Tamar Cawthra: Senior Exhibition 2025

This is one in a series of online interviews with MIAD seniors, who share their thoughts about their 2025 Senior Exhibition project and their MIAD education.

Tamar Cawthra ’25 (Illustration), “A Haunting in Vicksburg.” Tamar is a President’s (Honor) List student from Howell, Mich.

What is your “elevator pitch” for your senior exhibition project?

Presented in three storyboard sequences, “A Haunting in Vicksburg” is a historical-fiction drama about a group of civil war soldiers who find that their ranks have been infiltrated by vampires. With a narrative focus on vulnerability, each sequence presents the relationship of the soldiers, themselves and the supernatural.

What has the senior exhibition experience been like for you?

When our thesis advisors first explained the exhibition process, I was nervous…. However … I can confidently say my experience … has been nothing short of a new, exciting challenge. Although the exhibition is a major part of your senior year, it is more about the journey toward that end and what you take from it.

I had never imagined my work in a gallery before, and to go through this with my peers has been a fun way to collaborate and immerse myself with presenting my project and how I want to communicate to my audience. There are many different ways to show sequential art on a wall, and one of my biggest takeaways was trying to make it true to myself while still maintaining that professionalism.

What will you take away from this project as you transition into the professional world?

[M]y project is a little on the unique side. Storyboarding is process-work and creating a narrative using visual imagery.… Thankfully, I had the luck to take an elective that tackled the storyboarding world as I was working on this project, which immensely helped the process.

Thus, my major takeaway is the learning experience overall … of how I can present my skills in story art and improve it by continuous progress and studying. With the help of my advisor and my peers, I feel more confident than I ever had in putting myself forward…. Thesis is but one step in the right direction for me, as it allowed me to create a project I felt was true to my passion.

Anything else you’d like to share about yourself or MIAD?

As a person with a disability, keeping up with my peers was difficult…. However, it is with the community at MIAD that I felt most accepted and understood.… I no longer feel as scared or isolated as I was when I was in high school.

I also am part of the Alpha Lambda Delta [honor society]…. Before that, I transferred to MIAD from community college…. At MIAD, I enjoyed taking part in our event days, where I have volunteered for Portfolio Review Day as well as assisting prospective students at MIAD Information Day.… I have made good connections with my professors as well and thoroughly enjoyed my experience here.

My goal is to develop my professional portfolio even further…. I love to work in all forms of narrative work, whether it be through comics or story art. I also plan to move to Chicago and apply for freelance work, as well as expanding my skills in editorial work. I will also keep an eye out for internships in the entertainment industry and building my references.

Apply to MIAD and plan your visit to MIAD’s Senior Exhibition!