Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
The Rotunda Online
The Rotunda
Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Point of Departure: Senior visual art students present their final work

Food, drinks, friends and art. On the Saturday of spring weekend, The Longwood Center for the Visual Arts (LCVA) was packed with people to enjoy Point of Departure: Senior Thesis Opening Reception. Saturday, April 11 was the kick off event to what will continue to show Longwood University senior art student’s final artwork from April 11 until May 6, 2015. It was sponsored by the Cook-Cole College of Arts and Sciences.

Senior graphic design major Dylan Roach said, “Showcasing at the LCVA, or any gallery space, has been a desire of mine since I came into the program four years ago. It was extremely meaningful to have coworkers, friends and my fraternity brothers there supporting me and my yearlong project.”

Starting at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, the LCVA was crowded from the time the doors opened, until when they closed at 8:00 p.m. that same night. The reception was an open event, in which everyone could come to experience the art exhibit, which included graphic design, photography, handmade paper books and ceramics.

Every year at the LCVA, Longwood University senior visual arts majors showcase their completed projects that show the culmination of what they have learned at the university, and add them to their portfolios after they graduate. This year, the theme of the event was Point of Departure: Longwood University Department of Theatre, Art, and Graphic and Animation Design 2015 Senior Exhibition. This theme was chosen to exemplify the next steps in their life’s journey as life-long learners and citizen leaders.

When asked about his senior thesis art project Roach said, “I created a campaign called "Turning Point Tantrums," which served to educate caretakers of children (parents, babysitters, daycare employees, etc.) on better ways to handle children’s tantrums. I made three posters (one for child tantrums, one for adult tantrums and one for both parties growing from the tantrum), a tantrum kit that contained a children's book (for an intimate moment during/after the tantrum for caretaker and child) and an informational accordion brochure for caretakers to read prior to a tantrum occurring.”

Some of the artwork is also available for people to purchase by using the Self-Serve Art Kiosk that is located at the LCVA. The kiosk, which is managed by the Kappa Pi International Honorary Art Fraternity, is giving 10 percent of all sales to Farmville’s local food bank, FACES.

Also, when you visit the LVCA to see the art, Frame of Reference, a complementary art exhibit to Point of Departure, can be seen. Frame of Reference is a ceramics exhibition by the year-long visiting artist Daniel Molyneux. Participating artists include: Kayla Anzur, Holly Backer, Ashley Beerbroer, Krystal E. Boelter, Justin Owen Brady, Caleb A. Briggs, Meagan M. Britt, Eamon Brockenbrough, Kyle Butto, Sunni Cahoon, Jillian Ruth Ewell, Caitlin Foster, Lucas Goss, Lindsay Graybill, Zelda Halterman, Samantha Hedger, Amber Huckaby, Gabrielle Klenzmann, Shannon Lindemann, Christine Nowicki, August Osterhout, Austin Polasky, Brendan Pritchett, Dylan Roach, Alexa Sears and A. Jade Smitherman.

Roach said, “It was also a very surreal moment for me because it finally hit me that I'm leaving Longwood in May. Being surrounded by all people (mentioned above) made it one of my favorite highlights during my time at Longwood.”

Trending