Graduating seniors majoring in fine arts are showcasing their final projects from Nov. 14-Dec. 16 in the Adele Kassab Art Gallery in the Hyman Fine Arts Center.

According to Charles Jeffcoat, associate professor of art, the senior shows are one of the final requirements for graduating artists.

There are five graphic design students and one painting student in this semester’s senior show, according to Jeffcoat.

Jeffcoat said senior shows normally showcase bodies of work in ceramics, photography, graphic design and painting. However, there are fewer types of works showcased in fall semesters because of the lower number of graduating seniors.

According to Jeffcoat, the graphic design students have to find a campaign or product to create a marketing scheme around. The students also have to create a portfolio with 16-20 pieces to accompany the marketing idea.

Opportunities like the senior show give students a better body of work to show future employers, Jeffcoat said.

“The point of the show is to show what these students have done to help them leave here and get a job,” Jeffcoat said.

Jeffcoat said the students get to choose the marketing scheme they use.

For Chase Kirby, a senior graphic design major, he used inspirations from his past to develop his project: a surf shop marketing scheme.

“My Uncle Kevin used to surf when he was younger and I was influenced by that,” Kirby said. “I have always liked the aesthetic of surf shops.”

Kirby said the stories his uncle told him gave him the motivation to start his project.

According to Kirby, his goal for the project was to use symbolism, focusing on a simplistic style inspired by the infinity symbol.

“There is a lot of symbolism,” Kirby said. “I wanted to focus on the idea of being able to always catch the next wave.”

Sydney Lawrimore, senior graphic design major, said she had some trouble choosing her project theme but found inspiration in an unexpected place.

“I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do, and I started looking online,” Lawrimore said. “I found the idea of candy, specifically sour gummies.”

Lawrimore said she chose candy because each brand of candy is different. Lawrimore’s marketing idea and candy scheme came together when she figured out a way to integrate the candy into the name of the product.

“I decided to be really bizarre, and I photoshopped cat heads on pinup girls,” Lawrimore said. “They are little cat-shaped sour gummies, and the branding is of pinup girls. The name of the candy is Sour Puss, so it works.”

According to Jeffcoat, requiring marketing in the senior projects gives the graduating seniors experience in the real world.

“The marketing and promotional area of graphic design is a good platform for the students to show multiple parts of their skills,” Jeffcoat said.

Jeffcoat said one marketing campaign can show that someone is competent in web design, packaging, print and media.

“This project gives the opportunity for the students to show several different avenues in which they can work,” Jeffcoat said.

According to Jeffcoat, the senior shows have been a part of the FMU art department since art majors were first offered. The senior show is a part of the major and gives the students an opportunity to branch out and express the uniqueness and creativity.