The St. Edward’s University Fine Arts Gallery was packed wall to wall with people attending this year’s Graphic Design Senior Exhibition.

The theme of the exhibition was “Semiotics” and featured the works of twenty Graphic Design Seniors.

The exhibition featured a wide variety of media, including interior design sets, computer presentations and photography. As attendees walked through the exhibition, they could take a card from each of the designers’ displays, each displaying a symbol that represented each designer.

“Even though everyone’s projects were so different, they all somehow tie into the central theme of ‘Semiotics,'” senior Kelsey Mah Smith said.

Smith’s piece consisted of several butter and sweet cream packages that contained different visual elements, from a minimalist-style package to a more intricately designed package.

Smith said that her objective for this project was to demonstrate the importance of design as a factor that affects consumer purchases. Since Smith is a Graphic Design major with a minor in photocommunications, she included some photos within her display. Her card symbol was a small airplane with a trail of dashes behind it.

“Graphic design is about form and function,” senior Madeline Good said when asked about what separates graphic design from other forms of art.

Her own project focused on the process of an idea and featured large wooden circles, each containing a different step of the process on it.

Good added that she wanted her project to be very organic. Her card symbol was a cupcake with a thought bubble around it.

Some displays looked like they were plucked right out of a store, such as that of senior James C. Bamford, who created his own beer brand that he placed on various items. Other projects were more unusual, like senior Jason Haggerty’s piece, a colorful dome that rests in front of the Fine Arts building.

Several artists chose to create interactive pieces. Senior Roel Macias Jr.’s project brought typography and history into the mix. His alphabet wheel allows people to turn it and learn of the origins of letters. Senior Maggie Daniels created an interactive piece as well—a wooden frame with moveable messages attached within, each some sort of value or opinion about politics.

The Graphic Design Senior Exhibition will remain open until March 4, after which it will give way to the Photocommunications Senior Exhibition.