Features Editor

Just before it’s time to put on the mortar board and take that big step out into the real world, senior art majors at Troy State University put their talents on exhibit for all the world to see and enjoy.

"Well, maybe not the whole world," the students said, laughing. "But, we do hope a lot of people will come to our Senior Thesis Exhibition because we have put a lot of hard work and a lot of ourselves into it."

The exhibition will be at TSU’s Malone Gallery Dec. 3 – 14 and the public is invited. The public is also also invited to an artists’ reception from noon until 2 p.m Dec. 14.

The exhibition will be a mixed media show, with each student exhibiting works from their areas of concentration, including oil painting, sculpture, graphic design and photography.

Four of the students are permanent residents of Troy and will proudly display their work before home folks.

Jessica Little of Troy said all of the students have been impressed and influenced by their art professors at TSU.

"I’m sure that all of us have pulled ideas from our teachers into our own work," she said. "Seeing their work on exhibit has been a positive and learning experience for us – and very interesting."

The students hope visitors to their Senior Thesis Exhibition will find their work equally interesting – "and enjoyable."

Little’s area of concentration is photography. She is unsure exactly how her education will be put into practice in the immediate future. Her immediate plans include getting married and following her husband wherever the military sends him."

Having a dad who is the publisher of an outdoor magazine provides Jenifer Griffin Lee with many opportunities for "work."

Lee’s area of concentration is outdoor photography and her photographs often appear in "Bow Rod and Gun" (BRAG) magazine.

Amanda Porter lives in Troy with her husband, James, who is a business major at TSU.

Her senior thesis is titled, "When I’m in His Presence: Seven Portraits of Holy Rollers."

"This project deals with spiritual enlightenment, focusing primarily on my experience with the Pentecostal faith," Porter said. "Oil portraits of believers, who have led, inspired and encouraged me are feature as my presentation."

Seven oil portraits make up Porter’s series, including a self-portrait.

Trojan Debra Smith McVay’s original major was art education, but she changed to studio art spring semester.

"My contribution to the Senior Thesis Exhibition is six boxes filled with my memories of people and things that I love," she said.

Lana Lolley’s area of concentration is studio photography, but she also has a strong interest in graphic design.

The title of her exhibit is "Expressions" and the title is "self-explanatory."

"I use photography to define those moments that capture a person’s personality, the Samson native said. "One day I would like to have a studio of my own and concentrated on portrait photography."

Computer graphics is Laura Peterson’s main area of interest in art. Already she has a job waiting for her at home in Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.

"It’s with a small graphics design company, but it will give me work experience while I’m looking for something with a larger company," she said.

Quinton McCaster has been working with a small printing company in his hometown of Greenville for the last two semesters and has gained practical experience in graphic design.

"My Senior Thesis project is on sports logos," he said.

"I focused on redesigning the Troy State University logo as part of my project."

The TSU Senior Thesis Exhibition will be a varied show highlighting the talents and creativity of seven promising artists. The public is encouraged to support these graduating seniors by attending the exhibition and the reception in their honor.