The Studio Arts Capstone Practicum is a spring semester course for students who have completed a significant portion of coursework in the Art Transfer Pathway Associate of Fine Arts at North Hennepin Community College (NHCC).
It is a capstone experience where students refine their skills in portfolio building, artistic presentation in the professional arts world, resume building, and exhibition preparation. Students integrate concepts learned throughout their program into a final portfolio of work in preparation for continued study or work.
This spring 2026 Capstone was taught by Gina Dabrowski, faculty in the Fine Art Department at NHCC. Check out the information on the Art Transfer Pathway Associate of Arts degree!
Studio Arts Capstone Practicum
Artist Statements
Jacquelyn Barry
As a graphic design student, most of my artworks are created digitally. However, I have experience with a variety of digital and physical mediums. “My Grandpa” uses photographs where personal clothing helped define my grandfather, along with his U.S. Army uniform. Milestones in my family’s history were included like graduation, weddings, and farming. “Celestial Hands” digitally illustrates my interest in space and nature via henna-inspired drawings my hands.
Everything I create is deeply personal and an expression of myself at the time of creation. Though I may not have known my grandfather for long, his love continues more than 25 years after his passing.
Lali Vang
At 9 years old, I was always captivated by a painting of the sea hanging in my house. Even though it was still I could still see how much it looked like it was moving. In my artwork I wanted to do the same in my style. This painting was made with acrylic paint on a 11” x 14” cotton canvas. I start by making two to three thumb nails sketches and choosing one to make into a bigger sketch. Next, it’s time to paint my sketch onto my canvas. I call this painting “Out of Water” is because sometimes when you go to a new place you can feel like a fish, or an octopus out of water.
Katelyn Poncin
Creating art has always provided me with a “happy place” where I am free to express myself and not be confined to rigid rules. It provides me with the opportunity to escape while being creative. I have long preferred to create art that includes animals, real or imagined. My painting, Loon of the Lake, is an acrylic painting on canvas, where I incorporated a drawing of a loon into a scenic background, similar to what I see when I visit my relative’s cabin in the summer. My second acrylic painting, Eye of the Wolf, takes one of my preferred wildlife forms, the wolf, but zooms in on one specific aspect – the wolf’s eye.
Celestine Kanayinkal
When I was a kid, I would watch mostly Saturday morning cartoons, as well as old classic Anime that my brother introduced me. The dynamic perspectives in specific scenes ‘wow’ me a lot as I see characters confront their opponents whenever they are in a fight. However, it was not just that style, I have seen speed paint videos of a user drawing fanart, creating unhinged expressions, inspiring me to create characters with intense expressions and poses based on perspective from first point of view. Some of my digital artworks like illustration mock-up covers have a character above or below angle to showcase focal point of what they represent as I use creative art apps to lay out value and detail.
Mailani Jongerling
I was inspired to create my own dreamlike worlds based upon my own experiences. Some exploring themes of childhood nostalgia and other trauma or life events that left an impact on me. Doing so through more symbolic or even vague imagery is something I find both interesting and therapeutic.
Thank you to NHCC students: Jaquelyn, Lali, Katelyn, Celestine, and Mailani for sharing your work and talents with us!