Running from Jan. 23 until Feb. 10, the exhibition showcases CHROMA displays the work of senior digital media & design students from their time at BW at the Fawick Art Gallery in Kleist Center for Art & Drama. The closing reception will take place on Feb. 10. 

Since the beginning of the academic year, the students – John Tarolla, Skylar Sakonyi, Oliver Savel, Matthew Morales, Jackie Kasai, Jaden Trivisonno, Brandon Hrnja, Lexi Prokopius, Courtney Carruthers, Lucy Cummins and Sandra Maciak – have been working in their portfolio review class to prepare for the showcase. (Disclosure: Morales is a layout and design editor for The Exponent.) 

“All of the students put in a lot of hard work,” Kasai said. “It’s an accumulation of [everything] we’ve worked on since coming to BW.” 

Through their years at BW, the students have touched all areas of graphic design including layout design, brand development, typography and many other subjects.  

Each year since 2016, the program has put on an exhibition for their seniors. For 2023, the students decided on a theme based around the concept of chroma, which the students learned about in their courses, according to Erica Lull, an assistant professor in the art and studio department and the digital media coordinator of CHROMA.  

“Chroma is a quality of color combining hue and saturation,” Lull said. “It’s something the students learn in their color theory class.” 

With this accumulation of knowledge and pieces they have created, the seniors were able to develop their brand as creators. Sakonyi said she was given the opportunity to work for the Digital Marketing Center on campus, as well as the Hive Design Group. 

“Graphic design is something that we’re surrounded by every day,” Sakonyi said. “You don’t realize how much it affects the way we view things until you see these pieces individually.” 

Working with their fellow classmates has increased this appreciation for the artform. Multiple students expressed enthusiasm for an outside-the-box project created by Brandon Hrnja, a senior in CHROMA, who overlayed a design onto a skateboard. 

“[It] was separate from curriculum design,” Kasai said, “I think it’s really cool that they are bringing different [pieces] into the show.” 

The seniors have also used CHROMA as an outlet to display personal connections with their art.  

Courtney Carruthers, a participant in the CHROMA design show, said that her favorite piece of hers being exhibited was a mockup design for BOWWOW dog packaging.  Carruthers said that creating this logo was very important to her, as it depicted her dog who passed away in 2021. 

All the pieces mentioned will be available for viewing at the Feb. 10 closing reception. Business cards, resumes, job materials and self-promoting materials will be handed out to anyone in attendance.