Art and Design Commons^™

Accompanied Solo: A Singer/Songwriter's Look Into The Music Industry From Design To Debut Album, Vivienne Mccracken

Honors Theses

Vivi McCracken is my self-titled debut Extended Play Record (or EP) that consists of five original songs. This project encompasses all of my creative passions, with the aim of gaining knowledge of the music industry and what it takes to debut an album from concept to completion. I wrote the music, sang the songs for the recordings, and, for my BFA thesis exhibition, I designed all the graphics, merchandise, and collateral.

The cover art is intentionally minimal. I wanted the imagery to be the main focus, so I chose a condensed sans serif typeface that felt playful enough to complement …

Catholicism Online: How The Church Is Communicating In The Visual Field, Alexandra Barfield

Honors Theses

ABSTRACT

Given the rise and importance of social media in the last two decades, religious institutions, especially the Roman Catholic Church, have an important place online to fulfill their mission and belief of spreading the Gospel message. Communicating this message on social media and with contemporary marketing practices is an opportunity and a challenge for churches, Catholics, and apostolates alike. In this study, I analyze a variety of Catholic-related Instagram accounts and interview individuals involved in Church management and content creation. This primary research is prefaced with secondary research exploring the status of the Catholic Church in the United States, …

Hidden Connections, Yazmin Goulet

Honors Theses

As a graphic designer pursuing degrees in both Art, from the College of Liberal Arts, and Integrated Marketing Communications, from the School of Journalism, the goal of the art that I create is for it to be seen by many and connect viewers to the messages that I am trying to get across through my work. Art is a form of visual communication, and as an artist, I am always looking at the world around me and seeing how art of all forms connects art to people.

Much how like art itself is used to connect people, for this thesis …

The North Mississippi Field Guide For Young Explorers, Olivia Wymore

Honors Theses

The North Mississippi Field Guide for Young Explorers is an interactive field guide to some of North Mississippi’s wildlife designed for a younger audience, ages six to twelve. The creation of this field guide is a culmination of my inspirations and interests as a child and my involvement and passions as a student at the University of Mississippi. Multiple times during my college experience I have had the fortunate opportunity to work with the local Montessori school, Magnolia Montessori School, by volunteering for various events and leading educational activities. After working with this school and learning about their teaching methods …

Ipseity Vol. 1: An Artful Exploration Of Identity Formation In Emerging Adulthood, Lauren Alexis Taylor

Honors Theses

Ipseity is a multi-edition coffee-table style book that integrates digital and print design and incorporates handmade elements and processes such as die-cuts, letterpress printing, gold foiling, hand-sewn bindings, and embroidery. Its design is rooted in minimalism, yet the handmade aspects, eye-catching color palette, and bold illustrations make reading Ipseity a visual and tactile experience. The design utilizes typography and flat-color illustrations in a consistent layout, with a strong emphasis on the handmade elements and craftsmanship throughout the book. It is not only a publication to read and ponder, but it is an artful object with a physical presence to be …

Art Of Darkness, Sarah Roper

Honors Theses

This paper describes the process, production, and explanation of Art of Darkness, an artistic expression of the struggle with anxiety. All of the work is inspired by literature and art from the English Romantic and Victorian eras, and focuses on quotes about the mind, emotions, and other thought processes. As each piece highlights a different aspect of anxiety, it also portrays the struggles of anxiety through color palette, printing process, and symbolism. These printed pieces consist of letter-press printed materials, with ink-wiped backgrounds and hand-stitched details. Also included are large-scale prints with silkscreened foregrounds, a selection of bookmarks, a …

Sobremesa: The Time Spent Savoring Food And Friendship, Rosa V. Salas Gonzalez

Honors Theses

Sobremesa is the culmination of five different ceramic sets handcrafted and uniquely made as a way to enhance the experience of eating and sharing food. This work honors the Latino and Hispanic tradition of Sobremesa, which is the time we spend sharing special moments with friends and family after eating. I explore the relevance of sharing meals as a member of a Venezuelan family and how these memories of my childhood before moving away to another country relates to the way in which I approach the creation of my functional vessel’s aesthetic and conceptual background.

