The Sophomore Art Review will take place from March 19 to March 23 in the Cummings Art Gallery, located in the lobby of the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center.
Sophomore Art students will present their portfolios from their first two years of coursework and showcase their artwork to the wider Mercyhurst community.
Sophomore Review allows students to reflect on their first two years of studies at Mercyhurst.
Students provide a display of what they have created so far, an artist statement of intent and their academic progress to date.
Participant Allison Brusk said that she plans “to use at least one aspect from every studio art class I have been in” for her Sophomore Review presentation.
“This is an event that gives me a great opportunity to show a variety of media, including ceramic work and graphite drawing,” Brusk said. “It gives me perspective on how I am doing as an art major, and makes us all think about how we can improve and learn more in the following two years.”
Art students at Mercyhurst are encouraged to pursue individual goals.
This event is only one of the many opportunities they have to showcase and develop their art. They can attend field trips, workshops, exhibitions and club meetings that also challenge students to further their creative potential.
Art majors must maintain a 2.7 GPA and successfully complete the Review in order to advance to junior year.
Kaitlyn Kirchmeir, who will have eight pieces shown in the event, says, “the Sophomore Review allows us to see where we are in terms of technique.”
“It encompasses the best part of being an art major—learning new ways to express yourself through art,” Kirchmeir said. “I have tried to showcase the different skills that I learned here at Mercyhurst so far.
Kirchmeir said there would be different mediums in her work, including paintings, sketches and renderings.
During the art review, students’ goals and issues are discussed with the faculty review panel, and feedback is provided.
The artist statements of intent allow for reflection on past projects, and creation of a plan for the next two years and beyond graduation.
Brusk, an Art Therapy and Psychology major, plans to go to grad school.
“The time we have with the art professors is amazing, as they are more than willing to sit down and talk to you one on one,” Brusk said. “This helps me to plan how I will help other people through art and the creative process.”
After successful completion of the foundation year coursework and Sophomore Review, students are free to choose from a greater variety of upper-level courses.
Questions can be directed to Jessica Stadtmueller, Cummings Art Gallery director, who said that everyone is encouraged to view the art on show over the course of the week.