Maryville College Fine Arts seniors close out their undergraduate journey with an art showcase
April 15, 2024
The culmination of hard work by Maryville College Division of Fine Arts seniors will be on display and celebrated through early May, as a senior art show of 10 students will be showcased in the galleries of the Clayton Center for the Arts.
The variety of works in all media will be on exhibit throughout the Blackberry Farm Gallery and the William “Ed” Harmon Gallery in the Clayton Center’s Building B, across the plaza from the main auditorium, which also holds the DENSO Family Gallery, where additional student works will be displayed. To accommodate the scope of the exhibit, five students will display their works from April 18-26, and the second group of five will showcase their art from April 29 through May 5.
Exhibits and artists on display from April 18-26 include:
Laura Reed ’24, an Art major from Knoxville: “Capturing Life of Contemporary Students” (photography)
“This is a dynamic marketing program designed to resonate with contemporary college students,” Reed said. “This is a vibrant and powerful photo gallery that offers a compelling glimpse into the diverse experiences, passions, and lifestyles of contemporary college students. Through a curated collection of photographs, design posters, and other media, the gallery celebrates the multifaceted identities, aspirations, and moments that define the modern college experience through the lens of a contemporary student.”
Cierra Hudson ’24, a Design major from Alcoa, Tennessee: “Slowing Down Fast Fashion” (digital illustration)
“My show is meant to bring awareness to the fast fashion industry,” Hudson said. “I have used greenwashing techniques and subliminal messaging to tell a story about the rise, and potential fall, of fast fashion.”
Isabella Carroll ’24, a Design major from Corryton, Tennessee: “Snooze Beauty: The Power of Brand Identity in the Beauty Industry” (brand design, package design, web design and advertising)
“For my Senior Study, I combined my interests in both the beauty industry and graphic design,” Carroll said. “I researched the key elements of successful cosmetic brand design. This exploration culminated in the creation of ‘Snooze Beauty,’ which embodies my interpretation of a brand that has all the characteristics of effective brand design. Pieces in the show, including package design, advertising, and web design exhibit how cohesive brand identity creates a thriving and compelling makeup brand.”
Austin Zettle ’24, a Design major from Powell, Tennessee: “History of Design in Epcot and Magic Kingdom” (mixed media)
“My gallery show will present various pieces dedicated to Epcot and Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World,” Zettle said “There will be posters, ‘character corners,’ photography and design pieces of different Disney memorabilia!”
Lauren Gaines ’24, a Writing/Communication and Design double major from Knoxville: “Callieach” (digital art, graphic design, and written fiction work)
“‘Callieach’ is, first and foremost a young adult novella about a young girl who has a supernatural connection to the tortured spirits of the Scottish Witch Trials,” Gaines said. “Visually, it is paired with four art pieces inspired by and named after the four ‘witches’ that appear in the novel.”
A reception for Reed, Hudson, Carroll, Zettle and Gaines, which is free and open to the public, will take place from 6-8 p.m. April 26 in the Clayton Center galleries.
The following Monday (April 29), the second half of the senior art show will be on display in the Clayton galleries through May 5. A reception for the five students, also free and open to the public, will take place from 6-8 p.m. May 3. Those students, and their works, include:
Rian Dixon ’24, an Art major: “Vintage Pop Culture Collection” (photography)
“My theme is early 2000s glamor shots,” Dixon said. “It will showcase photos that I took using the first type of camera I had growing up, which is a disposable film camera. I chose this theme because I was born in the early 2000s, and I thought it would be nice to reflect back on my first camera.”
Zoe Zeller ’24, a Design major from Hixson, Tennessee: “Gender Inequality Then and Now” (mixed media)
“The exhibition showcases multimedia pieces driven by various concepts,” Zeller said. “I’ve experimented with different materials to explore how historical laws and social norms affect gender inequality today. While some pieces delve into serious topics like gender-based violence, others take on a playful vibe with bright pink shades and bedazzled elements. Whether you’re a feminist or an art lover, there’s something intriguing for everyone at the show.”
Brianna White ’24, an Art major from Knoxville: “Not Alone in the Universe” (digital art)
“My show will feature the first 50 pages, as well as a selection of concept art, of my original graphic novel, ‘Not Alone in the Universe,’” White said. “The story follows alien abductees Etsuki Fujimura, Melanie Walters, Addelaine Rochester and Ryuu Sugiyama on a coming-of-age road trip across space as they try to find a way back to Earth.”
Emily Huffstetler ’24, a Design, Writing/Communication and Spanish triple major from Maryville: “Excuse Me, but We Are Bees: A Bilingual Children’s Book about the Mason Bee” (children’s book)
“I authored and illustrated a bilingual children’s book about the mason bee, showcasing the synergy of writing, translation, and design to educate children about scientific concepts,” Huffstetler said.
Alison Jackson ’24, a Design major from McEwen, Tennessee: “Out of My Mind: Character Design” (digital art)
“My project is a series of one-of-a-kind character designs from the mind of the artist,” Jackson said. “These were brought to completion from concept sketches to digitally rendered prints.”
Clayton Center gallery hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call the Clayton Center box office at 865-981-8590.
