Geology major to art major: One student’s journey at YSU

Student art can be admired in the Judith Rae Soloman Gallery located in Bliss Hall. Photo by Jessica Stamp/The Jambar

By Jessica Stamp

Lindsay DeLullo’s study abroad trip helped her discover her true calling at Youngstown State University. Spending time at San Salvador Island in the Bahamas, she was a geology major studying rocks. DeLullo then realized she didn’t enjoy studying rocks and decided to change her major to what she really enjoyed doing — interdisciplinary studio art with painting being her main passion.

“I’m in interdisciplinary studio [art] but painting is my emphasis,” Delullo said. “I always enjoyed art.” 

Since she was a young girl, DeLullo has been painting and creating art. As she got older and entered high school, she received guidance from one of the teachers. 

Over the years, she gathered a better understanding on how she wants to express herself from learning various artistic techniques.

DeLullo is influenced by her emotions, surroundings and relationships when it comes to designing her paintings.

“The fact that the fire inside me burns a lot brighter than the fire around me in those situations kind of shows how I handle it and confront it within my artwork,” DeLullo said.

She is a member of the Student Art Association, which consists of student artists who devote time and effort to help and inspire people at YSU and within the community.

Since becoming an art major two years ago, DeLullo had the chance to showcase many pieces of her artwork on campus.

DeLullo said her art is currently being displayed in the Judith Rae Solomon gallery located in Bliss Hall. 

“I’ve always been interested in the gallery lifestyle of some artists where they exhibit their pieces and stuff, but I also kind of wanted to tell my story to everybody else,” DeLullo said. 

Her future plans include continuing to participate in gallery exhibitions. She hopes to get her own exhibition filled with her artwork and to simply pursue the art path in whatever ways it takes her. 

Paige Stewart, a fine arts professor, had DeLullo in a couple of her classes. 

“She’s a great student here. She is very inquisitive and she likes to challenge herself … if you give her any task or challenge … she’s going to try it,” Stewart said. “She’s very ambitious.”

Stewart said she appreciates DeLullo the most when she sees her in the classroom, taking on tasks and wanting to learn. Stewart looks forward to seeing how DeLullo grows in her artwork.

Jayme McKay, junior interdisciplinary studio art major, works with DeLullo at the McDonough Museum of Art and is amazed by DeLullo’s artwork.

“[Her] art is like an impressionist kind of painting style — it’s really neat. It’s beautiful what she does on her Instagram,” McKay said. 

Alaina Peccon, sophomore education and studio arts major, had a couple of classes with DeLullo and is also a member of SAA.

“She’s very technical and she does a lot of detailed line work,” Peccon said. “She’s really good at it.”

DeLullo encourages all art majors to try their best and to show everyone how much they care about what they do.