Artist Talk and Closing Reception on Saturday, May 4th, from 2-4pm.

Hera Gallery is proud to present Make - Shift - Move, an exhibition featuring the work of fifteen Senior Seminar students from the University of Rhode Island Department of Fine Art and Art History. Make-Shift-Move unveils a dynamic array of artwork born amidst the chaos of creating in a new environment, as URI’s Senior Seminar students adapted to their new artistic surroundings. Confronted with the challenges of creating amid the confines of a temporary building while the Fine Arts center is being renovated, the students navigated through a whirlwind of challenges and opportunities.

In this environment, where chaos and creation collided, students used this energy of disorder to fuel their creative processes, resulting in diverse and vibrant artworks. This show is a culmination of each student’s experiences at URI and is a testament to their adaptability, tenacity, and artistic skill. Make-Shift-Move is showcased through a kaleidoscope of mediums that reflect the individual passions, talents, and dedication of each student.

Featured Artists: Alexander Amini, Betzy Cordon, Ashlee Cornicelli, Meghan Cullen, Lauren DeCesaris, Kayla Ebbeling, Emeril Estrella, Keira Gonsalves, Grace Horner, Isabelle LaBarbera, Angel Leiva, Araya Mckeon, Michael Miller-Sprafke, Kylee Rodrigues, and Corina Vidal

Alexander Amini

Betzy Cordon

My name is Betzy Cordon, and I am a Guatemalan-American artist born and raised in Rhode Island. Since childhood, I have found creating art enchanting - drawing characters or making furniture for my dolls. Now, my whimsical, imaginative art embraces and rekindles the joys of childlike wonder and imagination through vibrant and pastel hues. Influences in my "feminine" drawings, paintings, and digital illustrations are fairy tales, stories like Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and magical girl anime such as Pretty Cure. 

My passion for art persisted through high school, where I was a National Art Honors Society member. I am graduating from the University of Rhode Island (URI) in 2024 with a BFA in studio arts and a GPA of 3.9. One of my biggest goals that I aim to achieve after I graduate is illustrating a children's book.

Other than being exhibited in multiple Community College of Rhode Island Student exhibitions, my work was included in the 2024 Providence Art Club College Exhibition and featured in URI's Rhody Today's article "Providence Art Club showcases works of URI artists." In 2022, I was awarded the Jesse M. Simmons Memorial Scholarship in Art from URI's Department of Art and Art History. I’m excited to be included in the 2025 Young Networks RI Exhibition at the WaterFire Center in Providence.  

Artist Statement

My piece is a homage to the nonsensical, fantastical, and whimsical story in Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, a book I have loved dearly since childhood. My work celebrates this nearly 160-year-old story and is a projection of my adoration for the story and its impact on my life. Using a copy of the book as my canvas, I whimsically transform famous scenes, characters, and iconography, scattering them throughout my piece through mixed media. I replaced Alice with me, emphasizing the parallels between my life and the timeless classic. 

My approach interprets Lolita fashion subculture aesthetic. Having no ties to Vladimir Nabakov's novel aside from its name, Lolita fashion originates from Japan. It takes inspiration from Victorian clothing and styles from the Rococo period and often uses frilly, girly adornments within its overall appearance. The Lolita subculture strongly embraces feminist ideals of choice, self-empowerment, and autonomy, standing as a response against the harsh gender norms of society.

Through my piece, I hope to transport viewers down the rabbit hole into my version of Wonderland, reminding them to embrace their sense of childlike wonder and curiosity, no matter their age! 

Ashlee R. Cornicelli

My name is Ashlee R. Cornicelli, and I work in various mediums, including illustration, painting, and relief prints. Capturing the essence of life's small moments through the lens of color and gesture inspires me. 

My work has continually received recognition, including as the cover image for promotional media at the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) for their Student Art Show in 2022. After graduating from CCRI with High Honors in 2022, I continued my educational journey at the University of Rhode Island. I will graduate with a bachelor's in fine arts in the fall of 2024. 

I have consistently earned a place on the Dean's List at both CCRI and URI since 2020. 

Additionally, I have been honored to be a recipient of the Joint Admissions Agreement Award at URI, recognizing my dedication to academic and artistic pursuits. One of the highlights of my undergraduate journey has been engaging in collaborative research, culminating in receiving an Undergraduate Research Grant at URI. This project has allowed me to explore the intersection of art and community, creating a large collaborative painting that serves as a testament to the transformative power of collective creativity. 

