I’ve always loved to create and experiment.
My experience as a student-artist has been shaped by this innate curiosity and passion. From fine arts and ceramics to digital design and photography, exploring different mediums has expanded the way I think about creativity and storytelling. Each offers a different language for expression, and I love exploring how I can use it to communicate ideas and connect with others.
I look forward to continuing to grow as an artist and finding new ways to tell stories through my work!
"The Mess of Ryan" 2026; Oil on canvas; 16”H x 20”W.
In this still-life painting, I combined traditional elements, like roses and a vase, with more contemporary imagery, including a pop-art star, checkerboard patterns, a disco ball, a golf ball, and scattered art and beauty supplies. Each object represents a different interest or influence in my life. The roses reference my middle name, which is after my two great-grandmothers, while the golf ball reflects my love of the game, a passion instilled in me by my grandfather. Through bold colors, playful patterns, and contrasting styles, I wanted the painting to feel expressive and full of personality rather than perfectly organized or predictable. The Mess of Ryan celebrates the many seemingly unrelated interests and influences that make me who I am, and the creativity that comes from bringing them all together.
"Study of 'In the Car' by Roy Lichtenstein (1963)," 2022; Acrylic on paper; 1’10½”H x 1’10”W.
In this Intro to Fine Art assignment we were tasked to choose any famous painting and replicate it using acrylic paint. The work had to be completed entirely by observation using only a paintbrush; no measuring tools, tracing, or other aids were permitted. I chose "In the Car" by Roy Lichtenstein (1963) because I have always been drawn to bold, graphic style in Pop Art and thought the piece would be both fun and challenging to recreate under the parameters of the project.
Cylinder, Cone, Sphere 3D Study, 2021; Graphite on paper; 1’H x 1’6”W. The focus of this 3D study was to use the blending technique of intricate circular shading to create dimensionality. No blending tools could be used.
"Gesture Study to Music," 2021; India ink, conté crayon, charcoal, and graphite on paper; 1’10½”H x 1’3”W. For this gesture study, my fine arts teacher played a range of music, from classical to pop, and challenged us to translate what we heard into visual expression. Using natural materials I collected outdoors, including sticks, flowers, and leaves, along with graphite, India ink, and charcoal, I explored the movement, rhythm, and emotions that each piece of music inspired.
“Study of a Baja Elephant Tree,” 2021; India ink on paper; 10”H x 8”W. Hand sketched from live observation using a fountain pen that was dipped in India ink.
“Urban Salt and Pepper Shakers,” 2023-2024; Underglaze on white stoneware; Hand built and thrown; Base: 3⅞”H x 6 ⅞”W x 4 ¼”D; Salt Shaker: 5¼”H x 2 ¾”W x 2 ¾”D; Pepper Shaker: 5¾”H x 2 ¾”W x 2¾”D.
In Advanced Ceramics, I was challenged to create a salt and pepper shaker set with a base that brought the three pieces together. Inspired by my love of graffiti and street art, I transformed the graffiti-style doodles I often draw in the margins of my notebooks into a functional ceramic piece. The set features two spray-can shakers resting on a miniature city sidewalk, with bold colors, layered designs, and playful details that reflect the energy of urban art. Artists like Banksy have shaped my appreciation for street art and its ability to turn everyday spaces into something unexpected.
What I love most about this piece is that it has become part of my family's everyday life. Growing up in an Italian-American family, sharing meals is important to us, and the set now sits at the center of our dinner table. My artwork has moved beyond the studio and into the routines and traditions I grew up with. That connection between art and everyday experience is part of what makes creating so meaningful to me.
American Museum of Ceramic Art, Ponoma, CA; High School Ceramics National Exhibition Selection, 2024.
“Lookin’ Shark,” 2022-2023; Underglaze on white stoneware; Coil built and hand sculpted; 9¼”H x 9¼"W x 11½"D.
Growing up, my mom always told my two sisters and me to “be a shark.” Before games and performances, in notes tucked into our school lunches, and in countless other moments, she reminded us of these words.
