2021 Studio Art Award Winners

Deanna Bosco

Certificate of Excellence in Painting

Deanna Bosco is an Art Major concentrating in printmaking. She enjoys painting, drawing, and exploring the various types of fine art. Her experimentation with mixed-media collage offers her a sense of freedom for self-expression. She draws inspiration from everyday life experiences and often projects her feelings into her process. The results are personal to her while relatable to the viewer.

Hannah Carroll 

Certificate of Excellence in Painting

Hannah Carroll is a visual artist based in Salem, MA. Her primary mediums are acrylic and watercolor paint as well as blown glass. Her subject matter consists primarily of portraiture, the female form, and landscape paintings. She draws her inspiration from the power of the women around her and the impressionist movement of the 19th century.

Courtney Finochiarro

Certificate of Excellence in Photography 

Courtney Finochiarro's lifelong passion for photography motivates her to explore new places and learn new things. She admires the craftsmanship and technique involved in working with real film photography. The aesthetics of black and white photography has been a particularly important part of her work. Spending hours in the darkroom making revisions until finding the perfect image gives her the most rewarding experienced.

Ashley Hobbs

Certificate of Excellence in Photography

Ashley Hobbs developed her love for art and photography when she began taking pictures at three years old. Beginning her formal training in high school she soon discovered that her favorite photographic subjects are animals and plants, but continues trying out different techniques with new subjects - showing people things don't normally notice or pay attention to. Studying photography at Salem State gave her the ability to explore new directions. The mentorship she received here has made her the photographer she is today.

Syd Sennett

Certificate of Excellence in Photography

Syd creates work primarily from the perspective of a young transgender person with a passion for art therapy as a route for recovery from trauma and mental illness. While his work is typically personal in nature, he hopes that anyone can find their own meaning within his work. Beyond Salem State, he has been pursuing photo projects to promote nAGLY, a local LGBT+ youth organization where he interns. Syd also has an obsession with podcasts, playing electric bass, and admiring the work of Catherine Opie and Nan Goldin.

Kayla Strobel

Certificate of Excellence in Photography

Kayla Strobel was born in Boston and raised in the North Andover/Lawrence area. She became interested in photography around the age of 10 when she found that taking photos helped her cope with being separated from her mother and going to live with her grandparents. She often took photos of her two dogs, Maggie and Princess, and her hamster, Chester. She was also drawn to natural scenes such as roses blooming in her grandparents’ backyard and contrasting those vibrant aspects of life with images of decay such as a rusty, decrepit birdbath. For more than a decade, she has pursued her photography, though it wasn’t until she enrolled at Salem State-where she is a photography minor-that she learned the difference between taking snapshots and creating meaningful images.

Bailey Gideon

Certificate of Excellence in Printmaking

Bailey is a printmaker who is always finding a new way to challenge herself and the minds of others. Since childhood - inspired by a family of artists- she loved drawing, painting, and being creatively tactical. When attending Salem State University, she found her love and passion for printmaking after taking an introductory class. Bailey likes to make art that is outside of the box and includes inner emotions. Growing up watching scary movies or television and reading horror novels inspires much of work that plays with dark imagination.

Patsy MacDowell

Certificate of Excellence in Printmaking

Patsy MacDowell recently joined the Salem State classmates as a transfer. She quickly rose to the top with her attention to detail and skillful production.

Emily Moran

Certificate of Excellence in Painting

Emily Moran is an artist from Norwood, Massachusetts. From a young age, Emily enjoyed making art out of anything she could get her hands on. Emily got her love of art from her grandmother who loves taking her to art museums and allows her to practice her mural skills on the walls of her house! Now Emily focuses mostly on painting and especially loves painting nature and scenery. In addition, Emily loves combining her artistic abilities with other subjects like science and math as she plans to be an elementary school teacher. Her free time and summers are dedicated to painting and continuing to explore the world around her through art. 

Brianna Richarson

Certificate of Excellence in Printmaking

Brianna Richardson is a student, nanny, small business owner, and top of all that an artist. Brianna has been making art from a young age: sewing, sculpting, fiber arts; you could name a craft and she probably has dabbled in it. After taking a Relief Printing class as a freshman at SSU she discovered a love of printmaking. She finds the process of making the work is just as enjoyable as seeing the finished piece. Her greatest strength is bringing her creative skills to all aspects of her life. Brianna anticipates becoming a mentor to secondary or higher-level education students in the arts.

Shaneyka Rodriguez Ortiz

Certificate of Excellence in Painting

Shaneyka grew up doodling on the sides of her notebook and during idle time in her childhood her entire life. She had watched her twin cousins draw whenever she spent summer vacation with them. That inspired her to want to become better as an artist. Over the years Shaneyka was recognized for her artistry during her school life and while attending multiple art classes in high school. She never gave herself any specific title when it came to art other than "artist". She also never specified her art style either. But ever since attending Salem State, she has majored in art and design with a concentration in painting and a minor in English. She has learned a lot like the importance of process and not product in art and she even discovered, as a representational artist, a love for abstract art. She is still learning today and hopes to have room for art to be in her life the rest of the way.

Annie Winton-Mallios

Certificate of Excellence in Printmaking

Annie currently double concentrates in Printmaking and Graphic Design. They love to work with both digital and traditional media. Born and raised in Boston, they have an array of interests that stretch from mixed media, hiking, and playing with their dogs.

Karla Caldera

Certificate of Excellence in Sculpture/3D

Karla Caldera is an Army veteran that discovered the use of art as therapy while recovering at Ft Belvoir, VA. Through one of their programs, Karla began reconnecting with pottery as a way to overcome the mental toils from years in the military. After returning home to Salem, and still having to adapt to civilian life, Karla enrolled in SSU’s 3D Art program with the intent of becoming an art therapist so she can help other veterans combat their invisible wounds. SSU has given her the opportunity to expand on skills, discover new passions, grow as an artist, and view life from a new, more beautiful perspective.