History's Stories, Today's Storytellers, Spring 2026

For my project, I decided to create a composition of multiple landmarks in Rhode Island. When searching through the catalogs, "America’s First Vacation Land, 1961” stuck out to me. The pictures in it highlights what made Rhode Island so lovable. I wanted to create artwork that has the same effect. I referenced numerous photos within the catalog such as the Providence skyline, the Mount Hope Bridge, and Slater Mill. I added the Point Judith Lighthouse and the state flag, both of which symbolizes Rhode Island. Rhode Island is known as “The Ocean State”, so my brain automatically went to water color as a possible material. I used it to create the iconic wave on the license plate. Then, for the landmarks I used a Micron and Sharpies for Providence’s skyline.

The work displayed represents 1950s fashion in Rhode Island. I had a really fun time working on this project. At first, I was very overwhelmed with all the potential inspiration and ideas. I wanted to make sure it was something I would enjoy creating. I tried different materials, like oil pastels and chalk pastels, but ultimately I didn’t like how they fit with this piece. I then switched to fine Sharpie and made the main 1950s doll in the center black and white. After that, I found it easy to construct and think about how I wanted this project to look. I used a fun-colored tulle and ribbon to give this piece a sense of joy. When people look at this project, I want them to feel as though they were in the 1950s dressed in fun and fancy clothes that they would have worn in that time. This project was very new for me and I learned a lot. I have never worked with a fine sharpie, tulle, or ribbon on a project. I loved using the tulle and I think it makes the project come alive. Overall, I am very satisfied with this project and I hope people are able to see the joy in 1950’s fashion.

In the upper quadrant of the piece, there is a young couple depicted being pulled apart by society and pushed apart my violence. In 1798, the state of Rhode Island passed a law that banned interracial marriage. This law was likely a reflection of the growing national sentiment against interracial unions; this was a key part of the colonial era's attempts to enforce racial segregation. On the second panel, a young girl is seen holding a sign showcasing the words “MY HOME IS DESEGREGATED - ITS GOOD” in protest. These impactful words partnered with various documents from our State Archives highlight the tension unfolding within society as civilians fought for our rights. In 1881, Rhode Island repealed the law prohibiting interracial marriage! RI is now recognized as one of the first states to allow interracial marriage legally, which was a significant step toward equality. The third and final panel is a depiction of me and my boyfriend, Chase, whom I am able to be with today because of brave men and women who stood up for what is right; equality. This piece aims to encapsulate the rich history surrounding religious, political, and societal views on interracial marriage in our beautiful state. Through blood, sweat, tears, and bravery, LOVE won. So we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. - Romans 12:5 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. - Corinthians 13:4-7 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. - John 15:12

For this artwork, I took a great amount of inspiration from history I have learned and real-world experiences. When I first found the document I used in this artwork, Act for sale of Indian Lands, (May 1771), I was inspired to make something that could convey the contrast and turmoil between Native Americans and American settlers. This was the basis for my idea of having a peaceful nature setting surrounded by a frame of houses, smoke, and lumber, drawn in red, and can come across as unnatural and encroaching onto the nature scene. The painting depicts a forest composed of different photos taken of the woods in Rhode Island, and was done in acrylic paint on illustration board. The small bunny within the nature scene is a Native symbol among various tribes in and outside of New England that represents good luck. I chose to add this to represent the fleeting luck of the Natives in this unfortunate period of history. I hope this piece inspires people to learn more about our state’s history and the history of the Native Americans so that they will not be forgotten.

The artifact that inspired my piece was “Hurricane Damage 1938”. The hurricane was an extremely destructive hurricane and it took down many buildings and a bridge, which inspired me for this piece.

