BFA Senior Exhibition to run Nov. 30–Dec. 16 in UW-Eau Claire's Foster Gallery

| Amanda Bulger

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire’s Foster Gallery will feature the capstone projects of eight Bachelor of Fine Arts candidates in an exhibition to run Nov. 30–Dec. 16, 2018, with a reception from 4–6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 1.

Admission to the Foster Gallery is free and it is open to the public. Works by the following BFA candidates are to be featured in this semester's BFA Senior Exhibition:
Megan Burmood is a senior graphic design BFA candidate from Hager City. Burmood will exhibit travel promotions about Walt Disney World. Items include a poster, four half-sheet flyers about each park, a four-panel brochure and 100 buttons that guests can take if they please. Burmood states, “My artwork displays the theme “Midwest dreams Disney.” With this theme, my intended direction of focus was to promote people from the Midwest to travel down to Orlando, Florida, where they would ultimately have an exciting experience at one of the most famous tourist attractions in the world, Walt Disney World. Something that I’ve always loved to do is travel, and with it becoming cold in the Midwest, the number one thing people like to think about is traveling someplace warm. I chose to promote Disney World in a fun yet professional way. Disney is for all ages and is one magical experience everyone should encounter at some point in their lives.”
Kristin Hamielec is a senior photography BFA candidate from Green Bay and Wausau. Hamielec’s work consists of a multimedia installation including 2D and 3D objects, as well as audio with an added performative element throughout the exhibition. Hamielec writes, “Like most of my work, what I’m showing comments on current social issues. In this case, it happens to be the heated debate on gun control. I started working with the subject when I started school at UWEC, and the work I’ve made relating to the issue has continued to evolve over time. To tie in with the issue of gun control, I’m including a metaphorical component of American football.”
Genie Tran is a senior illustration BFA candidate from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Tran will exhibit two oil paintings along with five digital illustration pieces.Tran writes,“My stylistic approach is influenced heavily by surrealism and art nouveau, and I generally like to work with diverse contemporary topics such as cultural identity, mental health, feminism, death, etc. Coming from the perspective of a woman of color born outside of the States, I have allowed my own personal experiences to come through my art to express certain feelings, but also evoke those emotions from  the viewers as well.”
Emily Vyrostek is a senior graphic design BFA candidate from Hudson. Vyrostek will exhibit an assortment of products related to a new brand of beer she has created, including six unique labels on glass bottles for each flavor; the company sign; and branded coasters, glassware, bottle opener, T-shirts and tap handle. The products were created to build the brand’s identity, keeping the look consistent while providing a clear message about the product. Vyrostek states, “Eau Ale Brewing Company is a brand that was developed to reflect the culture of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The city has made some major improvements to provide a much more welcoming environment, while also preserving the historical importance of the area. Because of this, the style of the brand is to bring together a rustic, old-fashioned look with a modern feel to it. As for the name, it was simple, catchy and significant to the Eau Claire area. Creating this unique brand that would resonate with such a large audience really helped bring my idea to life.”
Andrea Fellenz is senior graphic design BFA candidate from Owen. Fellenz will exhibit a series of 26 posters based on the alphabet. Fellenz writes, “My work is influenced by my love for typography. I wanted to utilize type as a design element as well as recreate the alphabet in my own way; this resulted in the re-creation of every letter of the alphabet within a specific design scheme and following certain guidelines I created for myself. Color was then applied to each individual piece to create a cohesive whole among the individual pieces when viewed from a distance.”
Gabriella Terp is a senior graphic design BFA candidate from Eden Prairie and Minneapolis, Minnesota. Terp will display products, digital interfaces and marketing items from her father’s company, 1Micro. Terp says, “Not only do these pieces represent the immense time and energy that I’ve spent working both as a full-time student and as a lead graphic designer/photographer/director of marketing for the last two-plus years, but, more importantly, they represent the core objective of why I decided to major in graphic design in the first place. 1Micro originated as a 33-year-old-father’s business venture to provide for his family and is now a booming multifaceted company that I’ve essentially grown up alongside for the last 19-plus years. I’ve witnessed firsthand the benefits of hard work and I hope to continue this legacy for my future children.”
Andreas Erickson is a senior graphic design BFA candidate from Eau Claire. Erickson will showcase a political piece that conveys the opinion of others regarding Donald Trump and/or the U.S. government in today’s society. She will show 26 portraits of the people she interviewed. In each portrait she will use the commentary she received from that person and turn the individual's photo into text. Each piece is unique to each person Erickson interviewed. The portraits will be displayed on the wall of the gallery, and together they will form an American flag. Erickson writes, “I would describe my art as being a reaction catalyst. I want the voice of the people to be heard and seen. I feel like in today’s world most people often find themselves unable to speak about their opinions/feelings about the president without being publicly bashed or discriminated against. I also chose to create a work that reflected my love for graphic design and photography. I love being able to combine text and imagery to form a message. I would say there is a political, controversial and public theme to my work.”
Samuel Wenkman is a senior illustration BFA candidate from Madison. Wenkman’s works are digital illustrations that each serve a different purpose, including a book cover and illustrated pages, a passion project portrait, and an abstract painting. Wenkman writes, “My illustrations have a great focus on detailed work that is commissionable. Themes like fantastical or psychedelic are found within the majority of my artwork as I draw from influences like movie concept art, games and other entertainment media. The more personal projects also draw influence from abstract and/or horror artists.”

Foster Gallery's hours are 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. weekdays, 6–8 p.m. Thursdays and 1–4:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. For more information, contact the Foster Gallery at 715-836-2328 or, or visit the Foster Gallery Facebook page.