Credits:

Natalie Donato

Biography: I’m an artist that works in digital and traditional mediums and an amateur wildlife photographer, as well as a second-year student studying marine biology and ecology, working with research subjects ranging from mussels and barnacles to sharks. I’ve had a lifelong interest in marine science and animals of all kinds, which is frequently reflected in my art and photography. That same interest in further understanding the natural world around me also led me to pick up art and photography at an early age, and I have been self-taught since, through curiosity and plenty of trial and error.

Artist Statement: Combining my interests in art, photography and science, I create pieces that highlight the intricate details of the species I encounter through my work or in nature around me. By focusing on a central subject, it brings a depth and life to the animals that I see when observing them in their natural habitat, the same vibrant character that inspired me to study them in the first place. I hope to convey that character and personality of the subjects through my photography and scientific illustration to show the intricacies within the ordinary, inspiring others to learn more about the subjects.

Social Media: @nataliedonato.art on Instagram

See more of Natalie’s work in the upcoming Prism edition, Storyteller!

Sean Counihan

Biography: I hail from the Columbia River Gorge, where the stunning geographical and ecological diversity inspired me to pick up photography as a young teen. More specifically, my interest in photography stemmed from a desire to better document the spiders of the Gorge- my research interests pertain to their diversity and ecology, and I got my start by uploading photos to the citizen science platform iNaturalist. I’m proud of the data I’ve collected over the years, which will hopefully be helpful to arachnologists of the future!

Artist Statement: As an arachnologist, I want to capture the qualities of my subjects that make them distinct and identifiable. As an artist, I want to create a well-composed, pleasing image that illustrates the life and personality of the subject effectively. Naturally, these things overlap! My ultimate aim is to create images that exist as a synthesis of scientific documentation and wildlife photography. I hope that the images I submitted can convey as much about my subjects as possible.

Social Media: @visitsmallworlds on Instagram

See more of Sean’s work in the upcoming Prism edition, Storyteller!

Lily Giordano

Biography: Hi I’m Lily Giordano! I am from Boise, ID and am a third year graphic design and studio art major here at OSU. When I’m not designing things or working as a the New Member Educator for my sorority, you can catch me drawing, crocheting, playing tennis, or taking clippings of plants to propagate!

Artist Statement: These pieces were a part of my final project in monotype printmaking. A lot of my work is inspired by integrating art and science. For these pieces I was interested in the idea that aquariums could be windows or slices showcasing different ecosystems.

Social Media: @this_is_lyly and @lj_gior

Natalya Cherkassova

Biography: hi! i am someone who has always loved art ever since i could remember and having the ability to make something out of nothing really stuck with me. growing up, i recognized there was so many areas in my life where i had little control over, but then when i was introduced to drawing i realized i could make whatever i want and the only person that needed to approve of my work was myself. art has been the most liberating and freeing out of all the passions that i could have chased and i have been able to grow with my art both in skill and in age. coming to osu really helped me connect with more like-minded people who were in the art, design and just creative ecosphere and i wouldn’t trade it for the world!

Artist Statement: the content of my work has pieces mixed in with nature, pop culture, love, and abstract ideas. i am greatly inspired by alphonse mucha and salvador dali with having fluidity to their art, but at the core of it all i enjoy my art showing a touch of whimsy to everything i do. i enjoy all different medium types, but i am have always been most drawn to watercolor and acrylic paints due to the rich colors and contrasts they allow for my art to show 🙂

Social Media: @chrkssva on Instagram

Anonymous

Biography: I’m an OSU student who likes making art and thought I would give PRISM submissions a try.

Artist Statement: I’ve submitted some pieces I’ve done recently that I like. There’s not really a theme or overarching idea, but they’re all connected through the fact that I enjoyed making them and had a lot of fun with them. I hope you enjoy.

Social Media: @2phid on Instagram

Adrian Morado

Biography: I am a lifelong resident of Corvallis, OR and am currently enrolled in OSU’s studio art program with a focus on drawing and painting. Despite that, I like to joke that if I were a dragon, my hoard would consist of supplies for every art medium I could get my little hands on. I love challenging myself with unfamiliar techniques and finding creative ways to combine different media I enjoy working with.

Artist Statement: This sculpture was made for my 3D core studio class as my final project of the term. He is based on the western-eyed clicker beetle, a species commonly found in forests along the Pacific Northwest in decaying logs and other decomposing plant matter. This was my first time trying to work the installation location into my artistic process and it was a very rewarding experience. I like to think of him as a sort of cryptid or mythical creature you might encounter if you got lost in the woods.

Social Media: honeybeebxy

Chase Strang

Biography: I’m a third year oceanography major and sustainability minor. The deep ocean is the most interesting to me. The ocean is a restorative force in my life. I’m originally from a small town in northern Illinois but I moved here to Oregon last year. I like cooking, creating, and coffee. In my free time I like to go to drag shows, farmers markets, and second hand stores. My apartment is full of art from local and original artists, plants, and candles.

Artist Statement: I enjoy all forms of self expression. Photography is the medium that I create with most often, but I also draw, write poetry, and make collages. When I’m drawing or writing, it is very emotionally charged. A lot of the time I’m trying to put my feelings to paper as a way of dealing with things. With photography, I never intended to call it art. I took pictures to remember what I find important in each day. I wanted to remember it properly, so I started to pay more attention to the way that I immortalize it.

Social Media: finding_chase on Instagram

Wes Flow

Biography: Full-time student, part-time editor, occasional photographer.

Artist Statement: For someone who wanted to get into art, but who didn’t have the patience for painting, the voice for singing, and who hated the sticky feeling of drying clay, photography was a natural choice

Social Media: Best_0f_the_west on Instagram

See more of Wes’s work in the upcoming Prism edition, Storyteller!

Jozie Billings

Biography: A bear coming out of hibernation to share some art for your enjoyment. Now if you don’t mind, I am so eepy and the earth is calling me to rest once again. The bear is an anthropology and queer studies student in their final year, desperately in need of this sleep.

Artist Statement: My work often comes from my mental state, in my case often anxiety, and from my everyday experiences. I create art to express the things I don’t have words for, and that often comes out in the form of body horror, bones, rot, and decay. I also create things to express the simultaneous mundanity and absurdity of everyday life. I’ll see something, such as a small duck in a field, and be overwhelmed with the need to capture it in art.

See more of Jozie’s work in the upcoming Prism edition, Storyteller!