Roots: My Bachelors Thesis Project and Exhibition
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On March 25th, 2026, my senior thesis exhibition was held at the Montserrat College of Art Schlosberg gallery. My project consisted of a over 180 page book with an in-depth telling of my close families history; essentially, a documentary. It includes nearly 30 people, starting from both sets of my grandparents and ending with the youngest person in my family currently.
This project started only 7 months prior and had finally come to a close. My project was displayed alongside 15 other seniors of varying concentrations, united under the title Anthology.
My project, Roots starts and ends with the same thing: family. Both sides of my family live in different areas of the U.S., and everyone is very distinct, bringing their own unique stories and traditions to the family history. I wanted to gain a deeper understanding of my families as a whole and how they all come together over time.
Me next to the final exhibition display
I come from two different backgrounds, so the project was eventually broken up into three books. One weaves together the narratives of both sides through a shared timeline, effectively showcasing how my family has evolved. The two other versions focused on each side individually, allowing me to delve into the distinct experiences and legacies that the families have. This approach not only highlighted the shared history but also enabled me to focus on the richness of everyone’s individual heritages.
This project serves as a heartfelt way to share my affection and enable others to walk alongside me through the journey of my family's history. Each page reflects the love and achievements that bind us all together.
Anthology postcard designed by Dom Ferro, Anya C. and I
Roots book cover
Like I briefly mentioned earlier, this project took quite a bit of my time. From the beginning, I bounced back and forth between countless ideas, never being able to truly settle on one for multiple reasons. But when I had finally settled on this one, I knew it was the right thing to do.
During this time, I also worked abroad in Denmark as a LEGO Design intern. I was simultaneously working a full time job, attending Montserrat virtually as a full time student, and working on my thesis project. It was a tough first few months and semester, but once that second semester came and I was back home in the U.S., I was more than ready. I finished the project in the nick of time and spent the 3 days before the exhibition setting up.
Wall sketch with loose measurements
Somehow, the tree alone took up most of the time, not only painting but even planning. Just like the project itself, I had gone through many layout iterations and the tree had looked vastly different with each pass. But in the end, it came out so perfect and I couldn’t imagine having a display that better matched my idea.
Ultimately, I have a love/hate relationship with this project. I definitely consider it to be an amazing achievement of mine knowing all of the work that went into it. However, I know I can do better and I strive to keep improving both my skills and this project as time passes.
Me painting the tree