As the 2016 spring semester begins at BJU, many students are anticipating graduation day. While awaiting that big day, seniors majoring in interior design, studio art, and graphic design are among the bachelor of fine arts candidates who are working on their senior shows. Behind the scenes, a lot of hard work and time is put into making each of these senior shows a success.

Senior Interior Design Show

The interior design program is hosting its first ever senior show this year. The senior interior design show features examples from the seniors’ portfolios and internships. Kenzie Stratton, a senior interior design major from Ohio, explained the purpose of the show.

“We’re trying to make a big impact on people that think we just sit around and color all day,” Stratton said. “We want them to be impressed with our work and what interior design really is.”

The show’s theme, “Tip of the Iceberg,” was chosen to help others realize how much interior design entails and how it affects humans. Interior design is so subtle that it is often overlooked in the everyday setting. The exhibition is divided into six design processes that affect people: human issues, responses, solutions, interaction, visualization and experience.

At the beginning of the Exhibition Corridor is an explanation of what interior design is. As the hall continues, so does the explanation. The end of the hall contains personal projects which students were assigned in class. Students were given a client profile and location to research such as a retail store, hospital waiting room or personal office.

“I think the hardest part of the process is coming up with the concept,” Stratton said.

Rebecca Ferrari, a senior interior design major from West Virginia, said researching the concept is a very important step in the process.

“You have all these random dots, and then once you get going, it starts forming into something,” Ferrari said.

The students begin by meeting at the beginning of the fall semester to brainstorm and talk through the design process. Most of the exhibits are past projects that have been reformatted for the show. Within the show, there is a lot of diversity in the students’ projects. Some projects are retail stores, some are office spaces, but all show off the designers’ personal tastes.

“Starting early is the key,” Stratton said. She advises interior design students to not be afraid to ask for help and to stay on track.

Ferrari’s advice is to be open to all ideas. “There are some that sound like they’re not going to work, and then you just tweak them a little bit and they are fabulous,” Ferrari said. “When you’re brainstorming, just go crazy.”

The senior interior design show, located in the Exhibition Corridor of the Sargent Art Building, began Jan. 18 and ends Feb. 4.

Studio Art Exhibit

This year’s studio art show is the first show that presents the works of all seven studio art seniors. In the past, the senior exhibits were in smaller groups of two or three.

Jay Bopp, the chair of the Division of Art and Design in the School of Fine Arts and Communication, is looking forward to this year’s exhibit.

“By the time the show is installed, I will have seen their work in at least two reviews, but seeing it on the walls with final framing or presentation gives the work an authority that I don’t see when the work is in a classroom and not completed,” Bopp said.

Manny Juah, a studio art major from Pennsylvania, is one of the seven seniors presenting in this exhibit.

“I’m a little bit different,” Juah said. “I am more of a digital artist. So a lot of my illustrations are digital work.”

Other artists will have more paintings and be more physical rather than digital.

In preparation for the show, the students are encouraged to develop their style by coming up with a broad theme, artist statement and artist bio in class.

Juah’s theme represents the beauty of everyday life through work scenes, play scenes, happy scenes and even sad scenes.

“There is a beauty in busy work and artwork. So I show that with whimsical feel and comedy and sadness through my illustrations,” Juah said.

Students begin reworking projects for the show after hearing the faculty’s comments and suggestions. Expectations, and sometimes stress levels, are high.

“It’s fun and balance,” Juah said. “It’s both of those working together.”

Juah advises upcoming studio art seniors to take their major very seriously. “Art really is a competition,” Juah said. “Try to be the best that you can be. The more time you put in, the better the quality of art you get.”

The studio art exhibit, located in the Exhibition Corridor of the Sargent Art building, opens Feb. 29 and ends March 24.

Senior Graphic Design Show

The senior graphic design majors are also busy preparing for their senior show later on this semester.

They are currently brainstorming on ideas for this year’s theme. The theme unifies the designers as a whole, yet reflects the artists’ individual styles.

Students will select an average of eight favorite works to exhibit in the show. Most of the projects have been reworked for the seniors’ portfolios. Professors from the senior graphic design classes will recommend to the students what changes to make on their pieces.

Olivia Prairie, a senior graphic design student from Illinois, has some advice for graphic design majors.

“Work really hard from the beginning,” Prairie said. “Ask a lot of questions; that’s the best way to learn.”

The senior graphic design show, located in the Exhibition Corridor of the Sargent Art building, opens March 28 and ends April 11.