10 Art Students to Showcase Senior Exhibitions

With Commencement fast approaching, 10 Fairmont State University Art students will showcase their senior exhibitions in Wallman Hall throughout April and May for their Capstone Experience, taught by Jennifer Yerdon LeJeune, Professor of Fine Arts and Studio Art.

Jessica DeBerry, “Refraction”

On April 10-14, Jessica DeBerry’s exhibit “Refraction” will be held in the J.D. Brooks Gallery located on the fourth floor of Wallman Hall. She is an Art Education major with a minor in Psychology and is from Grafton.

“Refraction shows a combination of gemstones abstracted to create an atmosphere that evokes the feeling it is titled after. Each painting is an exploration of the act of painting itself showing my hand and movement,” DeBerry said of her exhibition.

Tiffany Richards, “Something About Life”

On April 10-14, Tiffany Richards’ exhibit “Something About Life” will be held in the Tower Gallery in Wallman Hall. Her reception will be April 12 at 6 p.m. Richards is an Art Education major with a minor in Psychology and is from Preston County.

“My show is about various aspects of life that many individuals deal with every day, but go unnoticed by others because of the hustle and bustle routine of many Americans who are focusing on their own lives,” Richards said of her exhibition.

Lila Rocovich, “Wearing Your Emotions” 

On April 17-21, Lila Rocovich’s exhibit “Wearing Your Emotions” will be held in the J.D. Brooks Gallery. Her reception will be April 21 at 4 p.m. Rocovich is a Studio Art major concentrating in 2D Painting and is from Morgantown.

Rocovich’s exhibition will feature paintings and sculptural dresses that she has described as representing women with mental illnesses. Some of the pieces are self-portraits while others feature mental conditions from four of Rocovich’s friends. These include attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, dissociative identity disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and gender dysphoria.

Erinn Thorn, “Dichotomy” 

On April 17-21, Erinn Thorn’s exhibit “Dichotomy” will be held in the Tower Gallery. Her reception will be April 17 at 6 p.m. Thorn is a Studio Art major concentrating in 2D Painting.

“The nature of my senior show is the duality of women. Most stereotypes of women are one extreme or the other, they are either meek or domineering. This project shows how the dichotomy of women exists in every woman, but particularly within a bathroom setting,” Thorn said of her exhibition.

Alex Henderson, “Allure Music” 

On April 24-28, Alex Henderson’s exhibit “Allure Music” will be held in the J.D. Brooks Gallery. He is a Studio Art major concentrating in Cross Media and is from Grafton. The reception for the exhibit will be 6 to 8 p.m. April 26 in the Brooks Gallery.

“I don’t want to give too much away. Allure Music aims to get the viewer to chuckle a bit and take a deeper look at our celebrity obsessed culture to see that many of today’s celebrities are manufactured characters,” Henderson said of his exhibition. “What I will say is that it’s an exploration of identity through the creation of alternate personas.”

Martin Guerrero, “Good Kids, Mad City” 

On April 24-28, Martin Guerrero’s exhibit “Good Kids, Mad City” will be held in the Tower Gallery. His reception will be April 25 at 6 p.m. Guerrero is a Studio Art major concentrating 2D Painting and printmaking. He grew up in Mexico and has spent the last 8 years in Fairmont.

“My current series of paintings reflects the current situation of our society, focusing on the individuals participating in the protest against social injustices. I feel that is important to inform people of what is happening in our society,” Guerrero said of his exhibition. “Also, it’s my way to protest, my art can be more powerful than my words and can impact more people if it contains the right message.”

Hannah Lenhart, “Hannah’s Tea Party” 

On May 1-5, Hannah Lenhart’s exhibit “Hannah’s Tea Party” will be held in the J.D. Brooks Gallery. Her reception will be May 1 at 6 p.m. Lenhart is double majoring in Studio Art with a concentration in 3D Ceramics and Business Administration concentrating in General Business.

“As the name of the exhibit suggests, my show will be based around a tea party theme. It will consist of 10 whimsical handmade ceramic tea sets, with each including a teapot, centerpiece, four tea cups, four saucers, a sugar container and a creamer. There will also be a freestanding 5 foot sculpture made of teapots,” Lenhart said of her exhibit.

Gabi Cooper, “Assimilation” 

On May 1-5, Gabi Cooper’s exhibit “Assimilation” will be held in the Tower Gallery. Her reception will be May 3 at 6:30 p.m. Cooper is an Art Education major and is from Wetzel County.

Cooper describes her artistic evolution as being influenced by the heritage, customs and folklore of the central Appalachian region where she grew up. Key components of her work include topography, industry, traditions, heirlooms, folklore and family history.

“This has led me to intentionally explore the concrete visuals of locations, but also to reexamine the memories of my family from those places, and further explore the extended history and relationship that my family has with West Virginia,” Cooper said of her exhibition.

Raye Sullivan-Trippett, “Memoriam”

On May 8-12, Raye Sullivan-Trippett’s exhibit “Memoriam” will be held in the J.D. Brooks Gallery. Her reception will be May 11 at 6:30 p.m. Sullivan-Trippett is a Studio Art major with a concentration in Cross Media and is from Fairmont.

“My digital exhibition is split into four sections (Childhood, Hong Kong, New York City and Now), each depicting a time in my life that has shaped me. We all have memories we wish we could revisit and they leave a mark that I can only describe as nostalgia,” Sullivan-Trippett said of her exhibition. “Memoriam is a look at the past - an exploration of self and a journey of acceptance.”

Loraine Smith, “Avatar” 

On May 8-12, Loraine Smith’s exhibit “Avatar” will be held in the Tower Gallery. Her reception will be May 11 at 8:30 p.m. Smith is a Studio Art major concentrating in Cross Media.

School of Fine ArtsArtJennifer Yerdon LeJeune