Whether through vibrant landscapes or playful food imagery, my goal is to foster connections and provoke thought, inviting audiences to engage with the world in new and unexpected ways.

Artist Statement

Inspired by the kaleidoscope of my memories and experiences, I intertwine playful elements with familiar imagery to emanate joy and nostalgia through vibrant hues and delicious imagery, engaging viewers in a whimsical journey through the sensory delights of food and color. From the irresistible allure of ripe fruit to the comforting warmth of a toasted marshmallow, the series serves as a conduit for shared experiences and cherished moments. 

In a world characterized by chaos and uncertainty, I seek to cultivate moments of joy and reflection. By utilizing vibrant colors and food imagery, I inspire a sense of comfort to foster connections with audiences of all ages to savor the beauty of the present moment and revel in the simple pleasures that unite us all.

Meghan Cullen

Meghan Cullen is a Senior Psychology and Studio Art dual major and Theatre minor at the University of Rhode Island. She graduates Spring of 2024 and hopes to combine her love of both art and theater with her future studies in psychology and behavioral science in graduate school and beyond when she enters the workforce.

As Meghan grew up through the American school system with both ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and ASD (Austin Spectrum Disorders), she was severely bullied, while feeling in the limelight being behind her peers academically all while also being invisible due to her disabilities, a thing that’s been beyond her control. She has a love for both the fine and performing arts, though she initially found comfort up on stage and behind the scenes working with costumes in the theater first. She was introduced to ceramics her senior year of high school, though she was thoroughly introduced to the fine arts her second semester in college in a ceramics 1 class. Her love of the fine arts snowballed from that and hasn’t stopped.

With the different mediums she’s tried and the ones she fell in love with, her love of the fine arts grew. This was all in addition to her love of the theater, costume design, the performing arts in general, all coupled with her love of psychology and behavioral science, she’s found not only her passion, but her place in a world that’s been nothing but cruel.

Artist Statement

Growing up as a woman with disabilities in the American school system, wasn't the easiest thing. As a woman, I was never taken seriously, as I also have disabilities, it was worse. Being in the spotlight while seemingly not existing to others. I had to fight back harder and more often than others just to be seen. The American school system sucks. That's just the harsh truth. 

You take a picture of a classroom now and one from 150 years ago, nothing's changed. "No kid left behind," they say. Well, kids have been left and continue to be left behind. Fun fact, we're only 37 years from the Willowbrook State School from closing, which closed in September of 1987. If I had been born in the previous generation, there would've been a chance I could have ended up in an institution like Willowbrook.

People with disabilities are here, we aren't going anywhere. Though I may go out into the world with not a care for what others may think of me, I do ask to be treated with basic human decency. I'm tired and fed up with still having to fight back. I shouldn’t have to ask, but the unfortunate reality is that I do, so, I ask you, if you were in my shoes, you had to fight back harder and more often than others just to be seen, never mind taken seriously, constantly getting belittled and degraded by others, including immediate family, wouldn't you feel the same?

Lauren DeCesaris

I'm Lauren DeCesaris, a graphic designer, painter, and self-proclaimed sea slug artist extraordinaire who was born and raised in Rhode Island. Sea slugs have played an enormous role in my artistic development, pushing me to create them in various mediums such as paintings, plushies, embroidered pieces, digital illustrations (using Adobe Illustrator and Procreate), and so much more. The design of sea slugs fits perfectly into my style, which is round, colorful, cute, and bright! 

At eighteen, I won a Silver Key in a Scholastic Photo Contest. I then studied at the University of Tampa for graphic design. My work has been featured on the city of Tampa's Instagram account. I have done freelance work for various clients, creating digital assets for Twitch streams, and helping with branding. After transferring to the University of Rhode Island in 2022, I was awarded the David Ketner Award for my work as an outstanding Junior. 

Currently, I'm interning with PBS and The National Science Foundation as part of their BIAS project, focusing on creating vectorized digital assets. The BIAS project, simply put, is the creation of an online character creator for children to analyze how they view scientists. As the sole artist of the project, I create all the assets, including the base avatars and their accessories, graphically designing how the assessment will look. 

I plan to continue to combine my passion for sea slugs with my love of painting to create work that will make people feel just a little bit brighter when they look at them. 

