Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Maa': An Analysis From The May Weber Ethnographic Study Collection, Claire T. Chilla

Department of Anthropology

Research of a maa’ textile within the May Weber Ethnographic Study Collection (MWESC) from Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Report discusses different knowledge systems including technical and physical as well as cosmological and spiritual from the Toraja people. Also analyses affects of colonialism, trade, spirituality, tourism, and funerary practices.

Fluid Belonging, Soft Boundary, Jingyi Liu

MFA in Visual Art

This thesis conceptualizes cultural identity as a fluid and dynamically generated process shaped through the experience of migration. Drawing on contemporary art practices and theoretical frameworks of diaspora and hybridity, the thesis is structured around four interrelated dimensions: fluid identity, memory fragmentation, material interaction, and spatial displacement.

Within the artist’s practice, traditional techniques are reactivated as both cultural signifiers and material approaches that adapt and transform across shifting contexts. Fragmentation is understood not as the loss of information but as a mode of reassembly. Materials such as ink, textile, and dye function as active agents that carry time and cultural …

Too Much Light? A Design Journey, Caitlin G. Shanahan

Theater Honors Papers

This project is the culmination of my work as a stage manager, technician, and assistant designer, both for Ursinus College and other unique opportunities outside of Ursinus with InterAct Theater Co. overseen by faculty advisor Shannon Zura. These experiences informed my process and resulted in my work in the lighting design for Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind. In this essay I discuss the journey I took in becoming the first student in the history of Ursinus College to take on a lead designer role, as well as the challenges and lessons I encountered along the way.

Illustrated Children's Book: "The Adventures Of Mr. C", Anne-Marie Wadsworth, Joanne Whitcombe

Honors Capstones

"The Adventures of Mr. C" is a children's book written by Anne-Marie Wadsworth and her grandmother, Joanne Whitcombe. It was illustrated by Anne-Marie Wadsworth, 2026 NIU graduate, as her honor's capstone project. The book was presented at NIU's 2026 Visual Communication Senior Show on April 30th. It is a christian-inspired true story about an abandoned bird (Mr .C) that becomes part of Joanne's family. Mr C. flies away from his home and is lost for many months, until Joanne experiences a timely, unexpected miracle that only God and his angels can take credit for.

I Taught Myself To Feel Nothing, Jeaneliz Marie Martinez Maldonado

Student Projects

Jeaneliz Martinez is an artist who decided to challenge herself to confront personal insecurities by placing her own body in front of her camera. What initially stemmed from an inability of looking at herself without the feeling of disgust became a central point of exploration within the work.

This series is exploring Jeaneliz’s ongoing struggles with mental health. Using self-portraiture, she captures moments of vulnerability, tension, and introspection, while also addressing the complexities of healing. Each image functions as a visual fragment of her journey, reflecting both the weight of past experiences and the effort required to move towards self-acceptance. …

Lost, Not Found, Lily K. Ostrovsky

Student Projects

Found, Not Lost is a documentation of a fictional cult in DeKalb that worships an unseen entity believed to live within the surrounding corn fields. It grew out of the isolation I felt when I first transferred to NIU, when making friends and interacting with people felt difficult, and it seemed like everyone around me already belonged to something I couldn’t access. That experience began to feel like being surrounded by an impenetrable cult.

Pests that plague corn crops, handmade corn husk dolls, teeth, and nails are present throughout this series. These elements, in conjunction with low-contrast light, are meant …

Ameling Manor Drive, Dalia K. Al-Sagr

Art and Art History Honors Projects

This honors project has been an exploration of my relationship with time and memory. By studying old childhood photos, I translate them onto canvas, focusing on how my perception of specific memories affects my color composition and value structure. I explore the evolution of perspective by understanding how my adult self views these pictures. In turn, this captures time and impermanence. My paintings focus on specific details in the photos, while other sections appear faded. I use an oil glazing technique to represent how some moments are vivid, while others are fogged with emotion. This reflects how memory tends to …

Multicultural Marketing: Rebranding Chick-Fil-A For Chinese Audiences, Christina Pan

