Julisa Medina Del Real, senior graphic design major, is the creator of the baby doll jolly jars. Medina Del Real learned the ceramics-making process from Kwok-Pong Tso, associate professor of art, and combined it with the day of the dead face paints, which are inspired by sugar skulls to create her artworks.

The jolly jars could be useful in both decoration and household equipment.

There are different concepts that Medina Del Real uses to decorate the jolly jars, such as sugar skulls, clowns, red devils and many more. She shared her plan for the jolly jars in the future.

“[I want] to expand and maybe sell them a little bit more at local shops or do more little art fairs […] for my sculptural pieces,” Medina Del Real said. “I want to become more elaborate, maybe combine multiple baby heads to make one big piece. Maybe even use the limbs like their arms and legs.”

Connie Sowles, sophomore general studio art major, is also a member of Washburn Art Club and enjoyed the process of making jolly jars.

“… I actually took one of my classes with her the first semester here,” Sowles said. “ I just like watching her make her baby doll heads. She puts a lot of effort into every single one and she puts a lot of detail on them. I’m not always as detailed as she is.”

Not only is Medina Del Real a detailed and careful person, she is also a very helpful person. Luca Cave, sophomore health services administration major, talked about how Medina Del Real helps him with his interest in art.

“She’s got a really good head on her shoulder. So, if you ever need advice about anything like school or art or just like to talk, she’s a really good person to go to,” Cave said. “If you really don’t know where to go or what to do, she’ll just give you advice or direct you to somebody who can.

The art department helps with developing students’ creative skills and expression with a degree in art from Washburn. Student artists have many opportunities to create and display their work in the art studios and gallery spaces. With small class sizes and expert faculty, Washburn offers one-on-one attention and mentoring opportunities for art students like Medina Del Real.

Edited by: Stuti Khadka and Jeremy Ford