For my project, I used the death record of prolific writer H.P. Lovecraft. I created a frame around it based on his most popular work and mythos, The Call of Cthulhu. The medium of watercolor felt like an obvious choice not only for its value & vibrancy, but also as a play on Cthulhu emerging from the water and all. This project actually served as a more formal introduction to Lovecraft for me, as I was only ever vaguely aware of him. The Dunwich Horror became another strong motivator during the process. Even without having actually read any of his works, I knew his works had a strong presence in the horror space and have inspired several artists and musicians I personally love. The idea of cultish dark fantasy was inspiring enough to choose his works & death as the subject of my Rhode Island History piece. I titled it Necronomicon as a homage to the fictional text that serves as a basis for all of Lovecraft’s Cthulhu mythos.

The project I chose is the opening of the first form of higher education in Rhode Island. This was the Rhode Island Normal School, later renamed to Rhode Island College. The historic record that I chose is the Rhode Island College of Education, formerly Normal School, Providence RI. This topic was interesting to me because it follows closely with what I am currently going through as I complete my own college process. I have been interested in Rhode Island College for a while now, and I found it really interesting to learn that it was the first college in Rhode Island.

This collage uses clippings from magazines to show the burning of the Gaspee. The background shows an ocean, and the main image of flowers and umbrellas represent the fire of the burning of the ship. The ships lurking, eyes watching, and the use of words like “secret” and “sunken” show the mystery that was the act of burning the Gaspee. King George is lurking on the side, taxing the colonists and trying to punish them for resisting. This collage shows both how the colonists likely saw the situation and the mystery outsiders probably felt about the situation.

The collage uses clippings from magazines and the Gaspee Proclamation. The waves and fish represent the ocean where the burning of the Gaspee occurred. The lady burning on the boat represents the British before they evacuated the boat when it was stuck in the bay. The people on the land are acting nonchalant and represent Rhode Islanders since they wanted to pretend they don’t know anything about the burning of the ship. Overall, the collage shows how Rhode Islanders tried to support each other and their budding new country. They wanted justice from the poor treatment they received from the British.

This collage uses clippings from magazines, children’s books, and the Gaspee Proclamation to make a statement about the politics of the burning of the Gaspee. The color purple is used to symbolize the royalty of the British king. The man on the left in purple looks rich, wealthy, and out of touch, which is how the colonists viewed the British at the time. The men in shadows of the purple represent the colonists, who were secretly holding information about the burning of the ship and refusing to share what they knew, despite the looming British presence around them. Overall, this shows how the colonists defied the British and fought for independence.

This collage uses clippings from magazines, children’s books, and construction paper to show the burning of the ship HMS Gaspee. The burning of the Gaspee was a bold act of defiance that ignited the spirit of American Independence. The flames, created by cutting pieces from pictures of red flowers, represent not just the destruction of the ship, but the fiery passion of the colonists refusing to be governed by the unjust trade laws of the British.

The collage uses clippings from magazines, books, and the Gaspee Proclamation. The blue at the bottom of the collage represents the ocean. It was taken from a children’s book, and it includes the quotation “I crawl to the darkest, dreariest place I know.” The ocean and what happened there - the burning of the ship - was dark and dreary. The ships on top of the blue ocean represent the Gaspee and the boats of the colonists who followed it. The collage is trying to show how difficult the time of the burning of the Gaspee and the Revolution was for colonists and those fighting for freedom.

This collage was made with clippings from magazines and children’s books. At the bottom of the collage, you can see the ocean and the boat burning, representing the burning of the Gaspee. The person in the boat says “It could be anything,” because the British couldn’t figure out who burned the Gaspee. The “lady wanted” sign at the top of the collage symbolizes King George’s call in the Gaspee Proclamation for the colonists responsible. “Make the Global” is meant to show the global power the British had at the time. The purple on the side represents water splashing and the royal purple, while the text in the background gives the piece the old-time feel of the Revolution.

This collage shows us the state of Rhode Island, cut out piece by piece with paper from different magazines. It also has some drawings on it, like a BOOM and the fire near to the explosion. It wants to make us understand that the citizens blew up the ship of the British, demonstrating rebellion and courage in doing so. We can also see a sunset in the collage, which demonstrates the end of an era of British occupation and crazy taxes. We can also see how in a corner, it is much lighter with a small tree. The tree represents the families that will grow with more freedom.