Editor’s Note: This article is a part of the 2020 graduation issue. Graduation is when a student completes their degree program, whereas, Commencement is an optional ceremony to celebrate graduating students. The Baro put together a graduation issue rather than a Commencement issue because OSU’s 2020 Commencement ceremony has been postponed due to COVID-19.

Seniors working to finish their bachelor’s degree in the arts amidst a pandemic faced a specific hardship when their senior exhibition was made remote, along with their last term of college. These students are finding ways to showcase their art through the screen, in an online exhibition put on by the College of Liberal Arts and through the Fairbanks Gallery’s Instagram. Of the 10 students who were featured in the Fairbanks Gallery’s posts, seven agreed to participate in this Seniors on the Internet piece.

 

Tori Allen

Applied Visual Arts

“It’s definitely a different kind of space because I’m not surrounded by people who are also artists so it definitely gets kind of weird…We have some digital Facebook groups that we will share our work in, but it’s still not the same because normally in person you can get up really close and see it really nicely.”

 

Alexis Young 

Art

“It’s kind of nice to take a step back, I think that’s helped a lot with me. Personally, I’ve been able to slow down a little bit, and creatively I’ve been able to see more options available to me because beforehand I was so set on my goal for the senior show.”

 

Emalee Hoyle

Applied Visual Arts

“My process hasn’t changed much because I’ve always lived at home, but it’s different working at home because I’m used to having a community aspect through classes.”

 

Jacen Doebler 

Applied Visual Arts

“An advantage coming out of this was truly finding our own space… eventually we would’ve had to make our own living spaces into our studio eventually if we really wanted to carry this into our lives. So I think forcing that upon us and making us realize that we have to carve out a space for the things we love is important.”

 

Abdullah Al Bohalika 

Art

“I think this is a great opportunity for artists to come up with something that touches all of us because everyone has been affected by this.”

 

Jenna Judah

Art

“I can make my own time to make my own things and I feel like I’ve had more time to think my own thoughts and have my own ideas.”

 

Makenzie Reed

Art

“When I was in the studio with my peers, I always really enjoyed hearing the feedback and critiques on my work, but I always did prefer working at home, so I always did work at home. Now, I regret not working with my peers when I had the chance.”