Virtual honors thesis exhibition features compelling visual art of three seniors

The Senior Honors Thesis Exhibition, which showcases the thesis projects of three outstanding seniors from the Department of Art and Art History, is on display online at the Dorrance H. Hamilton Gallery website through Wednesday, May 13.

The move to an online environment – from what is traditionally a physical exhibition in the gallery space – tested the students’ adaptability, said Ernest Jolicoeur, assistant professor and gallery director.

“Collaborations between faculty and students often involve digital platforms,” he added. “This is the world students enter when they graduate, so it’s important that we navigate it together during their time here.”

Shannon Lazzaro ’20, “bleutral”

Shannon Lazzaro completed a lifestyle/fashion catalogue from her mother’s office in her family’s home in Massachusetts.

“Bleutral is a lifestyle/fashion catalogue that was inspired by my roots growing up in coastal New England,” Lazzaro wrote in her artist’s statement. “By blurring the lines between coastal style and modern glamour, I created an edgy, yet sophisticated take on traditional nautical fashion.”

Below is a sample of Lazzaro’s work. Find the entire gallery here.

Avery Rose-Craver ’20, “An Underlying Truth”

Avery Rose-Craver, originally from Pennsylvania, developed a graphic design series on China’s one-child policy from her apartment in Newport.

“As a graphic designer and adoptee from China, I interpreted China’s one-child policy and how it relates to the United States,” Rose-Craver wrote in her artist’s statement. “I found this part of history to be insightful and wanted to bring awareness to the policy, specifically how it contributes to the issue of women’s rights.”

Below is a sample of Rose-Craver’s work. Find the entire gallery here.

Ayu Sakamoto ’20, “Memories of America”

Ayu Sakamoto produced a series of paintings that reimagined her four years in Newport. She did this while moving between her apartment in Newport and a friend’s home in Massachusetts, and she finished her project from her home in Japan.

“These four paintings feature lacrosse, art making, my American family and the friends I established over the last four years,” Sakamoto wrote in her artist’s statement. “Since each memory consists of several moments, I combined many different images to tell each story. The sky is the dynamic element in each painting. It represents my changing feelings.”

Below is a sample of Sakamoto’s work. Find the entire gallery here.

“We’re saddened that the senior experience for our graduating class has been compromised,” Jolicoeur said. “But we’re going to celebrate the uniqueness of this moment and honor the extraordinary resilience of our seniors. As the gallery director and capstone leader in studio art, I see this as an opportunity for experimentation and growth, an opportunity to create unforgettable experiences for our seniors. We are proud of them.”

The Dorrance H. Hamilton Gallery is an integral part of the greater Newport cultural community, featuring the work of Salve Regina students, faculty and alumni as well as outstanding regional, national and international artists.

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