Dr. Avis Proctor, President of Harper College (left), and student and artist Lain Dennis stand with Lain’s “This is Who Was Always Here.”
Harper College students Lain Dennis and Jefferson Sobczak grew up in different parts of the United States, had different educational backgrounds, and use their artistic talents in very different ways, but when describing their art, they both use the same word: therapeutic.
Originally from Aliso Viejo, California, but now living in East Dundee, Lain hand-stitched “This is Who Was Always Here.” The 21-year-old student and artist combined a supposedly “girly” technique with a macho aesthetic to create a battle flag-style banner with spiked studs. The striking black and white piece represents some of his feelings as a transgender man.
“This is about my own inner identity conflicts,” Lain said of the banner he created in Professor Jason Peot’s sculpture class. “I turned a gender stereotype on its head to prove a point. It was a very healing experience.”
Jefferson, of Elk Grove Village, created the ceramic piece, “Nautilidae,” using ideas from German abstract artist Beate Kuhn and mathematical principles related to his pursuit of a career as a mechanical engineer. The 22-year-old student and artist said his work gave free rein to his inner creativity — instilled in him by his mother.
“I felt like I was at a dead end,” he said of working on the sea-inspired piece in Assistant Professor Nikki Anderson’s ceramics class. “It was like turning off your brain and working with the clay. In the end, more than just the clay came together.”
Dr. Avis Proctor (left) and Jefferson Sobczak stand with Jefferson’s “Nautilidae.”
The healing byproduct of the artistic process isn’t the only thing that connects “This is Who Was Always Here” and “Nautilidae.” The two works were selected by Harper’s President Dr. Avis Proctor for the 2024 President’s Art Selection Award and will be displayed together outside her office on the college’s Palatine campus.
Each year, Dr. Proctor selects one or more works of art from Harper’s annual student art exhibition to be displayed in the President’s Office Suite. The artists, with the help of Professor Peot, help install their works, discuss their work with the President along the way, and receive a stipend to loan their works. Both works will remain on display for the duration of the 2024-25 academic year and will be available for viewing by Harper students, faculty, staff, and visitors.
“As a former math teacher, I liked the mathematical patterns in Jefferson’s ‘Nautilidae,’ which reflect the same patterns found in nautilus shells in nature,” said Dr. Proctor, who then discussed mathematical elements such as the Golden Ratio and the Fibonacci Sequence with the artists. “And I was drawn to Lain’s banner because I immediately recognized how it reflected our goal of creating a sense of belonging and a welcoming environment for all students. ‘This is whoever was here’ is a powerful and important message.”
Lain is on track to graduate from Harper University with his associate degree in fine arts in spring 2025 and plans to transfer to a four-year school to pursue a job in marketing where he can use his artistic skills. Jefferson is expected to graduate in fall 2024 before transferring from Harper to attend university to study mechanical engineering. Both spoke very positively about their experiences at Harper University, from the approachable nature of the lecturers to the opportunities to put their creativity to good use. They said they were grateful to have their work recognized and showcased by Dr. Proctor.
“It’s a great honor to be selected for the President’s Art Selection Award. It’s like my first real award,” Jefferson said. Lain agreed: “It’s a good feeling to be recognized. To receive this award shows that you have a lot of substance in what you do – a lot of substance in the person you are. And it’s nice to hear from the President that she cares about so many things that we care about.”
Professor Jason Peot (left) and Lain Dennis prepare to hang Lain’s work.