Artist Statement

I have been obsessed with sea slugs for over six years, and my artistic path is strewn with them. These tiny, colorful creatures have inspired my love for all things bright, vibrant, cute, and weird alike, reflected in my artistic work throughout the years. I've drawn, painted, sculpted, laser-cut, photoshopped, and vectorized sea slug after sea slug, my obsession and artistic skill growing in tandem, allowing me to show off these otherworldly creatures. 

Sea slugs, also known as nudibranchs, are underwater sea snails that come in various vibrant colors and average one inch long. My painting is one of fantasy, blowing up these magnificently tiny creatures larger than life and placing six distinct sea slug species from around the world into the same space. 

The Okenia rosacea, the bubblegum pink sea slug, and the Flabellina iodinea, the fiery purple sea slug, are found near the west coast of North America. The Hypselodoris festiva, the long blue and yellow sea slug, and the Jorunna parva, the white and black slug, are from the coasts of Japan. The Chromodoris willani, the light blue and white sea slug, and the Nembrotha kubaryana, the neon green and dark blue sea slug, are from the Philippines. 

I hope the viewers will feel similar awe and wonder when they look at my piece, maybe even setting them on a path like me to becoming a sea slug fanatic.

Kayla Ebbeling

Kayla Ebbeling has been in the art world since she was extremely young. She loved arts and crafts projects and exploring nature as a child. Her grandmother, Vikki Ebbeling, has been an incredible baby doll artist for many years, greatly influencing her love of nature and art. Kayla grew up trying different types of media, such as clay, paper mâché, colored pencils, various types of painting, and more. In 9th grade, she transferred to Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter Public School, where she was introduced to even more artistic opportunities. From the Community College of Rhode Island, Kayla transferred to the University of Rhode Island, where, in the Spring of 2023, she was awarded the Calabro Sculpture Award. She will graduate in 2024 with a BFA in Studio Art. Kayla spends her free time with her family, making art, or volunteering for the Hotel for Homeless Dogs and the Save the Bay Organization.

Artist Statement

Cats vary in personalities, which is what I want to portray in this painting. Cats are often depicted as hating water. Rosey doesn't necessarily like water but enjoys being outside. The painting of my rat Hermes reveals that even small creatures can have personality. Smelling flowers gives him a human-like trait. 

My painting aims to eliminate or numb the stereotypes people may think of in terms of rats and cats. The goal is not to altogether remove these stereotypes but to help people view these creatures from a different and lighthearted perspective.

Emeril Estrella

Growing up in Providence, RI, art surrounded me, which sparked my love for creativity from early on. I found joy in immersing myself in video games, movies, and shows, drawn to the stories they told. This love for storytelling influences my digital paintings, where I aim to create vivid worlds with engaging narratives. I'm studying for a BFA in studio arts at the University of Rhode Island and will graduate in May 2024. I'm proud to have received the Soloviev Art Scholarship award for designing a poster for the university's new basketball practice facility. Exhibiting my artwork in URI's Juried Student Show and Providence Art Club's Juried College Exhibition have been exciting milestones in my artistic journey.

Artist Statement

Journey expresses my love for visual art and storytelling. A cosmic journey serves as a backdrop for the traveler's quest to find the perfect world to scatter the ashes of a cherished friend. The work weaves themes of exploration, loss, and the search for a meaningful resting place. It serves as my way of wishing I had created stories of friends and family who passed away before I had the chance. 

In this multimedia project, I draw inspiration from Syd Mead's futuristic vision and the sublime landscapes of 19th-century painters such as Thomas Cole and Albert Bierstadt. Through three interconnected paintings and accompanying audio, I narrate the odyssey of a space traveler exploring a desolate desert scape, a frozen moon, and an earth-like world that almost resembles home. 

Keira Gonsalves

I'm Keira Gonsalves, a college student from RI who is graduating with a Fine Arts degree from URI this upcoming May. I've been practicing artwork for nine years, primarily with pencil, charcoal, and acrylic paint. I come from an artistic family that has always inspired and influenced me. I am also deeply inspired by my first painting teacher, Solace, from Lionheart Studios. Like many others, I find art provides a way to dissect and visualize difficult emotions. My focus has been expressing pain and intense emotions related to the healing process, where the pleasure and pain of growth are simultaneous and overwhelming. I have always been drawn to figural work to capture this experience, using vibrant colors and compositions that suggest a serene experience of discomfort and isolation. I try to emphasize these conflicting emotions by contrasting beauty and grotesqueness. The colors and forms look familiar enough to identify with but are abstracted in a way that brings up feelings of alienation and confusion. 