Senior Honors Theses

China is one of the fastest-growing markets in the world, and consumption is its main cause of growth. With a population of 1.4 billion people, many companies want to establish themselves in China. However, China and the United States markets are vastly different, and China’s post-COVID economy makes success increasingly difficult. Factors such as domestic competition, weakening US-China relations, and increased suspicion in foreign products calls for a new marketing and branding approach for United States companies. Fast-food giants such as McDonald’s and KFC have managed success in the past, but one company that also has potential is Chick-Fil-A. This …

Horses And The Negative Impact From Humans, Gabrielle Hayes

Student Projects

This reflection paper addresses my Capstone Project question of "How can I use the printmaking technique of carving woodblocks to create medium and large-scale poster-like pieces to address my theme about horses and the human caused issues they have encountered over time?". Through an exploration of technique and process of woodblock carving and reduction I create four pieces to by shown in the 2026 BFA Exhibition Show. An additional 30x40 inch print was achieved, but not on display. Using reductive and multiple 12x16 inch woodblocks I achieve colorful and impactful prints that show the underlying cruelty of horses through "corrective …

Soma: Exploring Touch As Performance And Performance As Therapy, Erica Pamson

Expressive Therapies Theses

This project investigated the role of touch within a performative context and its potential as a creative intervention within Expressive Arts Therapy. Grounded in phenomenology and intersubjectivity, the study draws on Expressive Arts Therapy (EXAT) and Performance Art frameworks that position meaning as emerging through embodied, co-created experience. Existing literature identifies touch as a primary mode of perception and communication, essential to both physical and emotional well-being, while also noting its increasing absence and regulation within contemporary Western culture. Performance art literature further highlights the body as both medium and site of relational exchange, often dissolving boundaries between performer and …

The Mind Behind The Art: A Process Of Creative Intention, Dana Chorley

Student Projects

My capstone captures the different processes behind creative visual development through the creation of conceptual art and character design. The layout of this kind of work begins with a cognitive construction of an idea, usually a narrative to be told that must be done so through visual means, as understanding an idea of the bigger picture of a project helps enlighten pathways of how to approach the beginning creation phases. Next comes the research process, from searching up history that might pertain to their project or simply finding guidelines or references to help structure the design. My process here took …

Exploring Identity Through Clay: A Humanistic Art Therapy Case Study With A Blind Chinese Adoptee, Virginia Jade Leicht

Expressive Therapies Theses

This qualitative case study explored how working with clay in art therapy can help support a blind man’s identity exploration. This paper addresses the problem of many traditional therapeutic approaches within the art therapy realm: They rely too heavily on visual engagement, which can limit the accessibility and opportunities for self-exploration and identity development for those who are blind. The study was grounded in current research and foundational theories based on the humanistic art therapy approach. Clay is considered an accessible medium that engages multiple senses and allows for emotional exploration and meaning making, specifically through tactile and sensory-based engagement …

Ai And E-Commerce: A Comparative Analysis Of Amazon, Jumia, And Alibaba, Lauren Grace Barden

Honors Projects

Globally there is a great divide between consumer acceptance of artificial intelligence (AI) and the reluctance of the services due to lack of knowledge on its systems. Major global shopping platform, Amazon has adopted the use of AI into their experiences for upholding their pillars of optimization, utilization, and personalization. In the global e-commerce framework,  adoption of AI has been similarly found also in companies like Alibaba (Chinese-based) and Jumia (Kenyan-based). Though these companies have seen customer satisfaction increase with the availability and quality of the service they provide, it is pertinent to note that there are still underlying issues …

Forgotten In The Smokies, Diego G. Torres

Student Projects

The Great Smoky Mountains are riddled with old and forgotten places. The tree canopies shield abandoned buildings, structures can be found with their fireplaces and flooring still in place, just overgrown and cracking, cemeteries of people long since dead, still with flowers at their bases. At night, the woods hold you in place, too dark to venture out and many streets missing a streetlight. It's an old place full of rich and abundant history, it will however keep you in if you let it.