To her, a shark represented quiet confidence. It moves through the water with grace and purpose, commanding a presence without seeking attention. When undisturbed it keeps to itself, but when challenged, is strong and formidable. Through her love of sharks, my mom instilled in my two sisters and me the importance of quiet confidence.
“Lookin’ Shark” is my way of transforming a phrase that has followed me since childhood into something tangible.
“Nice to Meet You,” 2022-2023; Acrylic stenciling and painting with clear gloss finish on white stoneware; Coil built and hand sculpted; 1’7”H x 1’4”W x 1’4”D.
“Nice to Meet You” was my second coil-built ceramic piece. One of the biggest challenges was creating a long, anatomically proportioned giraffe neck while keeping the majority of the piece’s weight balanced within the base.
The inspiration came from a family trip to a zoo in California, where my sisters and I had the chance to feed a giraffe named Shelley. Her long purple tongue and dramatic eyelashes made us all laugh, and I wanted to evoke the fun and character of that encounter in my work. I used stencils, bright colors, and a clear gloss finish to give the piece a playful, lively character.
Through ‘Nice to Meet You,’ I used sculpture to bring a favorite family memory to life. I love capturing the joy of an experience through my artwork.
“Lost at Sea,” 2024; Cyanotype soaked in tannic acid on paper; 9¾”H x 8”W. I sketched this sailboat on vellum and exposed it to sunlight to create a cyanotype. The boat is a 420, one of the sailboats I learned to sail as a camper and later taught on as a summer sailing instructor. I then treated the cyanotype with tannic acid to create darker, weathered tones. I enjoyed experimenting with how light and the chemical process could transform a simple drawing into an image with depth and character.
“Jellyfish,” 2024; Cyanotype on paper; 6”H x 5½”W. Growing up spending summers down the shore (as we say in Jersey!), I developed a lasting fascination with the ocean and its marine life. For this project, I drew inspiration from the graceful, almost otherworldly forms of jellyfish, sketching them on vellum before exposing the drawings to sunlight. I enjoyed experimenting with the process and seeing how light could become part of the artwork itself.
“Mahi,” 2024; Cyanotype and India ink on paper; 11⅝”H x 10⅝”W. This piece began as an experiment in altering a cyanotype during sun exposure. I sprayed bleach and applied watercolor while the image developed, creating an unexpected pattern that reminded me of the colorful skin of a mahi. Inspired by summer fishing trips with my dad and sisters, I used a fountain pen dipped in India ink to draw the fish into the composition, capturing the vibrant tones and patterns I love about mahi. I especially like that the fish reveals itself only upon closer inspection, making it a subtle discovery within the larger composition.
“Night Aura,” 2024; Cyanotype on paper; 11⅝”H x 10 ⅝”W. I experimented with altering the cyanotype during sun exposure, splattering hydrogen peroxide across the paper to create variations in the developing blue tones. I then placed rocks over the center of the paper, allowing them to block the sunlight and leave lighter impressions against the darker background. Once the exposure process was complete, I added splatters of bleach to create the star-like dots scattered throughout the composition. I enjoyed seeing how each intervention transformed the image to create layers of unexpected detail.
“Marilyn” & “Audrey,” 2023; Digital collages using Procreate; 1’6”H × 2’W.
I've always loved the glamour and timeless style of Old Hollywood, especially two of its most iconic women, Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn. For this project in Introduction to Animation and Design, I wanted to reinterpret their classic images through a more contemporary artistic lens. I drew each portrait, then layered them with vintage imagery, textures, and graffiti-inspired details. Through bold colors and digital effects, I enjoyed bringing together the elegance of Old Hollywood with the energy of pop art and street art, giving these familiar faces a new visual identity.
"A Taste of Yesterday," 2026; Digital print.
"A Question of Perspective," 2026; Digital Print.
"The Art of Symmetry: The Alhambra, Granada, Spain," 2026; Digital print.
“The Path Ahead,” 2023; Digital Print.
“Retro Chic,” 2023; Digital Print.
“Out on the Town,” 2023; Digital Print.