The Stevens Art Gallery is displaying the graphic design show “Synapse,” showcasing the portfolios of senior graphic design majors, until April 11.
Senior Tyler Carmical said the graphic design seniors collaborated for the show to be named “Synapse,” which is a structure in the nervous system that permits a neuron or nerve cell to pass an electrical or chemical signal to another cell.
“So if you break it down, a synapse is what allows us to feel, both physically and emotionally,” Carmical said.
Inside the gallery hangs the title of the show, “Synapse,” created with multiple colored strings, which, according to senior Mere Rowlett, represent the different wires of the brain. Rowlett said it also represents the diversity found among the senior designers.
“It illustrates how we all have different abilities in the graphic design group,” Rowlett said. “We have different ways we connect in our own lives, emotionally and physically, and so ‘Synapse’ helps you make the connection. (We) don’t have anything in common except for art.”
Some of the challenges faced while setting up the show, Rowlett said, were marking off spaces in the gallery for each designer, printing the projects along with the rest of the designers and making sure there were enough projects displayed on the walls.
“You plan and say ‘OK, I have this many projects, this all has to go on the wall,'” Rowlett said. “You either don’t have enough space or there is not enough projects on the five by seven space you are given.”
As Rowlett reflects on the past four years as a graphic design major, she said she was discouraged at first because of the skill level she started out with.
“I was really terrible at the beginning and almost changed my major,” Rowlett said. “But then professor Tim Cox encouraged me to stick with it by giving me a lot of pointers and different books to read.”
Rowlett also said the show reflects how the designers have improved over the past fours years. She said she appreciates the friendships formed through spending the majority of her academic career in the art building.
“I have learned how to interact with people who I have been with for a long time,” Rowlett said. “I think that is a real skill that everyone needs to go through.”
Senior Brittani Malec attended the reception held on March 29 to support her friend, senior Alex McCalip. Once inside, Malec said the dynamic displays from all of the artists drew her in.
“It is definitely worth their time to stop by the gallery, if for no other reason, just to open their eyes to creativity that they may have never seen,” Malec said. “I don’t know how the artists came up with such interesting designs.”
Malec said her favorite part about the gallery was how it showcased the individual style of each artist.
“There were some of the same projects displayed, but none of them were remotely similar,” Malec said. “I was amazed at the creative minds of the artists. Amazed and slightly jealous.”
“Synapse” features artwork from seniors Tatiana Barrantes, Tyler Carmical, Rose Dean, Hannah Kimbler, Alex McCalip, Amber Reed, Mere Rowlett and Brad Thompson.
