The first of three consecutive senior art shows, featuring the artwork of five graduating art majors, debuted with a reception on April 5 and concluded April 8.  

The gallery, “Meditations,” showcased the artwork of seniors Anna Julia Bassols, Emma Widmer, Julia Epstein, Kiri Forrester, and Sophia Frigerio.

“We ended up settling on ‘Meditations,’ because we all find things that we see as beautiful and inspirational, then we just sit with them for a little bit,” Widmer said. 

The gallery displayed the variety of media that each of the artists developed during their time at Hillsdale. 

For Forrester and Bassols, photography was a focal point of their work. 

“A theme running through my art was a lot of momentary things, especially with my photography,” Bassols said. “A lot of my strongest pieces, and a lot of my favorite pieces, were very momentary, even if they were an actual photoshoot.” 

A specific photograph entitled “Eight-and-a-half lives,” taken while at home, depicts a cat attempting to walk a precarious ledge. Bassols said she captured it on a walk she took with her brother. The family cat and low exposure in the photo added a personal element to the photo, which ended up being a surprisingly popular piece, Bassols said. 

Forrester said the gallery features the artwork from her four years at Hillsdale, and it was difficult for her to select the pieces that truly represent her artistic personality. 

“When you view the art, you are viewing the world through the artist’s eyes and the artist’s personality comes out in what they create,” Forrester said. “So looking at the art, you see the world from their perspective. You can show people a different side of the world.” 

While none of the women had similar styles, the theme throughout the gallery was the observational aspect, Forrester said. 

“A lot of our work is very observational of nature and the world around us and people and things. We wanted to invoke some kind of contemplation,” Forrester said. 

Widmer, who showcased mostly watercolor pieces, said she also struggled to choose which pieces she wanted to display. 

“There’s definitely some that I struggled with a lot more than others. And those pieces ended up being like the ones people asked about the most,” Widmer said. “You don’t realize how much people enjoy some of the things you make.”

Widmer hung an oil painting of her grandfather in a cornfield in the gallery. 

“He is truly one of the best people in the world. But I struggled with that piece,” Widmer said. “I spent weeks on end repainting and even turned it upside down. In the end, the subject matter is very humble, like my grandpa.” 

Widmer sold many of her pieces to those who attended the show’s opening. She said she currently sells prints of her pieces on her website emmawidmer.com.

Bassols said the pieces featured in the show reflect her focus on form. 

“I primarily think of myself as a sculptor working with form, which is the first tenet of art,” she said. “One piece featured in the gallery I had worked on for multiple years, and is very dear to me, is called ‘X and Y axis.’ I saw how form is one of the things I really emphasize.”

Although each artist featured different pieces and mediums, Widmer said the talent of each individual is displayed and celebrated. 

“It is a nice way to celebrate the work that you have done because a lot of it does go without people really noticing,” Widmer said. “You have spent an insane number of hours in the studio struggling for these pieces and the gallery is a final way to celebrate all that you have accomplished.”