Elmira College Art Seniors Put Years of Learning on Display

When developing the sculptures for his final art show at Elmira College, Hollis Berry ’26, an Art major, considered how he could develop pieces that were both personal and abstract.

“The story I’m telling is how to find your identity in abstraction,” he explained.

Among his submissions to the Elmira College Senior Art Show, which was on display in the George Waters Art Gallery during Term III, Berry made a framed piece that includes two pieces of cherry wood sitting on top of a reddish-brown background covered in gold fingerprints. He used gold dust to create the fingerprint effect.

When this year’s prize judge, Elmira College Alumnus Christopher Bell ’00, an Art Teacher at Horseheads High School, walked into the Gallery, he was drawn to Berry’s fingerprint piece more than any other.

In his judgments, he wrote, “This sculpture immediately captured my attention upon entering the space. The surface treatment is exceptional; the rich texture and visible fingerprints create a powerful sense of intimacy that evokes the feeling of a self-portrait.”

Bell awarded Berry first prize.

“Winning first place was a good feeling,” shared Berry.

Each year, the Senior Art Show provides students studying Art an opportunity to demonstrate how much they have learned over the course of their degree.

The show’s second-place prize went to Abigail Flatt ’26, an Art major who’s also in the Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Business School, for her ceramic swan that doubles as either a pitcher or a vase.

“I chose a swan because I associate them with beauty, grace, and peace. I added flowers to the piece to make it feel more complete and visually balanced when displayed in the gallery. Other than its function, I wanted the piece to convey a sense of calmness and elegance.”

“I was particularly drawn to the scale and the successful balance between functionality and sculptural form,” wrote Bell. “Although clearly representational, the piece possesses a playful, stylized quality that strongly reflects the artist’s individual voice. The work feels confident and well considered, both conceptually and materially.”

For Flatt, the award was meaningful because “it shows that others understand and appreciate my work the way I intended it to be seen,” she said. “It felt very rewarding, especially because I had my family there to share the moment with me.”

The Honorable Mention award went to Alexandra Stilo ’26, a Business Administration major in the Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Business School, for her small stone sculpture.

“I was excited by the way the simple, stacked forms interact with the block base, which feels equally integral to the overall composition,” wrote Bell. “The use of orange stone paired with the dark wood base evokes a strong sense of 1970s design, lending the piece a subtle nostalgic quality. Despite its modest scale, the sculpture was highly effective. It consistently drew my attention and prompted me to return to it multiple times throughout the show.”

While Berry, Flatt, and Stilo received recognition from the judge, the exhibition also featured work by two additional Art majors: Angelina Joslin ’26 and Emilie Hubschmitt ’26. Together, the five artists presented a diverse collection of projects that showcased their growth throughout their time at EC.