04/22/20

AMES, Iowa — Iowa State University seniors in integrated studio arts are sharing their work in a virtual exhibition in the ISU College of Design’s online Gallery 181V.

“Ground Zero: 2020 BFA Senior Exhibition” features artwork by 15 students who will graduate with a bachelor of fine arts in integrated studio arts in May, August or December 2020. Each graduating senior submitted up to five works that most strongly represent their time in the degree program.

“Choosing only five pieces to represent all of my work was definitely tough,” said Darya Geary of Evanston, Illinois, who will graduate in May. “Each one I chose includes patterns, bold colors and multiple layers. Through this visual imagery, I want to bring people’s attention to and start conversations about the different layers of ourselves, others and the world around us.”

All of the students completed the ART IS 499: Senior Seminar/Exhibition course taught by Jennifer Drinkwater, assistant professor of art and visual culture. Their work typically would be installed in the the College of Design’s Gallery 181 on campus; when Iowa State moved to remote instruction for the remainder of spring semester, the college developed a virtual gallery to share work publicly online.

“Having to shift my final semester online has made me a bit sad, although I understand it is necessary. I definitely miss working in the studio, being able to see what other classmates are working on and getting feedback throughout the process of creating,” Geary said.

“It has, however, been a good way to shift to being an artist on my own outside of a school setting. I have had to create my own schedule to get hours of studio time in at home, just as I would if I was in class.”

After graduation, Geary will spend a year teaching visual arts in a school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, through an ArtistYear AmeriCorps Fellowship. She will continue to exhibit and sell her artwork, and later plans to attend graduate school to study art therapy.

Participating seniors

Participants in the “Ground Zero” BFA senior show include:

James Casad, Davenport

Naomi Chicoine, St. Charles

Hunter Crannell, Orient

Courtney Cooley, Osage City, Kansas

Walt Davis, Des Moines

Bonnie Dowd, Olathe, Kansas

Breanna Engelhardt, Ames

Camille Gatapia, Shawnee, Kansas

Darya Geary, Evanston, Illinois

Emma Geis, Ames

DJ Jones, Lansing, Illinois

Savannah Kellis, Runnells

Makilyn Koep, Oak Grove, Minnesota

Carrie McGrean, Altoona

Monika Wiley, Adel

Contacts

Darya Geary, Integrated Studio Arts senior, darya97@iastate.edu
Jennifer Drinkwater, Art and Visual Culture, jd1@iastate.edu
Heather Sauer, Design Communications, hsauer@iastate.edu

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