WestConn Announces 2025 M.F.A. Thesis Exhibition, Opening Reception Featuring Six Artists Set for March 27
The Department of Art at Western Connecticut State University (WestConn) has announced the 2025 Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition, which will take place in The Gallery at the Visual and Performing Arts Center, 43 Lake Ave. Extension in Danbury.
An opening reception and Alumni Night, co-sponsored by the Department of Art and the Alumni Association, will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 27. The exhibition will run from Thursday, March 27, through Sunday, April 13. Both the reception and exhibition are free and open to the public. The gallery will be open for viewing from noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. To RSVP for the reception, visit Eventbrite.
The Master of Fine Arts is the terminal degree for practicing, professional artists. The M.F.A. Thesis Exhibition serves as the capstone experience of the graduate program, showcasing each artist’s personal direction and mastery. This year, six graduate students will present their thesis work:
Tony DeZinno
A photographer and interdisciplinary artist from East Hampton, Tony DeZinno earned his B.A. from Western Connecticut State University in 2023, receiving the Excellence in Photography Award from the Department of Art. His deep involvement in theater informs his passion for storytelling and visual communication. DeZinno has worked as a photographer with WestConn’s Communications and Marketing office and at Darkslide Film Lab in film development. His work has been exhibited in the Alumni Show at the VPAC Gallery and most recently in Iterations: A Dialogue of Scale at The Knowlton in Bridgeport.
Artist Statement:
My work explores identity, politics, and memory, particularly within the LGBTQ community and today’s shifting social climate. Blending digital and film photography with tactile, handmade processes, my practice draws from both nostalgia and the discomfort of growing up in a politically charged environment. Through photography and sculpture, I investigate the intersection of memory and identity, seeking to create a space for reflection—one that invites questions about belonging, family, and the ways in which we navigate an ever-changing world.
Andrea B. McLaughlin
A painter based in Bethel, Andrea B. McLaughlin finds inspiration in the natural world. She received her B.F.A. in Apparel Design from Rhode Island School of Design and spent 30 years in the fashion industry before shifting her focus to painting. McLaughlin studied at Silvermine Art Guild, Rowayton Art Center, and Ridgefield Art Guild, and in the summer of 2024, she was awarded an artist residency in France. Her work is held in private and corporate collections, including Fairfield Chemical Carriers and William Raveis Realty.
Artist Statement:
My preferred medium is paper collage, composed entirely of my own paintings, sketches, and prints. While a traditional painting captures a single moment, collage captures multiple moments, allowing viewers to journey through time. My work reflects how our senses absorb a place through fragmented and layered elements. I invite observers to step into my very personal ‘sense of place.’
Jillian K. Mirabal
An artist from Putnam Valley, New York, Jillian K. Mirabal specializes in illustration, incorporating painting, photography, graphic design, and digital imagery. She earned her B.A. in graphic design with a minor in photography from WestConn and currently works in Communications & Marketing at the university. Inspired by surrealism and horror, Mirabal draws from influences like René Magritte, Stephen Gammell, and Tim Jacobus.
Artist Statement:I’ve always been drawn to the darker and more unusual aspects of life. My upbringing—immersed in horror films and Halloween-themed media—fuels my artistic vision. Through my work, I shed light on the unsettling and unspoken, inviting viewers to confront captivating spectacles often ignored.
Joseph Nolan
A Waterbury-based artist and Marine Corps veteran of the Vietnam War, Joseph Nolan earned his B.A. in Studio Art/Painting from WestConn in 2023. Committed to honoring veterans, he has embarked on a long-term project painting portraits of Waterbury veterans, both living and deceased. His work has been exhibited at Waterbury Hospital Art Corridor and the Library Art Gallery in Prospect, Connecticut.
Artist Statement:
Pope Francis has said that an artist is an apostle of beauty—this has become my mantra. If I can bring beauty into the world, I want to be part of that endeavor. My art revolves around family and daily life, akin to opening a diary. The stories of Vincent van Gogh and Jacob Lawrence inspire me, particularly their ability to intertwine storytelling and history in painting.
Cristina Querrer
Based in Mystic, Cristina Querrer is a multidisciplinary artist, poet, and writer whose work bridges visual art, literature, and performance. Born in the Philippines to a military family, her experiences of displacement and cultural hybridity shape her practice. Querrer holds an M.F.A. in Creative Writing and a Master’s in Library and Information Science. Her mixed-media work incorporates found objects, collage, and organic materials, creating deeply textured compositions.
Artist Statement:
Memory is a tether—fragile, knotted, frayed. My work navigates the space between presence and absence, where remnants of time are reconstructed or left unraveling. I use found materials and gestural marks in quiet rituals of remembering. Each piece is a passage, a vessel, a moment suspended between holding on and letting go. Rather than recreating the past, I hold space for what remains—fragile, unresolved, and enduring.
Sluggo
Raised in Chester, Sluggo developed a deep appreciation for nature, plants, and animals. They earned a B.F.A. in Illustration from the University of New Haven and previously studied at Lyme Academy of Fine Arts and the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Their work is influenced by taxidermy, digital media, and childhood experiences with online games.
Artist Statement:
Growing up immersed in nature and digital media shaped my artistic voice. My fascination with taxidermy led me to study the inner workings of living things, while online games fueled my interest in character design. I have been working digitally since 2010, making digital media my primary mode of expression. The aesthetics of children’s online media, combined with my deep spiritual connection to nature, drive my creative process.
For more information, contact the Department of Art at (203) 837-8403 or Communications and Marketing at pr@wcsu.edu.