By Amanda Lehnerd
A crowd gathered Friday night at the John J. McDonough Museum of Art to view the work of 14 students achieving completion of the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
The Youngstown State University spring Graduation BFA Exhibition opened at the McDonough Museum of Art Friday.
Students in the department of art worked closely with nationally and internationally known faculty engaged in art and design practices during their time at YSU. Students were able to take advantage of the professional studio and design programs. 
Nicolette Soltis, a student featured in the BFA Exhibition, has been choosing pieces for her series since she started as a graphic design major.
“My work I have displayed is from multiple different design courses from over the years,” Soltis said. “My senior project adviser and I hand selected my best work from all of the projects I had.”
The works presented in the exhibition are a variety of artistic mediums. The gallery displays work from the students in the areas of graphic and interactive design, painting, printmaking, photography and interdisciplinary studies.
Students have been working on the art for the exhibition since as early as their first design or art class.
Dani Beaumier, a graduating senior photography major featured in the exhibition, made a series of environmental portraits of gamers.
“I have been working on this series intensely for the past seven months,” Beaumier said. “Each image takes around 30 minutes to shoot and around two hours to process. Mounting and printing is a 30 minute process, which is three hours an image. I have 50 displayed, which is around 150 hours spent on this project creating.”
Austin Richter, a graphic and interactive design major, whose series features primarily print and graphic design pieces, feels the exhibition is the highlight of his career at YSU.
“To me this is the pinnacle of my career here at YSU. It demonstrates me in a very physical and visual way. All that I have accomplished and learned over the last four years,” Richter said. “I also love that we are given the opportunity to show our peers and our loved ones, who have supported and encouraged me through my entire education at YSU.”
Leslie Brothers, the director of the McDonough Museum of Art, feels the exhibition is a great place for students to share their work with others in the community.
“The senior show is a great opportunity to check out the exciting experimental innovative work students are producing in the department of art,” Brothers said.
The Graduation BFA Exhibition will remain on view in the Museum’s gallery until May 6. The hours for the McDonough Museum of Art are Tuesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Museum is open to the public and admission is free.
Student featured in the Graduation BFA Exhibition are Dani Beaumier, Nicole Emery, Gwenasia Gadsden, Amanda Gerber, Chauncey Hay, Jackie Lalama, Ashley Perri, Kaitlyn Pfahl, Austin Richter, Heather Seno, Nicolette Soltis, Jennifer Sullivan, David Tamulonis and Chelsea Woods.
