Art and Design Commons^™

The Unfolding Of Memory, Ali N. Downs

SPARK Symposium Presentations

The house if our first universe, a space where memory and contextual experience are formed. Within that house are rooms and within the rooms or specifically a room, a singular experience is born. The memory of a childhood bedroom is hazy and even discombobulated. Each crevice holds markings of what once was thus changing our perception of the physical space. It is with the current bias and the present mindset where this space is directly transformed. In this piece, memory and the physical space of a room are intertwined. The memory of experience and physicality translated into sculptural form through …

Belmont Literary Journal Launch Event, Jason J. Riley Iv, Audrey Blake, Darwin Canales, Claire Carrillo, Abigail Coe, James Derryberry, Istbra Elmi, Bevan Johnson, Ava Lange, Keira Naab, Bailey Passarelli, Ava Rowland, Leticia Schueth, Samuel Shepley, Margaret Simpkins, Owen Tarro

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Join the Belmont Literary Journal in celebrating the launch of their online publication! This presentation will include insights from the journal’s staff, selected readings from the poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction categories, refreshments, and time to connect with Belmont’s diverse creative community.

Designing Heritage Using Digital Fashion Tools, Nathan Chapman

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Sarah E. Andersen

This collection explores the strength of American women and the systems that attempt to define, contain, and judge them. Inspired by historical power dressing, feminist theory, and the fashion industry’s constructed ideals, the work confronts the Madonna–Whore complex and the policing of women’s bodies. Through American-grown cotton and heritage garment techniques, each look exposes tension between authority and vulnerability, modesty and desire. The final look contrasts the real woman with the dress form and exaggerated silhouette society demands, revealing the impossibility of meeting such standards. The collection reframes empowerment as visibility, resistance, and refusal.

Lily Brenner | …

From Flat To Form- Mid Armhole & Waist Dart, Ivanna M. Graves Ms

SPARK Symposium Presentations

The purpose of this garment project is to distribute part of the waist dart intake of a basic front bodice block to create the armhole dart. This is achieved using the slashing technique, where the waist dart is cut to the bust point and part of the intake is transferred to the armhole. The vintage-style collar complements the bodice, while the pleats add structure and visual interest to the skirt.

From Flat To Form, Madeline N. Henderson

SPARK Symposium Presentations

This dress design features a halter neckline with both side and neckline darts, creating a structured and well-fitted bodice. The pattern is developed using the Slashing technique, in which the waist dart of the basic bodice is transferred to the side and neckline by closing the original dart. The skirt is further enhanced with safety pins placed along the sides as a design embellishment. This combination of technical construction and bold detailing creates a cohesive garment that balances structure with an edgy aesthetic.

Bemerge Pop Ups: Social Media Meets Sustainable Fashion, Owen Mehring, Kyla Echols, Avery Edelbrock

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Our research into the online clothing shopping industry has revealed an opportunity to mobilize the strengths of online shopping to build an in-person community. One company we researched, Poshmark, a social, peer-to-peer resale app, uses the strengths of social media to create an online community-based secondhand clothing market. However, one of the largest problems facing society today is the ease of replacing human connection with screen time in today’s world. Online shopping provides convenience, variety, and a larger reach than traditional stores do. However, the human element is often lost. Our company seeks to take the goal of Poshmark to …

Bio-Based Textiles: From Waste To Runway, Leah L. Mella Mrs., Laziza S. Shamansurova, Kory Lynn Abramowitz Ms

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Have you ever wondered what it’s like wearing fabric made from orange peels? What about mushrooms? Sustainable bio textiles are defined as “a broad category of fabrics made from renewable, natural biomass—including plants, animals, algae, or bacteria.” The purpose of this study is to explore various bio based textiles such as orange peel fabric, algae fabric, and bacterial cellulose fabric. Given that the world is currently experiencing a severe climate crisis driven by pollution and carbon emissions, we need sustainable solutions now more than ever. To prevent further damage to our planet, we need to adopt more sustainable practices, and …

Circular Textiles: How You Can Bamboo It, Corley Ballard, Sophie Ellyson, Hannah Berg, Brennan Werner