Artist Statement

In this work, I delve into the intricate dynamics of control. Through the deliberate distortion and interplay of the three figures, I intend to underscore the fragility of control, evoking feelings of impermanence, fragmentation, and movement. Through this, I invite viewers to contemplate the tension between holding on and surrendering when confronted with unpredictability and imbalance. 

This tension transforms the figure with the fusion of contrasting techniques, blending clean-cut graphic qualities with looser paint strokes. This juxtaposition mirrors the complexity of control itself, where the rigid lines symbolize our attempts to maintain order. At the same time, the organic, sketched figures convey movement and the fleeting nature of our perceived order. By merging graphic precision with expressive paint techniques and the additional unevenness of the two canvases and the space between them, there is an area of tension and uncertainty, an opportunity for the viewer to assess and meditate on feelings of discomfort that may come from a more straightforward depiction of something unbalanced and in a sense unstable. The painting prompts viewers to reflect on their relationship with control, change, and the complex interplay between the two, ultimately shaping our existence.

Grace Horner

When I changed my major from Kinesiology to Fine Arts, I continued my fascination with the human body. My portfolio consists of photorealistic portraits created with graphite and charcoal. Using the human form and expression to convey aspects of the human experience, I want my drawings to transcend realism and offer something a camera cannot.

I have exhibited my work at the Providence Art Club and the Hera Gallery in Rhode Island. After graduating in May 2024, I plan to build my portfolio while working in the field and gaining experience both as an artist and a person. Eventually, I hope to return to school for an MFA.

Artist Statement

Professional, social, and romantic relationships rely on communication; many experts believe that only 10-30% of this communication is verbal. My five-year-old nephew, Julius, was diagnosed with Autism at four and is nonverbal. Though it may not always be with words, he constantly communicates with us. Every expression, sound, or action gives a glimpse into his mind's spectacularly complex inner workings. I want my drawings to represent the duality of Autism as a disorder. The inability to articulate thoughts, feelings, and opinions can sometimes make it hard to foster social relationships, but those who get the chance to see the astounding intelligence and wild personality that radiate from him are privileged. 

Isabelle LaBarbera

My name is Isabelle LaBarbera, and I am an artist based in Rhode Island. My paintings and illustrations observe life's quieter cycles of grief and joy. My work has evolved into a cathartic outlet to express my doubts and anxieties, deep-rooted in human emotions and the environment and elements around me. 

I have exhibited my work in the Emerging Artist Invitational and Anything Goes at the Wickford Art Association, and student shows at the Community College of Rhode Island and the University of Rhode Island. With fellow student Ashlee Cornicelli, we received an Undergraduate Research Grant titled "Exploring the Intersection of Anxiety and Community." I also received the College of Arts and Sciences Winifred E. Brownell Fine Arts Endowment Scholarship and am currently an intern at the Hera Gallery in Wakefield. In the future, I hope to further my graphic design and digital art skills while continuing to paint. 

Artist Statement 

"Time has changed the metaphor, now dust is not the origin of bone. Little girl, don't let them sell you any armor, all your ribs are still your own." - Lyrics by the Indie band The Crane Wives

My paintings and drawings are quiet musings on death and the beauty in succumbing to nature. The twisted and convoluted imagery in fairytales and folklore reflects the confusing thoughts and anxieties I often experience - my art attempts to understand myself, others, and how they know me. 

In this work, blooming bones and intricate patterns weave together to create a world that reflects being overwhelmed and overburdened with my feelings. My canvas becomes a garden littered with bits of loved ones and animals long gone, not openly gruesome but quietly unsettling. 

Angel Leiva

Born and raised in Rhode Island, Chilean-American Angel Leiva has always been interested in digital illustration, photography, and painting. His larger artistic family has influenced and inspired him. Some of his family are professionals who have worked in comics, movies, animation, and illustration. His work showcases an abstract and straightforward style. 

