On Friday, February , the Trout Gallery held the opening reception for their new exhibition, “Near at Hand.” This exhibition will run from its opening on February 7 until April 5. 

What makes this exhibition unique compared to other Trout Gallery exhibitions this year is that it is the annual Art History Senior Seminar Capstone Exhibition. This exhibition is the capstone project of Art History 407: Art Historical Methods. 

The curators for this year’s Capstone Exhibition are seniors Vivian Anderson, Molly Ciccio, Phoebe French, McKenna Hillman, Katie Marthins, Sophy Nie, Ava Nienstadt, Cat Orzell, Lily Swain, Grace Toner and Liam Walters. 

Their exhibition consists of artwork made by studio art faculty, as well as pieces from the Trout collection which reflect, as the brochure states, “the contemporary artists’ themes, subjects and style.” On top of working with their professors, the art history majors also worked with Director of the Trout Gallery Shannon Egan, the Trout’s Curator of Education Heather Flaherty and the Trout’s Exhibition Designer Jamie Bowman. All three spoke with the curators during every part of the project, from creating engaging labels and family guides, to what color the wall paint would be. 

When asked about the experience, Swain said “[it] was a really special opportunity for all of us senior art history majors.” She added that, “The Art History Senior Seminar class felt more like real-world job experience than a class, since we were involved in every step of the curatorial process… now we have… lots of experience to bring to future careers in the arts!” Hillman also stated, “We’re all really proud of the show. Overall, it was equally fun and stressful, making the result that much more satisfying.”