SPARK Symposium Presentations

“Circular Fashion” and “sustainability” are loosely thrown around in today’s culture, both online and in-person, but circular fashion goes far beyond common sustainability practices. It is a completely waste-free, closed-loop system of textile production and manufacturing. This presentation will focus on circular fashion, a system of reusing and recycling textiles to eliminate waste. We will take a look at its place in the fashion industry and how it interacts within the world of textile production, and give clarity on what we can do about it. We are exploring sustainability, manufacturing, and the processes by which fibers are recycled or blended. …

From Flat To Form- Shoulder Cluster Darts, Lauryn White

SPARK Symposium Presentations

This design explores the transformation of a basic bodice by relocating the waist dart to the shoulder to create a clustered effect of three smaller darts. The method used to achieve this is the slashing technique, which allows for controlled redistribution of dart intake. By closing the original waist dart, three evenly distributed darts are opened at the shoulder. This approach enhances both the visual interest and structural design of the garment.

From Flat To Form-Asymmetric Curved Darts, Corley Ballard

SPARK Symposium Presentations

This project explores the creation of symmetrical curved darts through pattern manipulation. Using a basic bodice block, the Slashing method is applied to transform traditional darts into fluid, curved lines that contour the body. The design extends into a flared skirt, where waist darts are closed using the same technique to introduce volume and movement, resulting in a cohesive and balanced silhouette.

From Flat To Form- Cowl Neck, Sophie Ellyson

SPARK Symposium Presentations

This cowl neck design showcases the art of dart manipulation and how it can transform one pattern into another. The project began with a basic bodice block and skirt pattern, which are developed into an asymmetrical drop-waist dress. The bodice darts adjusted using the Slashing method and re-traced at half scale, resulting in a cowl neckline with two pleats and a dart. The bodice is then extended to achieve the desired length and asymmetrical dropped waistline. The skirt was developed through draping and hand-pleated to create the intended effect. The addition of 3D flowers along the waistline and scattered throughout …

Equine Adaptability In Fashion Design Studio Ii And Advanced Fashion Technologies, Shannon M. North, Andie Day, Margo Dobbs, Charlie Turner, Mary Cerroni, Kaylee Chisholm, Trisha Metcalf, Ashlee Elliott, Emily Guerry

SPARK Symposium Presentations

The fashion department of O’More College of Architecture and Design at Belmont University partnered with Saddle Up! to create meaningful connections for the students enrolled in both programs. Saddle Up! provides opportunities for youth with disabilities to grow and develop through therapeutic, educational, and recreational experiences with horses. These equestrian students were paired with O’More fashion students to design and produce a customized riding uniform. The opportunity provided an experience for the fashion student to create adaptive garments for someone with special needs.

The design process merged traditional methods of flat pattern drafting and draping together with advanced digital technologies. …

The Cybernetic Unconscious, Samuel Davenport

SPARK Symposium Presentations

The internet is the most perfect incarnation of a process that has repeated across centuries and networks. In the mind, we call it psychosis, in society, we call it religion, and on the internet, it is becoming the singularity. My comic, ELDERNET,
is a cyberweird analysis and critique of the internet as the collective locus of the unconscious. Drawing inspiration from media from French post-structuralist philosophy to 1920s Weird Fiction, I reveal the representations of horror within the automatic network.

Cornelia Fort Airpark, Ava L. Zindel

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Cornelia Fort Airpark is an abandoned private airport that has been turned into a festival space, park, and biking trail for the people of Nashville. The Airport operated from the 1940s to 2011 until it was deemed unusable after the Cumberland River flooded Nashville in 2010. The park now hosts the Cornelia Fort Pickin' Party every summer, a community event featuring folk artists, craft beer, and local vendors. It is named after the first female pilot to die on duty in WWII, Cornelia Fort. She grew up in Tennessee, and the airpark was built in the 1940s, not far from …

The Devil Wears Prada Historical Fashion History Project, Gioia Solano, Caroline Hardy

SPARK Symposium Presentations

The Devil Wears Prada (2006), directed by David Frankel, serves as a rich visual case study of early 21st-century fashion. Set in New York City, the film follows recent college graduate Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway), who lands a job at the prestigious fashion magazine Runway, working under its powerful and demanding editor-in-chief, Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep). The film captures the fast-paced, image-driven fashion industry of the mid-2000s, reflecting broader cultural themes of ambition, conformity, and identity.

