As a first-generation college graduate, I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to pursue my passion for art at DePaul University. While earning my BFA, I explored a range of mediums and became especially drawn to block printing, screen printing, and film photography. The hands-on, meditative nature of these techniques gave me a meaningful way to reflect on my identity as a Polish American.

Every visual element in the North Lamon collection—such as the stork, home, and brownstones—was created by hand-carving linoleum blocks. I transferred these designs onto apparel by exposing them onto silk screens using diazo emulsion and UV light. To document the collection, I photographed my friends wearing the pieces using both black-and-white film and a Nikon D700. I developed the film in the DePaul darkroom and printed each image by hand using a photo enlarger.