For the graduating class of 2025, ArtWalk showcases the culmination of years of creative growth. But beyond the installations and polished presentations lies a deeper story: one of discovery, resilience, and self-definition. For many students, ArtWalk represents the first public unveiling of a deeply personal journey — an intersection of technical skill, cultural reflection, and artistic voice.

 

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For Illustration major Elisa Leiva, ArtWalk became the launchpad for a thesis project born from a moment of personal shift. “Honestly, for most of my time at MICA, I thought I’d be doing something completely different,” she shares. “But everything changed last summer when I took up swing dancing. It opened a floodgate of memories and reflections.” The result was a comic book project grounded in movement and memoir. Leiva blended traditional pen-and-ink illustration with digital coloring, a balance she found essential to managing the workload and maintaining the intimacy of her story. Supported by faculty and critique groups, Leiva says the experience taught her a vital lesson: “It’s not about perfection; it’s about connection and movement.” Read her story here.

Graphic Design student Gabriel Ramos chose a different yet equally personal path. Inspired by his family’s history and recent visits to El Salvador, Ramos developed a project that intertwines personal heritage with collective memory. “I felt immensely inspired by my family and the heritage that I carry,” he says. His work focuses on the legacy of the Salvadoran Civil War and his father’s story, aiming to honor both his roots and the many lives affected by the conflict. “It was nerve-racking to share,” he admits, “but it was important to get it right — for my father, for my family, and for others with similar stories.” For Ramos, the process was about more than design; it was about healing, reflection, and using the past as a foundation for the future. Read his story here.

For Teagan Crawford-Greene, a student in Ecosystems, Sustainability, and Justice, ArtWalk presented a unique platform to envision the future through the lens of environmental activism and speculative storytelling. Her piece took the form of a fictional newspaper from the year 2058 — a narrative experiment reflecting the long-term effects of today’s ecological choices. “Since starting at MICA, I’ve focused more on sustainability and circularity,” Crawford-Greene explains. “While these are typically considered design methodologies, I also see them as ways of thinking about our future.” Through interdisciplinary coursework and support from the MICA community, she’s embraced nontraditional formats that merge science, activism, and art. “Without MICA, I wouldn’t have developed the ability to think expansively about subtle messaging or feel confident creating work that doesn’t fit into the mold of traditional artwork.” Read her story here.

Some students embraced collaborative storytelling and a global vision, like the trio behind an Indonesian dark fantasy video game. Roofi Mulaya (Illustration), Toby Leiserowitz (Game Design), and Hugo Hogendoorn (Game Design) combined art, programming, and narrative design to create a playable game demo rooted in Indonesian mythology. “We wanted to create something that felt authentic to my heritage while still engaging a global audience,” says Mulaya, who began shaping the concept in high school. With MICA’s thesis support and external competitions like UP/Start, where they secured $35,000 in funding, the team learned to bridge creativity and entrepreneurship. “We went from sketches to building a team across continents,” Hogendoorn reflects. “It taught us how to lead, collaborate, and dream bigger.” Read their story here.

For Sabrina Kindervater, a Product Design major, ArtWalk was an opportunity to invite the public into a sustainable design philosophy built on knots. Her project explored how products can be designed for disassembly — with no screws or adhesives, only cord and rope. “It’s about rethinking how things are made, used, and taken apart,” Kindervater explains. Rooted in research around circular economies and textile innovation, she designed lamps, which sparked thoughtful conversations among visitors. “I hope people come away thinking differently about everyday objects, that even the way we connect materials can reflect care for the environment.” Read her story here.

For Joely Ramo ’25 (Illustration BFA), Window into Worlds is both a title and a philosophy. Their ArtWalk collection features 26 mixed-media collages exploring interconnectivity and the duality of home, shaped by their practice as both a kabbalist and a Buddhist. Reflecting on their four years at MICA, Joely describes the experience as transformative, filled with lifelong friendships, creative experimentation, and deep connections with faculty and peers. Watch their video here. 

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From individual revelations to team-driven innovations, ArtWalk serves as both a mirror and a megaphone, reflecting each student’s growth while amplifying their vision for what’s next. Whether drawing on personal histories, exploring cultural identities, imagining environmental futures, or experimenting with materials and technologies, the Class of 2025 has shown that the creative journey is as transformative as the work itself. As Ramo put it, “It felt like a culmination of everything I had been through…Quite literally using the past for the future — for myself, from my work, and for my work.”