Congratulations to the 2020 Senior class of the University of North Florida Department of Art and Design! In celebration of their incredible accomplishment, we launched our first virtual exhibition to share artwork by Seniors from the UNF Painting &Drawing, Printmaking, Photography, Ceramics, Sculpture, and Graphic Design & Digital Media programs. Click the link below to enter the exhibition, and read more about each student and their works below.

click here to enter  the unf 2020 senior virtual exhibition >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Victor Ali

There is a relationship between automation and maker or technology's role of relieving us from labor, allowing us to be more fully formed human beings; It frees up time to focus on more important things such as love, peace, health, and harmony. As a species we can advance on planet earth, cultivating our technology whilst our computers improve harmoniously alongside nature. I want to contribute to the conversation happening by expressing my vision of a minimal future using industrial materials like concrete, metal or neon light, that when composed together allude to the technological quality of assembly, augmentation and engineering, while still holding that sense of wholeness and fluidity found in our natural world.

You can follow Victor Ali on Instagram here: @Victoraliart

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Tammy Bacon

When I think about ceramics, I think about art and practicality. I am drawn to ceramics by the functionality, versatility, and tactile nature of it. The hand building process feeds my need to be hands-on. Handling the clay is intimate, and I respond to its needs like a caretaker. I use geometric shapes and bright colors to create unique pottery that doesn't look functional, but is very functional.

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Savanna Boudreau

This photographic series features panoramic collages of historical architecture across the East Coast that have either changed to help the community or the community has made drastic changes with them through each city. Each piece connects five different collaged scenes of structures within the city that were once something else. The use of little to no figures within these compositions emphasizes the architecture. Through my other formats of photography, however, you will find true emotions along with the evolution of vast landscapes, cityscapes, and lighting scenarios.

You can follow Savanna Boudrea on Instagram here: @_savannaboudreau_

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Andrew Carlee

In this body of work, I explore organic and geometric forms using the abstract nature of outer space through my use of acrylic paint. The fast process of acrylic painting allows for the immediate disruption of organic elements brought forth by an artificial geometric environment. Shattering these environments, through the use of various bold colors, influences how the viewer approaches and enters the work. The use of color also shows where the inorganic shape has broken the borders of an environment and interrupted natural flow. Each artwork is its own space, while the subject matter is the same.

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Darby Carver

Exchanging the value of art from the object, or concept of the object, to the process is a core foundation of my work. It goes deeper than the visual of the piece: each material used is an element that progresses the narrative. Strong communication is the foundation for any good relationship with someone. By creating pathways, energies can flow to and from and strengthen connections between people. These objects are relics from a video piece I created, titled “People Who Never Leave Their Home: Episode 1”. The video reflects on the absurdity of only creating art to exist within your own space told through the interview of self-proclaimed artist Dill Carter. The clay food is featured in the video as the artist's work, crafted from his own feces. I feel it important to showcase Dill Carter's work and extend his presence as an artist.

Click here to watch “People Who Never Leave Their Home: Episode 1”

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Bear Cooper

As an artist, I am driven by the idea of cathartic creation. In my work, I seek to understand my past, release myself from its grasp, and find inner peace. As such, my work is a visual record of the emotional work that goes into reclaiming my bodily agency and identity from trauma and mental illness. In this series, I cut and re-assemble large, textured paintings to create a representation of the depersonalization that occurs as a result of sexual trauma. In their creation, these paintings inspired questions that I needed to ask: Is it okay to leave pieces of yourself in the past? Can you use what remains after trauma to form something new?

You can follow Bear Cooper on Instagram here: @bearmaidart

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Jojo Corsi

As we carry on through life, we are faced with difficulties that challenge us and ultimately make us stronger as individuals. This body of work explores a poetic transition from one place to the next. I captured various landscapes allowing the viewer to escape to new realities through a magical door, a door of which I designed and constructed myself. The door symbolizes new opportunities and changes that can lead to a different stage in one's life. My goal is for the audience to get lost in these images while also remembering that once one door closes, another always opens.