Diego Torres is a Chicago based photographer who leans towards horror-esqe photos inspired by artists like …

Healing The Gap, Maria Gavriilidou

Honors Projects

This project examines healthcare accessibility in Greece, focusing on the disparities between urban centers and remote island and mountainous communities. It addresses systemic limitations within public healthcare infrastructure, including insufficient facilities, limited medical personnel, and transportation barriers that restrict timely access to medical services. Grounded in personal experience and observational research, particularly from the Cyclades islands and mainland medical contexts, the study highlights how geographic isolation and environmental conditions further intensify these challenges.

The work proposes an architectural response aimed at improving healthcare delivery in underserved regions through the design of sustainable, accessible, and adaptable healthcare facilities. It explores how …

Designing Ai For Wellbeing, Emily Corrigan-Kavanagh

DRS Summer Meetings

No abstract provided.

Design Knowledge, Paul Hekkert

DRS Summer Meetings

No abstract provided.

Augmented Reality In Fashion Retail: A Walmart Unlimited Study, Chloe A. Mcpherson

Apparel Merchandising and Product Development Undergraduate Honors Theses

As technology continues to evolve, augmented reality (AR) has become increasingly common within the retail and fashion industries. This study explored Gen Z consumers’ perceptions of immersive AR shopping experiences through Walmart Unlimited, an interactive digital shopping platform. The purpose of this research was to better understand how younger consumers respond to AR-enhanced shopping environments and whether these technologies influence attitudes toward convenience, engagement, and sustainability in retail.

A quantitative research design was used for this study. Participants completed the Walmart Unlimited shopping experience and then responded to a Qualtrics survey measuring areas such as immersion, satisfaction, ease of use, …

Pixels And Presence: Celebrating 3d Animation And Miniature Model Construction Through Public Exhibition, Robert Pierce

Master of Fine Arts in Digital Media Culminating Experience

Contemporary artists are increasingly expected to expand beyond conventional presentation methods. Through documentation and public exhibition, Pixels and Presence celebrates the artistry of three-dimensional (3D) animation and miniature model creation. This culminating experience document delves into both types of media, through eight supporting works, and challenges their integration through the primary, mixed-media project The Haunted Room. All artworks are included in a curated exhibition, and the development of the gallery display is also documented. The central work combines physical and digital spaces through the use of modern technology, the classic illusion of Pepper’s ghost, and a miniature room environment. With …

Making As A Method For Knowledge Production, Nithikul Nimkulrat, Camilla Groth

DRS Summer Meetings

No abstract provided.

The Reality Of Aging In Rural Kenya, Kim Van Drunen

Interior Design Capstones

Kenya’s elderly population is growing, but access to professional eldercare is still limited, especially in rural areas. Most retirement homes and care facilities are in urban centers, leaving many rural communities without reliable support for older adults. This capstone project focuses on designing an Outreach Center for Elder Support in rural Kenya to improve access to healthcare, community services, and social activities. The goal of this project is to create a safe, comfortable, and easy-to-use environment for older adults. The design uses human-centered principles with clear layouts, wide circulation paths, accessible restrooms, and comfortable seating. Spaces such as waiting areas, …

Redesigning The Welcome, Lauren Ogrin

Interior Design Capstones

Airports serve as the first and last impression of a city, yet they are often remembered by stress, sensory overload, and a lack of cultural representation. This project explores how storytelling can be intentionally integrated into airport design to improve the overall human experience and create a more meaningful sense of welcome. Through the frameworks of user-centered inquiry, phenomenology, and narrative design, this research examines how materials, spatial sequences, sensory cues, and cultural narratives can influence traveler emotions, cognitive clarity, and feelings of belonging. By understanding how people move through and interpret transitional public spaces, this project proposes design strategies …

Weathered, Haylee A. Dyess

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Weathered focuses on themes of change, accumulation, time, and acceptance. Each artwork holds layers of information and experiences that form a unique narrative for all its viewers. The construction of each piece is a symbol of the physical ability it takes to create each painting. After my mobility was hindered due to my medical conditions, a new appreciation for physical health and the world I live in was gained. Striving to pack this sense of appreciation into my work, my method became a way for me to cope with my illness and to enjoy being creative, freely.

