Early Bird

MSU Denver students present Bachelor of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition online

35 graduating students will showcase their work virtually.

By Lindsey Coulter

April 28, 2020

Students preparing to graduate from Metropolitan State University of Denver’s Art program are adapting their Spring 2020 Bachelor of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition for online delivery. The events are typically hosted by the Center for Visual Art but will now be displayed virtually due to the ongoing impacts of COVID-19.

The 35 artists graduating from the Studio Art and Communication Design programs will present their work in a shared online exhibition running May 1-Oct. 31. While social distancing and safety measures have forced the closure of the CVA and other art venues, graduates are staying positive and excited to share their work with the community. This dynamic shared exhibition of eclectic artworks offers a chance to see some of MSU Denver’s brightest emerging artists and designers.

Artists are Madison Faulkner, Michael Matsushita, Abigail Schoeder-Rummel, Karen Ventura-Gasca, Sakiynah Wise, Adrian Raya, Daniel Banuelos, Katelyn Odenheimer, Elle-Han Collings, Grace Gutierrez (whose art is pictured here), Lauren Schwenn, Jess Friedman, John Zeman, Jessica Key, Molly Quinn, Lucy Broussard, Hayley Barker, Lezlie Thomas, Tatiana Barela, Kandice Cleveland, Ryan Merta, Oscar Galindo, Hannah Lynch, Lucas Stine, Crystal Sigety, Lauren Bassett, Annie Josephson, Lauren Hubchik, Jazmyne Ruthbun, Bootz Fritz, Amber Evans, Finn Baker, Rachael Brittain, Celeste Utke and Andrew Rogge.

Their work focuses on topics such as identity, cultural conflicts, the intangibility of trauma, recovery and the immersion of the sublime. Works include ceramics, communication design, digital media, painting, photography and sculpture.

In a shared statement, the artists also expressed their gratitude for the CVA.

“Regardless of circumstances that life has given us, it is our beloved campus gallery and we greatly appreciate the support and encouragement we have received from this institution throughout our college careers at MSU (Denver),” the group wrote.

The CVA was founded in 1990 to expose students to leading-edge art and to broaden MSU Denver’s art program. The CVA is a division of the MSU Denver Art Department, which is dedicated to providing students with an unparalleled urban learning environment and a strong sense of community within the local art scene.