You can follow Jojo Corsi on Instagram here: @photoby.jojo

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Donato Curcio         

Our world, at the moment, is overcrowded with competitive design and artistic expression. The search for something new and unique drives billion-dollar businesses to push out as much content as possible. This has left little to expect or look forward to regarding future artistic endeavors, especially for those who don't particularly care for the nuances of academic (elitist) art. This concept is what motivates me to create impactful pieces that can be appreciated for their basic details. Color in relation to nostalgia and emotion is something I try to incorporate into majority of my pieces, not only because it commands attention but because the appreciation of pure color is oftentimes overlooked. While bombarded with design, my catharsis is to create the art I'd like to see (escape with).

You can follow Donato Curcio on Instagram here: @Thatscortex

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Julianne Dragunat

My photographic approach is to highlight the unseen beauty of the world through light and air. My work explores the beauty of the environment with human models. Often referencing the dichotomy between humans and nature, I work with a DSLR camera to create my work because of its ease, and because of the ability to manipulate the image during post-processing. I believe in capturing the light made by nature and limiting the use of flashes and strobes in my work.

You can follow Julianne Dragunat on Instagram here:  @juliannerosephotography

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 Deja Echols

Black representation matters. In a world where being black is like having a target on your chest, activism is essential to how we enact change. Having a voice is not enough. Creating work that raises awareness to social injustice, is integral to my work. Black representation is essential to shaping the way the black community perceives itself. The power of representation is extremely important, as it shapes not only self-perception, but also the way other communities view the black community. I want to present the black community to the public and create a connection between the viewer and the subject. By using phrases like “your son,” “your daughter,” “your brother,” and “your coworker,” I educate and expose the viewer to the humanity of a world that they might not have access to.

You can follow Deja Echols on Instagram here: @prckly.pear

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Alexis Frank

In the world we live in today, body image has played a large role in how we define ourselves. In part, this is because of the large influence that social media has on our everyday lives. This has led to people having body dysmorphic tendencies, and as a side effect, developing unhealthy eating habits. In my work I use triple exposures of the human form to personify the idea of body dysmorphia. The triple exposures distort the figure creating a dream like effect where the viewer can't tell what is going on. While presenting the work I also decided to show the progression and idea of “how we got to this point.” This series provides a commentary on today's society and how we are taught to define our self-image upon the unattainable beauty standards set by social media.

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Lalaine Garcia

My work relies heavily on storytelling and building connections within one image or throughout a series of images. The stories I tell revolve around various concepts - from imaginative narratives I create myself, to current societal issues that minorities, like me, face in this world. The overall theme in my work is fear, and the extent of the emotion always changes depending on the art itself. The development of these controversial societal issues contributes to the growth of fear, along with the idea that they can potentially worsen over time. My role as an artist is to spread awareness of these issues.

You can follow Lalaine Garcia on Instagram here: @lalaineartgeek

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Monica Hervas

This body of work highlights the difference in gender roles spanning from the boomer generation to the millennial generation using found objects, oil painting, and collage. Using monochromatic color palettes, my goal is to disrupt the past tensions between the two generations and show that although there has been some change, it is a unified shift. My work covers the differences, or lack thereof, that has been made between the two, covering topics such as the housewife, beauty standards, and education. I want to remind the viewers of the leaps that have been accomplished, as well as the progress that can still be made. The goal I hope to achieve with my work is to not only remind both generations of changes they have made, but also to inspire the future generations to continue to do better than the last.

You can follow Monica Hervas on Instagram here: @monicaeh1213

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Kody Hinkel

This series of prints explores sexual assault and the broader societal response to it. 1 out of every 6 American women, approximately 17.7 million overall, have experienced an attempted or completed rape. 82% of all juvenile victims are female, and that number jumps to 90% when referring to adult victims. Out of every 1000 assaults, it is estimated that 995 of the perpetrators walk free. These statistics are staggering, but what's worse is the interrogation of survivors. We tell women they shouldn't have drank so much, worn that skirt, walked down that street. We admonish them for exhibiting the same behavior from which we excuse their attackers. Through my series, “Every 73 Seconds,” I hope to change this. Utilizing mirrors, along with impactful phrasing, this series asks you to confront yourself with the questions often asked of sexual assault survivors.

