AJSS 2021 — Eastern Michigan University Galleries

The Annual Juried Student Show, organized by the Intermedia Gallery Group, is a showcase of undergraduate student work from Eastern Michigan University's School of Art and Design and is curated by an outside juror. Students in the show have a chance for a monetary award, which will be announced during the virtual reception reception. This year's juror is Sarah Nesbitt.

Sarah Nesbitt was born in Syracuse, New York and has an MFA in Photography at Pennsylvania State University and a BFA in Photography and Drawing at the State University of New York at Oswego. Her interests lie in studying how history is used and perceived, in conjunction with investigating the importance of people’s actions and behaviors towards that information acquired by them. You can learn more about Sarah and view her work on her website.

Sarah included individual statements for each accepted artwork with her jurying process, which you can view these under each artwork image. She also had this message regarding the Annual Juried Student Show:

“Thank you for inviting me to jury this exhibition, it's great to see all of the submissions and how each applicant has their own distinct style. For the applicants who didn't get in, keep on applying for exhibitions and other opportunities, there are different jurors with a different eye!”

Olive Cianciolo, Girlhood, Fabric, thread, and paper collage, 43” x 11” — Olive Cianciolo, *Girlhood,* Fabric, thread, and paper collage, 43” x 11”

“There’s so much life to this project, each patch looks like it tells a ‘day in the life of’. I can imagine this project expanding into a large-scale project including more multiples like these ones.”

Sarah Crabtree, Losing a Loved One, Colored pencil and oil pastel on paper, 18” x 24” — Sarah Crabtree, *Losing a Loved One,* Colored pencil and oil pastel on paper, 18” x 24”

“I could feel the emotion of the subject in this work. The placement of the hands (over the heart and the windpipe), two areas where you can physically feel pain when in mourning.”

Ani F Daher, Mealy Bugs, Embroidery floss and batting, 20” x 11” — Ani F Daher, *Mealy Bugs*, Embroidery floss and batting, 20” x 11”

“The artist does a great job with using string to give the illusion of movement, transparency and scale. I can imagine these bugs feasting on the surface of this stained fabric, while populating and creating new life cycles.”

Justin Dooley, Suburban Monotony, Photography, 18” x 24” — Justin Dooley, *Suburban Monotony,* Photography, 18” x 24”

“There is a complete sense of comfort in this image with the soft focus, warm indoor lighting, and three women sitting down in a natural, relaxed state while doing hair.”

Kali Eyster, What I’ve Learned so Far, Acrylic on canvas on panel, 24” x 30” — Kali Eyster, *What I’ve Learned so Far,* Acrylic on canvas on panel, 24” x 30”

“My first thought with this painting is that it looks like it could be a book cover. The ‘Life’s a Bitch’ sign spelled out on one of those celebration banners gives a playful, sarcastic feel to something that the artist has ‘learned so far’.”

Danielle Jeffries, Reflection, Oil paint, 11.5” x 8.5” — Danielle Jeffries, *Reflection,* Oil paint, 11.5” x 8.5”

“This painting has a contemporary feel to it, it doesn’t aim to be a conventional, beautiful landscape, it depicts a realistic cloudy day (possibly a storm coming in), and a period of calmness.”

“This project has an old-school printmaking feel to it with the blending/opacity of the layers.”

Mason Kupina, Predestined I, Crushed steel, projected image, 42” x 34” — Mason Kupina, *Predestined I,* Crushed steel, projected image, 42” x 34”

“These two projects would be fun to see in person, I like the hardness of the steel material juxtaposed with the soft look to the microscopic organisms displayed.”

Mason Kupina, Predestined II, Crushed steel, projected image, 42” x 34” — Mason Kupina, *Predestined II,* Crushed steel, projected image, 42” x 34”

“See above comment.”

Kaitlyn Schaffner, A Place to Hide, Acrylic on canvas, 20” x 24” — Kaitlyn Schaffner, *A Place to Hide,* Acrylic on canvas, 20” x 24”

“This reminds me of succulents that morphed into its own forms as a result of their ‘protected’ environment.”

Kaitlyn Schaffner, Healer, Screenprinting ink on paper, 12.5” x 17” — Kaitlyn Schaffner, *Healer,* Screenprinting ink on paper, 12.5” x 17”

“This print depicts a feeling of calmness, and an inner power.”

Kaitlyn Schaffner, Ossein, Watercolor on paper, 12” x 14” — Kaitlyn Schaffner, *Ossein,* Watercolor on paper, 12” x 14”

“I like the trompe l'oeil, the blending, showing part of the skeleton, and the asymmetry of it.”

Jami Taylor, Monster, Charcoal, 18” x 24” — Jami Taylor, *Monster*, Charcoal, 18” x 24”

“Charcoal is a fun medium to play with, the blending options can lead into experimental forms such as this work shown here. Monsters are usually depicted as unfamiliar, typical halloween-looking forms, but this form is mostly human, showing a reflection of how monsters can look like us.”