stretched canvas using creative color mixing, acrylic mediums, pallet knives, textured brushwork, colorful patterns, exaggerated (definition: better or worse than in reality) forms, layering, and mixed perspectives sometimes using light to suggest depth and/or flattened areas. My goal was to produce an image that resonates with the viewers and encourages them to be curious about where the piece takes them.
An unplanned consequence of this work resulted in my belief that the frame was an integral part of the work.  For this project I learned to design, build, and install my own frames which, though primitive, gave me great satisfaction.