Selected Works of Studio Art Students

There were five Studio Art majors in the class of 2005; below are some of their works, as seen in the Senior Exhibition at the Pomona College Museum of Art.

Khristina Bonham
Dylan Borgman
Toby Branz
Catherine Frakes
Shannon Scovell

Click thumbnails to see high-resolution images.

Khristina Bonham

"The most important principle of biology is that structure follows function. Organisms evolve to fulfill their needs in the most efficient way possible. Evolution occurs in response to outside stimuli: from other organisms, and from the surrounding environment. Structure is not based on aesthetics but rather necessity for survival. Nonetheless, what becomes is beautiful in its complexity. Even those things that are not alive are affected by life and the environment; the power of a wave smoothing a rock, that same rock becoming the home for algae. In my art, I try to express the beauty I see in the life around me. Focusing on patterns and structures of organic forms, I look closely at the details people are too busy to notice and make them hard to ignore."

Dylan Borgman

"Laughter is defined as the biological reaction of humans to moments or occasions of humor; an outward expression of amusement. 'The relaxation of tension we feel after laughing may help inhibit the fight-or-flight response, making laughter a behavioral sign of trusting one's companions,' [wikipedia.com]. Studies show that it helps humans clarify their intentions in social settings. It also provides emotional content to our conversations. Laughter permeates our culture from our social dynamics to political theory to the corporate entertainment systems of our global market. In an anthropological sense, it is believed that is a signal for being part of a group, indicating acceptance and positive interactions. But laughter also indicates ridicule. Our communities encourage laughter but often find it inappropriate. More people excessively fear laughter than those who excessively fear death. Laughter can indicate hated and malice. Excessive laughter is a major symptom of psychological disorders including dementia and hysteria."

Toby Branz

"Attaining visual literacy is an essential element to being a fully thinking, concious person. Through drawing, I develop a visual sensibility that allows me to critically assess the imagery I encounter every day. I draw to live more fully.

"Language and words take up significant space in my mental landscape. I am obsessed with the presence and manipulation of words and letters and their meanings. These drawings arose from that fascination. They are about listening, conversation, inspection, and intimacy. I am intrigued by both the activity of mark-making and the results of this process. This translation of my thought and experience into words, marks, collections, and systems on paper always brings me back to drawing."

Catherine Frakes

"When we display ourselves, it's unavoidable that our interpretation will not be universally shared. How can we reconcile this schism with the empowerment we gain from controlling our own images? I'm concerned about the cheap titillation our actions create, titllation we allow ourselves to perform because—in our minds—we are also aware of our own bodies and their power. Exploitation—when done with our own hands—can be manipulated into empowerment, and even praised as such.

"The complacency with which we are willing to mortify ourselves with this deception—as a result of our culturally encouraged self-awareness—makes me think we've been resting on our dubious laurels for far too long. This apparent holding pattern is in fact a backslide.

"The glib proclamation that 'we can own the world—who said we couldn't' might be true, but mightn't we—through our crudely forced self-confidence and grimly disguised insecurities—be disqualifying ourselves as well?"

Shannon Scovell

"These devices stem from the viewing connections of a gallery or museum space and have been used in the landscape to frame scenes as dictated by the user. The museum's stark white walls require a specific etiquette, a certain desired response, a displacement from the outside world; these objects challenge this construct. The materiality of each device assists the user and the viewer in establishing their position. An absurdity exists in using instrumentation to frame what could be captured with a camera. Though constructed to be portable, some of the devices require great efforts to move to a specific space, making the journey or trek a part of the experience. The act of viewing becomes a place and an instance when the viewer is aware of their location and point of view."

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