The pieces that make up …

The Life And Struggles Of Red Cockaded Woodpeckers, Michaela Gay

Honors Theses

This series of paintings focuses on red cockaded woodpeckers, an endangered species of bird and the longleaf pines forests which they live in and are reliant upon. I drew my inspiration mostly from personal experience with my family’s own efforts to restore one of these forests as well as my longstanding belief in the importance of protecting the environment. However, the point of these paintings is not to preach to people, but rather to show them the beauty of these trees and birds, so they can perhaps begin to care about them themselves instead of just being told that they …

The Hair You Wished To Comb, Sarah Barch

Honors Theses

This thesis is a collection of poems exploring gender and trauma in Greek mythology by retelling classical stories in a female voice.

‘How Has Art Refocused Consumers’ Attention Within A Visual World Through The Exploration Of Package Design?’, Frances Hackney

Honors Theses

The art of design has refocused the attention of consumers as they have entered into a visually demanding world. While this concept is complex and perplexing, stemming from endless influencing factors, the elements of design can be broken down into areas of focus to dissect the visual world of marketing. A simple way to communicate the influence of design on the consumers is to unveil the answers through the study of art.

In this thesis, the study will turn to the world of art to learn more about consumerism. The goal is to understand how visual images and the ongoing …

Breath: Capturing Energetic Forms In Pottery, Raymond Brown

Honors Theses

As a Bachelor of Fine Arts candidate with an emphasis in Ceramics, the culmination of my undergraduate education was a formal showing of my work at the Gallery 130 in Meek Hall at The University of Mississippi, Oxford Campus from April 1, 2019 to April 5, 2019. I chose to make pieces of functional, utilitarian pottery with the intent of providing the user with an entrance into a memorable and contemplative experience. Taking influence from historical slipware mark-making - especially German Pennsylvanian Tulipware, I work to craft pieces that are inviting, generous, and strong. Both my show and written thesis …

Internalizing Disorders Among Mississippi Public School Students And The Need For Intervention, Madison Varner

Honors Theses

Childhood anxiety disorders traditionally do not garner much attention in academic settings. However, many studies have concluded that approximately 1 in 8 children has an anxiety disorder by age 12, often beginning at earlier ages but going undiagnosed. Further, studies have shown that these disorders strongly affect both behavior (e.g. bullying, school attendance, and social performance) and academic performance (e.g. literacy, mathematical learning). Under several existing pieces of legislature, public schools should already be providing treatment for these disorders; however, due to financial costs and the silent nature of these internalizing disorders, few schools have any provisions for the numerous …

The In-Betweens Of Life, Laura Alison Chatham

Honors Theses

Have you ever walked through someplace too many times to count, and then one day it feels entirely new? The feeling of paying attention to an insignificant place for the first time interests me. We are constantly surrounded by buildings and trees and sidewalks and light poles, and don’t often take the time to look at them. In this series of paintings, I am taking the time to look at the overlooked. With The In-Betweens of Life, I am very particular about leaving my hand in each mark. Because the paintings are so small, the viewer is invited close to …

A Picture Of Health: Art And Medicine In The Lives Of Late 19th-Century Artists Henri De Toulouse-Lautrec And Vincent Van Gogh, Smith Jessie

Honors Theses

For this thesis, I wanted to explore a topic that I found interesting and that I could really enjoy researching. After a study abroad course in southern France in August 2015 during which we explored the locations that inspired artworks by Vincent van Gogh, I found my topic: health and art. After more research, I discovered that this topic could develop into a thesis. Specifically, this project investigates the ways in which the medical conditions of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Vincent van Gogh affected their perspectives and relationships, and in turn, their artwork. In it, I explore the biographies of …

