Archive: Arts & Entertainment

Aurora, New York – The Wells College Art Department is pleased to present the annual spring senior thesis exhibit featuring paintings, sculpture, and book arts by five Class of 2009 graduates. The show opens Monday, May 11 in the String Room Gallery, Main Building, and will run through May 25. The public is cordially invited to view the free exhibit. An opening reception on May 11 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. will offer an opportunity to meet the student artists and a chance to discuss their work; light refreshments will be served.

Katherine Arcate, a native of Sleepy Hollow, N.Y., is the first Wells College student to graduate with an Art of the Book major. Katherine, daughter of Jack and Tina Arcate, helped design her own individualized major, which combines aspects from the College’s existing Visual Arts major and the Book Arts minor. Book Arts is the study of calligraphy, binding and printmaking. However, the Visual Arts facet of the Art of the Book major is important, Katherine says, because a foundation in painting and drawing is important to all art majors. “The visual arts fundamentals have helped me work out and conceive my ideas,” she said.

Katherine’s thesis is a rendition of an eighteenth century version of “Little Red Riding Hood.” Creating the book required carving linoleum for printing, shaping puppet cut-outs, and binding several copies of the book. The book invites the viewer to participate in the storytelling by using puppets to act out scenes. Katherine believes people should play with books no matter their age and hopes to encourage physical connections between art and viewer through play.


Alexandra Beck of Carthage, N.Y. holds a concentration in studio art and a minor in Environmental Studies. Alexandra’s senior thesis is themed around a series of stylized European landscape paintings that incorporate text over the images. Alexandra’s oil paintings depict various landscapes and seascapes that reflect her interpretation of her experience abroad.

Having studied abroad in Bath, England, during the spring of 2008, Alexandra hopes to continue a master’s degree abroad, pursuing landscape architecture.

Marina Loew of Dryden, N.Y. is a visual arts major with a concentration in studio art. Inspired by a semester abroad in Florence, Italy, Marina’s thesis focuses on bird flock formation, socialization, and interaction within space. Using different types of wire and a pair of pliers, she has created a 3D menagerie of birds, from crows and parrots to a life-sized ostrich. Her work is reminiscent of the wire sculpture of artist Alexander Calder; it mimics the sketch-like quality of his creations, while at the same time portraying her own unique style. Many of Marina’s pieces hang in space, giving visitors the ability to walk underneath the birds and admire them above, frozen in mid-flight.

After graduation Marina plans on working in Washington, D.C., after which she will continue her passion for art by going to graduate school in an as-yet-to-be-determined location in the British Isles.

Robert LoMascolo of Union Springs, N.Y. is a visual arts major and book arts minor. His thesis was principally inspired by a trip that he took to Spain while at Wells. During his visit to Valencia, he was deeply moved by the architecture of Santiago Calatrava. Having always had an interest and fascination with architecture, Calatrava's modern, white, sculptural edifices inspired Rob to emulate the essence of the architectural forms in his own work.

"I wanted to create a sense of dynamic rhythm and movement using cohesive elements, simplistic in form and color, which would capture negative space and show the interplay of light and shadow," he said.

Rob enjoys working in ceramics because of the plasticity of the medium, allowing structures that are not otherwise achievable. The sculptures, though often heavy and complex in execution, produce a dramatic and seemingly gravity defiant effect. After graduating from Wells, Rob hopes to pursue his M.F.A. at the University of Alabama.

Jessica Stanton of Union Springs, N.Y. is a visual art major with a concentration in studio art. Jessica has loved art for as long as she can remember, and her time spent at Wells has only increased that love. Wells has allowed her to explore many different styles and techniques, which enabled her to find her own voice in the art world. Texture and particularly color have always interested her and that is what she has decided to focus her senior thesis on. Using geometric design, Jessica explores how color and texture work with and against each other. Jessica plans on continuing her painting while taking time off, before looking at graduate schools.

Senior theses are the culminating requirement of study at Wells College. Art seniors are expected to plan and implement the entire exhibit, including the creation of the artwork to be shown, hanging the pieces and preparing the gallery, coordinating the reception, and promoting the show. Art professors William Roberts and Ted Lossowski guide the students’ work in the studios and oversee the installation of the show.

The String Room Gallery is located in Main Building. Hours are Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Wednesday evenings from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

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