Angel has dealt with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and anxiety throughout his life. Angel's work stems from his personal experiences, allowing the viewer to better understand and empathize with mental health struggles. He draws on his experiences, turning what is considered a weakness into a strength, making this topic part of his artwork. His goal is to create spaces for deeper discussions on mental health.

Artist Statement

I have always struggled with ADHD (Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and anxiety. Through my work, I want to portray both the positive and negative sides of struggling with these conditions and how they affect me daily. I am passionate about destigmatizing mental health, spreading awareness on this sensitive topic, and creating a dialog with my audience. 

Araya McKeon

Hello! My name is Araya McKeon. I am a Thai-American illustrator based in Rhode Island. In 2024, I will graduate from the University of Rhode Island (URI) with a BFA in Studio Art and a minor in Classical Studies. My work has been featured in group exhibitions at the Providence Art Club, Warwick Center of the Arts, and the URI Annual Juried Student Show.

I enjoy creating vibrant scenes of dynamic characters, capturing the fleeting moments of everyday existence, and portraying them both fantastically and outlandishly. The world is full of diverse and interesting experiences, and I hope to share my perspective through my work.

Outside of art, I love all things related to history. I can go on far too long discussing Ancient Greek plays and all their subcontext. There is always more to learn about the world, and I’ll happily seek them out.

Artist Statement

"Call me a she-lion then, if you like…For I have touched your heart in the vital spot."

(Euripides Medea, ln. 1358-1360 Kovacs).

I look back at the classical Athenian tragedy, particularly at Euripides's Medea, whose play cemented the character Medea as the murderer of her children in popular myth. I was fascinated while studying the story due to how well it holds up when looked at through a modern lens. Euripides differed from previous tragedians at the time by portraying characters as multifaceted beings who question the viewer, known in particular for his portrayal of women and their role within society. Despite the hideous deed she commits, Euripides chooses to humanize Medea, showcasing the complexity of a foreign woman in Greece who is left with nothing when her husband casts her aside. Looking to the past really shows the timelessness of human experience.

Utilizing the vibrant range of colors achievable through a RISO printer, I portray Medea at both her lowest and highest points: the beginning of the play, where the woman has learned not only of her husband Jason's infidelity but her banishment from the kingdom, and it's ending, where Medea makes her escape with the bodies of her children in a shining chariot from the gods, with a powerless Jason watching. She towers over him in defiance, not allowing any previous grief or doubt show as Jason looks on in horror. Medea is victorious, but at what cost?

Kylee Rodrigues

Hi there! My name is Kylee Rodrigues. I'm a passionate photographer from northern Rhode Island. Growing up, I always wanted to be behind the lens, directing and choosing what looked good in the frame. Things have not changed since! I consider myself a visual storyteller specializing in narrative photography and portraits. My photos tell stories, and I like the challenge of capturing emotions that resonate with viewers. 

In my photography journey, I have been honored to receive the Bart Parker Scholarship in Photography at the University of Rhode Island (URI). This award is proof of my dedication as a promising photographer. Additionally, I have exhibited in URI's Juried Student Art Show, which was a humbling and exciting experience. Most recently, my work has been in the Providence Art Clubs Juried College Exhibition. I will graduate in 2024 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from URI and am excited about the opportunities ahead. 

Artist Statement

Snapchat streaks, TikTok trends, and Instagram filters permeate young girls' lives as they form their teen identities. The trending theme of "girlhood" has caught my attention as I see their influence through my sister's and cousin's behavior. The trend starts to blur the line between what is authentic and what is a performance. With my camera, I explore the impact of social media on girlhood and the pressure to conform to unrealistic standards that come with it.

Concurrently exhibiting in the BackSpace Gallery, South Kingstown High School CTE Fine Art Seniors present SwanKy. An exhibition highlighting works of graduating fine art seniors as part of their Career and Technical Education Pathway in Fine Arts. The public is invited to attend during our open gallery hours, Wed-Fri (1-5pm) and Saturday (10am-4pm) and to join the opening reception, Saturday, April 6th, from 6-8pm.

Featured Artists:  Lucille Ambrad, Nia Buhagiar, Sydney Cagnetta, Adaline Cook, Nora Gray, Andrew Haggerty, Anna-Katja Keegan, Ava Martin, Reese Murdock, Victoria Olsen, Ruby Paquette, Holden Ricci, Kaitlyn Swint, Nathaniel Utterback, Krysta Vendettoli.