The soundtrack—featuring artists like Madonna and U2—complements the vibrant energy of the fashion world during a time of globalization and mass consumption. Stylistically, …

The Fashion Of "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes", Chloe A. Claudel

SPARK Symposium Presentations

For my historical movie analysis, I chose to study Gentlemen Prefer Blondes because I wanted to understand Marilyn Monroe’s impact beyond fashion and glamour. This film is more than a showcase of 1950s style it’s a cultural statement that challenged societal norms. Through my analysis of the movie I found that by embodying both beauty and intelligence, Monroe redefined femininity, proving that ambition and allure could coexist. Through this analysis, I further explored how her influence in fashion and media not only shaped trends but also contributed to greater freedoms for women today.

Art Therapy: An Alternative Solution For Veterans Suffering From Trauma And Ptsd, Trisha Metcalf

SPARK Symposium Presentations

This project aims to explore artistic solutions to the psychological problems veterans face with re-entering society after serving time with the U.S. military. Art is one-way veterans can explore creative outlets for their trauma and through working with CreatiVets, they will be able to have a safe space to express themselves. CreatiVets is a non-profit specializing in art-based programs to help veterans deal with trauma. They already have programs that feature painting, sculpting and songwriting. A sewing program will be introduced into the organization so veterans will be able to express themselves through fiber arts. The sewing class will be …

Space Odyssey Mobile App And Board Game For Vaping And Smoking, Brittany J. Baker

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Brittany Baker

Belmont University

March 29, 2025

Abstract

Space Odyssey is a creative initiative designed to reduce the stigma around vaping and smoking while raising awareness of their risks and healthier alternatives. Due to negative judgment, open conversations about vaping and smoking are often avoided, leading to a lack of education and awareness. To address this, Space Odyssey combines a social mobile app and an interactive board game. The app offers a safe digital space for education and discussion, while the board game encourages social interaction and community dialogue. By blending technology with personal connection, Space Odyssey aims to empower …

History Of Fashion: Politics And War, Anneke Mn Van Wijk, Carolina Garcia Francisco, Simon Hamrick

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Fashion has and always will reflect the changes in society, and it is fascinating to learn what politics and war have done to guide these changes. The zeitgeist of the time as reflected in politics and war have an impact on changes in styles, production of textiles, and apparel. This presentation describes historical times when fashion, politics, and war showed obvious connection.

The Rococo era was the time period just before the French revolution from the 1730s to the 1760s. This era is defined by distinctive styles of art and fashion which were heavily influenced by the wealthy nobility at …

Fashion And Technology: Interconnected Evolution, Impact, And Future Potential, Diana Paulet, Sarah E. Andersen, Keely Enriquez

SPARK Symposium Presentations

This paper explores the historical connection & influence between fashion and technology and its effects on design, production, and consumption. This line of research recognizes the historical aspect and development of technology in the fashion industry. Recognizing the central idea of how technology development can be interlinked with global issues such as pollution. Our review covers themes such as, the negative impacts of technology in fashion as well as the positive outcomes and the development of it. We aim to understand how the development of technology has transformed the fashion industry throughout history and how these issues can be potentially …

An Experimental Investigation Into The Influence Of Colored Lighting On Perceived Spatial Impressions, Heejin Lee, Eunsil Lee

Funded Scholarship

The present study investigates the psychological impact of lighting color on spatial impressions within indoor settings, drawing on Mehrabian and Russell’s PAD model. The purpose of this study is to explore potential variations in spatial impressions, encompassing affectivity, tranquility, and thermality, across six different lighting colors (i.e., red, green, blue, yellow, orange, and purple). A controlled laboratory experiment was conducted with 101 participants, utilizing a color-changing LED lighting fixture to expose participants to actual lighting conditions rather than simulated images. The findings revealed significant differences in spatial impressions among the six lighting colors, indicating that the choice of lighting color …

“Making The Bed”: Challenging Ideologies Of Ownership, Nonlocality, And Romanticism In The Age Of The Anthropocene, Ainsley P. Foster

[Archive] Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

The current Age of the Anthropocene marks a recent and rapid transition into a period in climate history that is notably defined by human impact. Modern Western sentiments of grief, frustration, and romanticism as a result of the interplay between domestic and corporate spaces seem to culminate in an overall attitude of apathy and acceptance of the Age of the Anthropocene. Various art forms collaborate to create the current conversation of the causatory and reactionary relationship that humans have with the Anthropocene, offering interpretations of how individuals and corporations view ownership of and responsibilities to the environment. There is a …

The Art Of Engaging The Public: The Effect Of The Arts On Civic Engagement, Kathryn Fraley

[Archive] Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

No abstract provided.