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Alexandria Kierecki

My work consists of repetitive patterns that either form into a figure or are arranged in a space.  My inspiration of flowers come from regional gardens as well as Nordic and Medieval iterations seen on shields. My interpretation of flowers is that they are delicate, mute, small, submissive, and innocent. So, I have my flowers in my work embody as people, such as myself and other people in my life. My larger works, that look similar to succulents and other larger plants, represent the struggles in my life which include death, anger, and cold-heartedness from others. I hope that they bring a sense of peace to those who experienced similar troubling life events that these flowers express.

You can follow Alexandria Kierecki on Instagram here: @dovaccelia 

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Mark Martinez

This photographic body of work aims to capture the carefree state of adolescence. These nostalgic photographs express the freedoms of our past through the use of vast panoramic landscapes that invite the viewer to explore. The double exposure technique creates a fantasy world that is both familiar and alien to the viewer. To create a calming and meditative feel, most of the photographs are taken at night, while the city sleeps and the streets are quiet.

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Eboni Maye

I include my own stories and experiences in my work and invite the viewer to find his/her own story. Currently, my work expresses my experiences with anxiety, where it disrupts my reasoning, leaving me to feel powerless.  I am an abstract artist, who uses hints of realism and patterns. Through printmaking, painting and drawing, I feel fulfilled by challenging myself in each process. I hope that through my artwork, I can help others who are struggling with anxiety.  

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Alexandra Oremus

This body of work captures the ocean in its varying temperamental states through the combined process of acrylic, ink, and oil painting techniques. The ocean is a source of both tranquil and powerful clearing and cleansing energies. I create underwater spaces that the viewer can visually swim into, providing them with a place where they can briefly suspend themselves in the moment. I challenge viewers to seek out what lies hidden in the bottom of the deepest, darkest caves of their subconscious. Only those that return back to the surface from those dark places can be truly liberated. This body of work will encourage viewers to look within and find the thing that scares them the most; after all, facing that fear will be the thing that sets them free.

 You can follow Alexandra Oremus on Instagram here: @alexoremus

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Adreona Perkowski

Memories are simply that- a memory. A concept of what happened in the past that you may, or may not be remembering correctly, and that you may or may not have fully understood what was happening at that moment. My work is personal. My work is me. My work is how I perceive my memories and how I reflect upon the past. I explore themes of addiction, abandonment, loss, and recovery with a recent focus into healing, moving on, finding oneself, and retrospection. Each material expresses different concepts and allows me to express ideas that derive from childhood up through today.

You can follow Adreona Perkowski on Instagram here: @adreona.97

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Jordyn Peterson

Nightmares can leave a permanent impact on a person, often not a good one. I opted to allow people to tell me their worst nightmare, acting as the canvas for them, and would craft the demons in the real world. I am not intending to scare them; my goal is to stand before those who spoke to me and tell them: “It is on paper before you. It can no longer do any damage.” I want people to confide in me and find a sense of easiness now that the monsters are in the flesh before them, that those monsters are not as big as they used to be. I want the imagery to be unsettling, but powerful; if I created a clear image with colors, I believe the impact would not be as strong.

You can follow Jordyn Peterson on Instagram here: @MadameOfHorror

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Connor Poovey

A creative mind never sleeps; I am constantly searching and experimenting to find truth within my art. My work explores the emotional and psychological toll on environmental Florida landscapes, under the calamity of urban construction. Through mixed media compositions, representing the conflicting roles between human intrusion and natural environments, I pile construction equipment and nature imagery in layers to create tension. Every moment within the work demonstrates a fight for survival, but at no point, is either side winning. This is true of the world, as it is true in my art.

