News Article

ELKTON, Md: Cecil College will highlight artistic works from students in the Art and Design Student Exhibition and Pottery Sale featuring the 2025 Spring Capstone Exhibits. Capstone Projects are long-term, investigative projects culminating in a final product or presentation. 

The 2025 exhibition starts with an Opening Reception on Friday, May 2, from 5 – 8 p.m. in conjunction with the Elkton First Friday Art Loop and remains on display at the Elkton Station Gallery through July 22. The public can also view the Capstone students’ work at the Cecil College Online Gallery (http://arts.cecil.edu/springexhibit).

This spring’s art and design Capstone students are Christianna Beavers, Chloe Mahala, Sophia Scena, Carter Smith, Angela Teague, and Grace Watkins.

The Art and Design Student Exhibit will feature drawings, paintings, designs, sculptures, ceramics, and much more. The exhibit highlights pieces selected by the arts faculty, representing the range of work created in the program. Proceeds from the pottery and gallery sales benefit art students.

Christianna Beavers was born into a military family in Texas, which led to frequent moves and ever-changing landscapes. These transitions fostered a deep longing for a place to call home, which is reflected in her art. Beavers’ work serves as a visual journal of her travels and memories of the places she’s encountered. She works across various mediums, including photography, painting, oil pastels, graphite, watercolors, and mixed media. Through her art, she invites viewers to pause and truly experience the world around them.

Before moving to Maryland, Beaver earned her high school diploma from Pittsburgh Public Schools. With a passion for art history, she is currently pursuing an Associate of Fine Arts (AFA) in Art and Design with a focus on Art History. Beaver plans to continue her studies in art restoration at the University of Delaware.

Chloe Mahala is a Maryland-based artist who grew up in Maryland and Pennsylvania. From a very young age, Mahala found a passion for the arts, a path they continued to explore throughout their life. While attending Avon Grove High School, they considered various career options but were ultimately discouraged from pursuing art-focused professions. After High School, Mahala took some time off to reflect on what truly mattered to them. They started at Cecil College in 2023 and revitalized their passion for the arts. 

This renewed passion led to Mahala’s dedication to building a creative career. Mahala realized their desire to guide others in pursuing the arts as they studied and created. One of their primary motivations is to be the kind of mentor they wished they had growing up. Mahala plans to transfer to a four-year university to study art education and become an art teacher. They also aspire to open their own local studio, where they can teach privately and offer a welcoming space for others to explore their creativity.

Sophia Scena is a Delaware-based artist currently pursuing an Associate of Fine Arts in Art and Design with a concentration in Graphic Design at Cecil College. With over ten years of experience in various mediums, including painting, sculpture, sewing, and digital art, Scena’s creativity is shaped by her love for cartoons, video games, cute characters, and horror. Her work often involves sculpting clay figures, painting pre-made toys, and redesigning characters.

Scena shares her artistic journey online through her growing YouTube and Instagram channels, where she posts long and short-form videos showcasing her work and creative process. For Scena, the process of creating is just as important as the final product, and she enjoys documenting and sharing the behind-the-scenes of her projects.

Her work has been featured multiple times at Cecil College’s Elkton Station Gallery in Elkton, MD, and she has sold several original pieces. Scena is also a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. After graduation, she plans to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Animation at a four-year university, continuing her studies in art and design while expanding her social media presence and art following.

Carter Smith is a Delaware-based artist working across a variety of media. As a child, he developed a strong interest in storytelling, particularly, an affinity for superheroes. Raised in a Christian school environment, Smith’s curiosity grew to include darker, macabre themes and world cultures and religions. Starting his art journey around age fourteen, Smith taught himself through YouTube tutorials before transferring to a charter school to focus on art during his final two years of high school.

Mental and physical health challenges near the end of high school made entering college difficult, and the COVID-19 pandemic further delayed his educational plans. However, Smith remained determined to study animation. During this time, the growing civil unrest informed his worldview and strengthened his desire to give a voice to those often unheard.

Now attending Cecil College, Smith has showcased his work in three exhibitions, each featuring various mediums, while earning recognition on the Dean’s List for the fall 2024 semester. Smith aspires to create stories that foster empathy and understanding, particularly for those whose struggles may go unnoticed or unheard. After graduation, he plans to transfer to a four-year college or university to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Animation and continue his passion for storytelling.

Angela Teague was born and raised in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. A trauma survivor, Teague embodies the intersection of nature vs. nurture in her journey toward healing. As a multimedia artist, she employs various techniques to create works that stand out, conveying movement and visual interest. Her compositions serve as eye-catching conversation pieces and personal narratives of her life.

A fan of animation and horror, Teague’s thematic explorations often delve into iconography and folklore. Her background in Art History and Anthropology has given her a well-rounded understanding of diverse cultures while also fostering an open mind toward new trends in art.

Teague studied at the University of Delaware and Cecil College, where she trained in various mediums, including painting, ceramics, sculpture, and drawing. She enjoys the interdisciplinary nature of art, constantly exploring new possibilities by combining different materials. From oil, acrylic, and tempera paints blending with graphite and alcohol inks, to more unconventional mediums like highlighters, Sharpie markers, colored pencils, and crayons, Teague’s work continues to evolve. Clay allows her to explore personal narratives in three dimensions, while cardboard, found objects and personal belongings often find their way into her creations.

Teague’s goals include continuing her rigorous training in art and earning a bachelor’s and master’s degree in the field. She envisions teaching at the collegiate level while pursuing public art shows and establishing her own business.

Grace Watkins is a Maryland artist earning an Associate of Fine Arts in Graphic Design and Drawing and Painting from Cecil College. Her work has been exhibited at the Elkton Station Gallery in Elkton, MD, and she has received recognition for her academic achievements during her time at Cecil College. Watkins is also a Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society member and plays a key role in the Art and Design Program team through her work-study position. In recent years, Watkins has contributed as a lead designer for products and logos for Behold Publications LLC. Following graduation, Watkins plans to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from a four-year college or university. 

Join us for the Art & Design Student Exhibit on May 5 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The Elkton Station Gallery is open for visitors Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. View the work of our capstone students online at  http://arts.cecil.edu/springexhibit.