Earlier this month, the Review hosted its first-ever art contest. We asked Oberlin students to send us a picture of their art, following the theme: “your Oberlin experience.” The genre was open to artistic mediums of any kind — paintings, pottery, comics, installations, and more. The contest was advertised on the Review’s social media (@ocreview). The winning piece was chosen anonymously by our Editorial Board.

“Maevey’s Mind” by Dina Nouaime

Dina Nouaime is a third-year Politics and East Asian Studies double major from the greater Philadelphia area. On campus, she competes on the varsity tennis team, mentors as a Peer Advising Leader, and serves as an officer for the Student-Athlete Advising Committee. Between balancing it all — classes, tennis, and friends — art is her outlet. 

“Maevey’s Mind” caught our attention with its visible texture and unique personalized symbols. Nouaime began by covering the canvas in wide swathes of oil paint, then texturizing with black and white gel pens to define the details, highlights, and shadows. 

“It took me around a month to complete from start to finish, because oil paints take notoriously long to dry,” Nouaime said. 

The painting is a time capsule of Nouamie’s summer semester. The setting on a mantle, cluttered with personal trinkets, provides an intimate feel. She was first inspired to make this piece by the trinkets her roommate Maeve left around the house — notably the alligator head, dried pomegranate, and checkered doll. The heart decal bead in the right corner represents a roommate craft night. The misspelled “Adam Sandler” name tags represent an Adam Sandler-themed birthday party for her friend Ana. The “Son of Egg” emblem is the logo of a memorable Korean restaurant in Albany that she stopped at for a quick bite to eat on a roadtrip to Boston. 

To see more artists in the community, stop by the Mutual Aid Craft Fair on April 30, and the Asian Night Market on May 14!