You can follow Conner Poovey on Instagram here: @CPooveyArt

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Elizabeth Scott

Nature has always intrigued me, and is brilliant inspiration. This body of work involves a ceramic series that reveals the untapped potential of mushrooms for cleansing our damaged natural environment. Despite human's destructive nature, our planet has incredible ways of fixing itself. Fungi possess unique properties and may hold the key to breaking down todays pollution problems and healing the world. In terms of the process, after molding the clay to my desired shape, I carve an illustration into the surface then paint it using underglaze. Finally, I use a mid-range firing technique, to create a functional piece of pottery.

You can follow Elizabeth Scott on Instagram here: @Scott_Lizzie

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Ryan Silberman

Anxious Cycle is a videogame that allows players to step into the shoes of an unnamed fictional individual who is trying to go through a daily routine without suffering an anxiety attack. The players need to keep on their toes to avoid making their anxiety rise. While the premise is simple, the reality of the situations would kick in as the player tries to navigate the unexpectedly treacherous day. The story of this character is not explained through exposition, but players would be able to piece together information through the situations that occur in the virtual world on the screen. The interactivity of the medium allows players to feel what is going on firsthand. The anxieties that the controlled character undergoes during their routine rubs off on the players as they try to make it through the day. Click here to play Anxious Cycle.

You can follow Ryan Silberman on Instagram here: @ryan.silberman

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Silvana Smith

I'm fascinated by the way we communicate and the power of language. My art gives words the physical weight they deserve. It's a way to confess words I struggle to say out loud. My work relies on communication between typography and medium. I use common objects and label them with insults or words of affirmation, that complicate their existence. The sculptures are affected by their own words, and yet they still attempt to speak them to the viewer. Viewers are reminded of when they learned these words, when they were first spoken to them. How many times have they heard them before? For me, these sculptures are a new way of writing. The creation of these typographic sculptures take more time than speaking or writing.  The act of forming each letter by hand is necessary.

You can follow Silvana Smith on Instagram here: @eggexplorer

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Kathryn Tarbet

I am a studio-based photographer who creates elaborate tableaus before the camera. My work focuses on themes surrounding the role of technology and social media in our daily lives. It also frequently explores the duplicity of how we present ourselves versus how others perceive us. I prefer to approach the work as an installation, rather than a photograph. The camera is just a tool used in the illusion.

You can follow Kathryn Tarbet on Instagram here: @kat.culture

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Zachary Toth

Progress does not always mean that we must move forward, but only requires that we improve. Alchemy is a manifestation of improvement. It is a science and an art composed of seven different steps, with the purpose of refining or transforming something into its purest form. The Book of Ages is a handcrafted book containing a comprehensive look at the inner workings of Alchemy, presented in a story-telling fashion. Spiritual Alchemy is the study and practice of self-improvement through refinement. The Book of Ages is laden with illustrations created with a variety of mediums, ranging from color to grayscale.

You can follow Zachary on Instagram here: @slickmajic

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Samantha Weathers

I create photographs that mean something to me and that are visually coherent, clean, sharp and legible. I prefer to shoot in natural lighting. My techniques vary from dance and motion photography, to portraits and landscapes. Most of my work reflects my love of beautiful lines, textures, and movement. I prefer to approach photography with a calm understanding of composition and content. This series, titled “The Adventures of Rose and Rory”, is a visual narrative of the lives of my three-year-old twins. I arranged the photographs into diptychs and triptychs to tell more of the story, and the titles give clues to the narrative as well.

You can follow Samantha Weathers on Instagram here: @__srs_photography

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Whitney Wellmaker

I am a Graphic Designer based in sunny Jacksonville, Florida. I adore typography and publication design, especially when I can experiment with materials. When I'm not drawing letters or sifting through color combinations, I'm more than likely crafting or planning my next trip to Disney World. Take a look at my work at wellmakerdesigns.com!