Graduating artists’ work showcased in Senior Thesis Exhibition

KOKOMO, Ind. - Celebrate the accomplishments of Indiana University Kokomo's New Media, Art, and Technology (NMAT) program graduates at the annual Senior Thesis Exhibition.

The exhibition opens Friday, April 17, and continues through Thursday, May 14 in the Gallery, in the IU Kokomo Library Building, 2300 S. Washington St. Admission is free, and free parking is available on campus.

The show represents the culmination of each artist's studies and serves as the capstone experience of the program. Student artists will be honored at the exhibition reception from 4 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 22.

Emilee Linder, West Lafayette, is one of the nine featured artists, with a series of three digital illustrations titled Still Here, which use natural elements to depict grief, trauma, and healing. Linder said pieces are a visual representation of a traumatic event she experienced in her past.

"Being included in the senior thesis exhibition means a great deal to me, because it's a way to showcase my art, show who I am, and tell my story in the form I love the most," she said.

She plans to work in graphic design or a closely related field, and said her professors and friends at IU Kokomo inspired her along the way.

"I learned new art forms, techniques, and problem-solving skills in each of their classes," she said. "The many friends I made while at IUK also inspired me because of the amount of talent that comes from them."

Myah Halter created Self Bloom, a series of five multimedia pieces that illustrate their journey from insecure to self-confident, using photography and digital illustration.

"It's about the process of going from being insecure to finding your self-confidence and your self-love," said Halter, from Kokomo. "Each piece represents a part of that process, to show that there are multiple stages in that process and it's not an overnight thing."

The work is very personal, as Halter is both the model and creator.

"I wanted to create something that felt like a culmination of who I have become in my college career," they said, adding that the process is also universal, so they hope others will be able to relate.

"Emotions are able to be felt by everybody, they are not just a personal thing," Halter said. "It's a personal representation of who I am, but also something people can look at and relate to at where they are in those stages."

Kaiya Bogers, from Brooklin, Ontario, Canada, completed a graphic design project, rebranding the FIFA 2026 World Cup.

Ella Lucy, Logansport, created an alcohol marker drawing project, Terran Colonies Series.

"I have depicted a future/science-fiction concept of humanity, civilization, technology, and, specifically, architecture through illustrations. I wanted to show human cities, colonies, and facilities spread out through our solar system," she said.

Kokomo resident Madison Moore, who is a practicing tattoo artist, interviewed people with tattoos and created colored pencil drawings on paper of some selected tattoos.

Alexandra Reiff, who is from New Jersey, described herself as "an interdisciplinary artist who mainly works in oil painting at a large-scale." Her display includes one large painting hung with several smaller paintings on the side.

"My work reflects my interest of creating unusual subjects consisting of highly saturated colors that makes the viewer take a moment to think," she said.

Additional participating artists, listed by hometown, include Zavier Doll, Kokomo; Cristy Maria Chavez, Mulberry; and Alyssa Stevens, Peru.

The IU Kokomo Art Gallery is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and closed Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

For more information about the Gallery, visit kokomo.iu.edu/gallery/.

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