Art department displays capstone exhibitions

"Senior Capstone Exhibition One" runs Tuesday, April 14-Friday, April 24. An opening reception takes place Thursday, April 16, 5:30-7:30 p.m., with a gallery talk at 6 p.m.  

Those exhibiting their artwork in "Senior Capstone Exhibition One" include:

Lily Coburn is a senior Art major from Germantown, Maryland. Coburn’s work often focuses on branding, exploring how visual identity can shape perception and experience. “My project focuses on a fictional band and the development of its cohesive visual system,” said Coburn. “The identity communicates tone, personality, and presence through intentional use of typography, color, composition, and graphic elements. Rather than functioning as separate visuals, all of the components work together to establish a consistent voice.”

Alena Hemphill is a senior Art major from Randallstown, Maryland. A large part of Hemphill’s work draws inspiration from advertising across decades, “looking back at how that side of visual culture has shaped our understanding of our desires and what we believe our ‘perfect’ future to look like,” according to Hemphill. “To me, each era presents its own version of optimism, progress, and ideal living, communicated through imagery, color palettes, and design language. By blending these influences, I want to explore how advertisements not only sell products but also sell lifestyles and aspirations.”

August Jankowski, senior Art major from Clarksburg, Maryland, creates collages using images cut from National Geographic magazines. Jankowski explores “how art can make people feel something strong enough to matter. If art can move people emotionally then it can also push them to think, question, and react." 

Kiersten Lang, senior Art major from Sykesville, Maryland, works across a variety of media, embracing experimentation to expand her skill set and creative voice. By exploring multiple techniques and materials, she aims to remain versatile and adaptable, preparing to connect with diverse audiences and serve a wide range of future clients. Lang said, “Art for me begins where language fails. There are moments when emotions swell beyond the limits of speech, moments of silence, chaos, memory, and transformation, and it is within these spaces that my work takes shape. My current body of work explores the four seasons through personal memories tied to meaningful moments in my life.”

Tyler McDaniel, senior Art major from Baltimore, says that “photography has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always found myself drawn to capturing the world around me, especially wildlife and landscapes. Each of my photographs has a story behind it.”

Abby Proctor is a senior Art major from Pasadena, Maryland. Her work focuses on themes of identity and self-discovery with a collection of works dedicated to depicting her experiences with having ADHD. She said, “When I was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 17, I began to truly notice how the disorder affected my everyday life... Through digital illustrations and paintings, these works explore the different ways to represent those ADHD experiences compared to the common stereotypes.”

Madeline Sellers is a senior Art major from Stewartstown, Pennsylvania. Sellers’ work explores mental health, childhood, magic, and the unknown through oil and acrylic paints, colored pencils, and oil pastels. Sellers says her work depicts the connection between magic and childhood. “I hope to show that there is always a way of coming back to yourself.”

Michael Simmons, senior Art major from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, enjoys “creating cartoony and action-packed art” and says that “the most influential form of art for me has been comic books and animations.

Malachi White is a senior Art major from Baltimore. White’s artwork consists of animals and mythical creatures. His dream is to one day work for an animation company in pursuit of making his own cartoon characters. “I have been fond of mystical creatures and animals since childhood,” said White. “My art pieces were sparked from personal challenges that have impacted my life over the past two years.”

"Senior Capstone Exhibition Two" runs Tuesday, April 28-Thursday, May 14. An opening reception takes place Thursday, April 30, 5:30-7:30 p.m., with a gallery talk at 6 p.m.  

Those exhibiting their artwork in "Senior Capstone Exhibition Two" include:

Camellia Codd, senior Art major from Mount Airy, Maryland, who works with traditional mediums, such as watercolor, graphite, and pen and ink, but enjoys experimenting and exploring the creative process of various artistic avenues. She said, “My work is rooted in memory and identity. I am inspired by the world around me and the small details that shape my sense of home—whether that be objects, places, people, or animals. My works are deeply tied to simple childhood moments, capturing a sense of nostalgia not only through imagery but also through the memories of the time in which I created them.”