Photography, Architecture, And Environment: An Architectural Analysis Of Edward Ruscha’S 26 Gasoline Stations, Rebecca Tonguis

[Archive] Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

This presentation explores Edward Ruscha’s photobook 26 Gasoline Stations through an architectural lens. Specifically, it treats Ruscha’s work as historic evidence of how consumption, industry, and commodity have infiltrated all kinds of environmental contexts through architectural manifestations. Known for being the first artist’s book, 26 Gasoline Stations ambiguously exists as both fine art and documentation of everyday conditions, with the overall graphic character highlighting its perceived focus on overarching narrative. Since gasoline stations are the primary subject of each of the 26 photographs, the subject of this work is arguably architecture, suggesting that the historic relationship between mass gas consumption—or …

"What Is, As Is", Raymarah Watson-Cunningham

[Archive] Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

what is, as is

“I have always wrapped myself in this gentle embrace,

A letting go that makes a hostage out of rage from what I cannot change.

A recognition of what is, as is.

A struggle to release, a vengeful peace.

I have found it so,

A balm for wounds, a way to grow.

To learn and move, leading a life to prove.”

— Raymarah Watson-Cunningham

This essay examines the concept of Blackness in the sublime through an interdisciplinary analysis of contemporary art and critical theory. Drawing on insights from artists such as Jordan Casteel, Jennifer Packer, and Kehinde …

Japanese Fashion Legacies, Emily C. Guerry, Patricia B. Metcalf

[Archive] Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

Exploration of Japan's contributions to fashion is highlighted in our research presentation. Silhouettes, textiles, and accessories that originated in ancient Japanese culture are analyzed throughout their evolution. From these findings, a 10-piece capsule collection was made to bring these ideas further into the modern day. We displayed them from traditional to modern to highlight this evolution through the culture. Popular garments such as the Kimono were used as inspiration for details such as thick belts, ties, and wrap-style shirts. Additionally, the textile stitching technique, Sashiko, is a main source of inspiration in the collection. Sashiko started as a mending technique …

Behind The Lens, Jolie M. Adams Miss

[Archive] Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

What Fuels Me as a Photographer?

Many photographers don’t realize their ability and opportunity to give back and make a difference. I believe photography extends beyond taking a series of photographs. For me, it is my way of serving others, connecting with people, and sharing their stories. I believe photography is a powerful tool to inspire change in communities—especially in those that are underserved. Photos are visual statements of humanity: an abstract of our failures, ignorance, arrogance, compassion, resilience, progress, and so much more. I want my photography to go beyond a small circle of influence. All of us have …

Notorious: John Singer Sargent's Madame X, Frankie M. Smith

SPARK Symposium Presentations

The meaning and controversy behind John Singer Sargent's Madame X painting.

Presenting And Curating Contemporary Installation Art; The Work Of Cornelia Parker And Céline Condorelli, Bridget Curtis

Bachelor of Fine Arts Theses

The popular sentiment in curation among contemporary British art institutions has emphasized the attempt to reconcile with the divide between public art and art presented in institutions. The globalization of Britain in contemporary times has led to the wide dissemination of shows curated by British institutions. The location artwork is exhibited can change the reception and interaction with the work. Artists who use their work as a means of activism can benefit from the perception of a global audience. The question arises as to how impactful activism art can be when exhibited within the contemporary institution versus when it is …

Adaptive Reuse Of Frosty Morn, Veronika Kalugina, Rebecca Tonguis, Heidi Gabriel, Peyton Kauffman

[Archive] Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

Frosty Morn, a former meat packing facility in Clarksville, TN, is now abandoned, dilapidated, and partially demolished. The site sits within the Red River District neighborhood, which consists of a diverse community of artists. The Red River District has been identified by the Clarksville Mayor’s Office as an area with potential for growth, catalyzed by repurposing the Frosty Morn building as an icon and beacon of the community. Highest and best use research, in addition to community voices, indicated programmatic needs of a farmer’s market, makerspaces, small business incubators, park space, and live/work units. Our presentation will describe how this …