My art is …

Made From My Rules, Samaira Snow '26

A Midwestern Review: A Magazine of the Arts and Issues at DePauw University

Samaira Snow is a senior at DePauw University where she will graduate in May 2026 with double majors in Studio Art and Art History and a minor in Education Studies. Her work is often inspired by procedural efforts and plays with the relationship of layering and texture. She has started to participate in exhibitions.

Untitled, Kisa Tamai '26

A Midwestern Review: A Magazine of the Arts and Issues at DePauw University

Kisa Tamai is a Communication and Global Health double major at DePauw University. She enjoys traveling and capturing memories in photographs.

Developing And Mobilizing A Ttrpg Experience: Season D6, Jacob Woodrow Horne

Master of Fine Arts in Digital Media Culminating Experience

Season D6 is a game that will be developed as an attempt to refine certain issues seen in popular games. These shared problems include allowing players to become self-sufficient in a way that clashes with a team-based mindset, and a lack of flexibility and accidental antagonism placed upon the storyteller. To remedy these issues, Season D6 will break up the statistics that players use to calculate their in-game abilities into three separate groups, employ an experience system used to purchase abilities at a controlled, exponential rate and to calculate encounters, and uses a “Dabble” system intended to specify the roles …

An Introduction To East Asian Art: Tour Guide #3, The Year 1591, Victoria Weston

OER Textbooks

Please Note: This tour guide is the third in Victoria Weston's An Introduction to East Asian Art in Three Journeys. To access the full book, visit https://scholarworks.umb.edu/oer_textbooks/3/

For the remaining sections, visit:

Guide Part 1: https://scholarworks.umb.edu/oer_textbooks/4/

Guide Part 2: https://scholarworks.umb.edu/oer_textbooks/5/ This book is an introduction to important art forms practiced in China, the Korean peninsula, and Japan. It is in no way an encyclopedic treatment of the art histories of East Asia. Rather, it is a textbook for a single semester course. Each section is devoted to one year in time and framed by historical factors that naturally encourage comparative …

An Introduction To East Asian Art: Tour Guide #2, The Year 1230, Victoria Weston

OER Textbooks

Please Note: This is the second of three tour guides connected to Victoria Weston's Introduction to East Asian Art. For the full guidebook, visit https://scholarworks.umb.edu/oer_textbooks/3/

The remaining sections can be found at these links:

Guide Part 1: https://scholarworks.umb.edu/oer_textbooks/4/

Guide Part 3: https://scholarworks.umb.edu/oer_textbooks/6/

This book is an introduction to important art forms practiced in China, the Korean peninsula, and Japan. It is in no way an encyclopedic treatment of the art histories of East Asia. Rather, it is a textbook for a single semester course. Each section is devoted to one year in time and framed by historical factors that naturally …

An Introduction To East Asian Art In Three Journeys, Victoria Weston

OER Textbooks

Please Note: This is the full version of this record. For individual tour guides, visit the following links:

Guide Part 1: https://scholarworks.umb.edu/oer_textbooks/4/ Guide Part 2: https://scholarworks.umb.edu/oer_textbooks/5/ Guide Part 3: https://scholarworks.umb.edu/oer_textbooks/6/

This book is an introduction to important art forms practiced in China, the Korean peninsula, and Japan. It is in no way an encyclopedic treatment of the art histories of East Asia. Rather, it is a textbook for a single semester course. Each section is devoted to one year in time and framed by historical factors that naturally encourage comparative analysis. Students learn methods of visual analysis while also exploring …

An Introduction To East Asian Art: Tour Guide #1, The Year 748, Victoria Weston

OER Textbooks

Please Note: This book is chapter one of Victoria Weston's Introduction to East Asian Art in Three Journeys, which can be found in full at https://scholarworks.umb.edu/oer_textbooks/3/

For the remaining chapters, visit:

Guide Part 2: https://scholarworks.umb.edu/oer_textbooks/5/

Guide Part 3: https://scholarworks.umb.edu/oer_textbooks/6/

This book is an introduction to important art forms practiced in China, the Korean peninsula, and Japan. It is in no way an encyclopedic treatment of the art histories of East Asia. Rather, it is a textbook for a single semester course. Each section is devoted to one year in time and framed by historical factors that naturally encourage comparative analysis. …