Alexandra Combass is a senior Art major from Westminster, Maryland. Her work explores themes of identity, femininity, and personal narrative through intimate objects. Rooted in process, she says she approaches art as an unfolding conversation rather than a finished product. She urges viewers to engage with process and reflect on their own connection to softness and intimacy.

Kathleen Heard, senior Art major from Westminster, Maryland, is a digital artist and graphic designer who continues to enhance her artistic knowledge through her illustrations while also gaining experience in graphic design. She strives to create unique perspectives, vibrant designs, and innovative compositions. “My digital illustrations seek to tell stories through a single frame,” Heard said. “Using various digital software and tools, unique compositions, and mood-invoking colors, my artwork aims to incite the viewers to see and imagine what reality could be.”

Cara Olson is a senior Art major from Mount Airy, Maryland. Olson’s works are both based on personal experience and faith focused. Although she utilizes vibrant color palettes and unnatural colors within her illustrations, her work aims to convey a deeper subtle meaning of either emotional vulnerability or to inspire the viewer to strive to achieve things beyond themselves.

Marissa Riddell, senior Art and Environmental Studies major from New Market, Maryland, says that her work aims “to capture the rhythm of life underwater and the presence of life that exists beyond our everyday view.” Her current collection of work explores the role that cancer plays in her life. 

Abigail Rubin is a senior Art major from Westminster, Maryland. Rubin’s work mostly consists of nature-based paintings, but Rubin also works with animal bones, bugs, and other oddities. Rubin has grown an interest in the more unsettling side of nature and these works feature scavenger roles in the process of decomposition.  

Danielle Silva is a senior Art major from Gaithersburg, Maryland. Silva’s current work focuses on her personal identity as a Venezuelan American and her struggles with mental health. According to Silva, “My preferred media are charcoal, paper collage, and oil paint. I draw inspiration from contemporary artists such as Andrea Kowch and Sheida Soleimani, whose works blend realism, bird symbolism, and surreal compositions.”

Conny Spiess, a senior Art major from Germantown, Maryland, is a fiber artist who says that they use the skills of sewing and embroidery passed down by generations of mothers in their family to guide the creation of their work. Spiess is also inspired by their Austrian heritage and specifically the plants and flowers that grow in the Alps. “My work magnifies the delicate forms of plants to highlight the beauty we risk losing to the environmental crisis...,” Spiess said. “I create these pieces using repurposed fibers and scraps inherited from my mother and grandmother, utilizing textile skills passed down through four generations of women in my family. Through this practice, I bridge the ancestral craft with environmental advocacy to foster a more intentional, mindful connection to the natural world.”

Maya Stone, a senior Art major from Mount Airy, Maryland, explores moments from her early childhood and other stages of life in her work. “I began looking at each stage of my life through the lens of metamorphosis... I continue to create self-portraits true to life but surround myself with illustrative visuals. I select vibrant colors and kitschy imagery as a way to call back to visual themes from girlhood,” Stone said.

Art major Laura Vonella of New Oxford, Pennsylvania, is a December 2025 graduate of McDaniel. Vonella’s current work focuses on her cat Moo and his eccentric personality. “This book grew from a love of my cat, as well as paper, color, and the quiet magic of everyday moments. Each illustration is made to mimic a life photo then hand-cut paper — layered, arranged, and carefully glued to bring a little world to life. There’s something wonderful about seeing flat bits of color transform into my curious cat, Moo,” said Vonella.

Additional information:

• Requests for ASL interpreters are welcome and should be made as soon as possible (two weeks prior to the event preferred) by contacting the specific event organizer. Other accommodation requests and questions can be directed to Conference Services at 410-857-2407.
• Visitors are asked to adhere to all health and safety policies and regulations in effect at the time of the event.