Taste-Making Mechanisms In The Contemporary Art World, Zachary Creel

Honors Theses

This Honors Thesis explores the taste-making roles of various institutions within the art world. A taste-maker is a person or institution which is capable of growing an artist's reputation and increasing his/her visibility within the purview of the public. This paper identifies Museums, Commercial Galleries, Biennials, Art Fairs, and Art Critics as key taste-makers and argues that the validation which each of them offers to an artist is critical to their rise to notoriety and fame. These institutions also act as gate-keepers between the artists and the public, oftentimes deciding which artists' work will meet with exposure to larger audiences. …

The Technician Behind The Artist: Where Science Meets Art, Joella Vaughnn

Honors Theses

The thesis has two purposes: to evaluate the difference between oil, acrylic, gouache, and encaustic paint for the purpose of glazing and to integrate engineering and artistic principles into this thesis. My final evaluation across the four paints is that oil has the highest performing glaze. I believe it is the best glazer because time is not a constraint for me as an artist. If an artist has a time constraint on their painting, I recommend using acrylic mixed with an acrylic polymer medium as a glaze because the drying time is much faster than oil. I discovered that gouache …

Transients, Hunter Rose Johnson

Honors Theses

My exhibition Transients is an attempt to embrace the process of growth and decay that comes with being human while at the same time showing the beauty in temporary things. Each piece in Transients is a battery-powered lightbox containing a translucent image with light shining through it. The process of making the pieces was a complicated and meticulous method of paper cutting. The combination of the difficult process and the translucence of the products reflects the difficulties and impermanence of life.

Redefining The Insular Tradition: Illuminated Manuscripts Of The Seventh Through Ninth Centuries, William Boyles

Honors Theses

During my studies as an undergraduate student with an interest for medieval art, I found myself drawn to the beautifully painted works of illuminated manuscripts. Especially interested in the history, culture, and tradition of the British Isles, I became intrigued by the oftentimes-interchangeable term Insular. Textbooks, scholars, and various journal articles that I read all viewed Insularity in a slightly different light. So when given the chance to explore a unique topic for my honors thesis, I immediately knew that I had to research this problematic designation. My research began with a broad reading of the core of books, journals, …

Kore: A Natural Paint Pigment Company, Allison Young

Honors Theses

With the company I am creating I intend to help artists recognize that sustainable options are available without giving up on quality in regards to paint products. Named Kore, my company focuses on creating reusable, environmentally friendly pigment based paints exclusively for artists. Earth Pigments is a company that makes non-toxic pigments from the earth, but unfortunately has poor product design, which reflects lesser quality paints. The branding process will include designing labels, business cards, a pamphlet, advertisements, and tote bags. My intention for Kore is to provide the highest quality paints while at the same time leave minimal environmental …

The Fabric Dock: Reeling In The Right Brand For A Sea-Inspired Sewing Shop, Katie Elaine Lee

Honors Theses

Creating a brand for a company can require much time, research, and ingenuity. When The Fabric Dock in Wiggins, Mississippi, opened in April 2013, I began work as their graphic designer and gained valuable experience that has taught me everything from learning to gather strong research for color and typefaces to being able to communicate with the people on the production end. Since I was dealing with a new business, I was able to start from nothing to create exactly what I felt would be the perfect fit for this sea- inspired sewing shop. I spent days conversing with the …

Microcosm: Bachelor Of Fine Arts, Painting, Lauren Banquer

Honors Theses

Microcosm is the amalgamation of my interests in biology, chemistry, and art. I am inspired by my collection of objects from nature, particularly my entomological collection, and use the inherent shapes and patterns to create abstracted images drawing exclusively from life renderings, observations, and scientific research. Using a variety of different textures and techniques, mainly encaustic medium, I explore different applications of this medium to represent a sense of the object that I observe while painting. By painting on small wooden panels, I hope to recreate a sense of my small, intimate objects while also keeping a natural feel. Each …