Your Moderators

Isabella Barcher

Isabella Barcher is a sophomore at SUNY New Paltz pursuing two degrees in Art History and Visual Arts. Interested in all things connected with art, she aspires to connect her art historical studies with her artistic output, with a focus on painting and drawing, ultimately continuing her studies in the field of art restoration and conservation. Isabella is a first-time moderator, and she looks forward to learning more from other current students in the field of art history!

Sophia Burton

Sophia Burton is a first-year student at SUNY New Paltz, double-majoring in Art History and French. She comes from a small town in upstate New York, and she loves the community she has found at SUNY New Paltz. Sophia is very excited to have the opportunity to be a part of this year’s Symposium. She values the diverse experiences that come from traveling, and thus she looks forward to studying abroad in France in the future, where she can both visit family and put her studies in Art History and French to good use.

Sam Christian

Sam Christian is an Art Education major at SUNY New Paltz with a minor in Art History. In her own artistic practice, she prefers painting, drawing, and ceramics. However, she enjoys learning new mediums. She mostly studies ancient art history with a particular interest in ancient Greece and Rome as she is fascinated by how these works reveal what life was like for people living thousands of years ago.

Jazmyne Daily-Simpson

Jazmyne Daily-Simpson is a senior Graphic Design BFA student with a minor in Art History at SUNY New Paltz. She is interested in contemporary art that bridges the gap between art and design and art conservation. Last summer, she participated in the Mellon Opportunity for Diversity in Conservation workshop co-sponsored by the J.Paul Getty Museum and UCLA, and this coming summer she will be a conservation intern at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. She became a member of the Art History Association this year, and she is excited to moderate at the Symposium for the first time after being a speaker during last year’s event.

Anna DiPiazza

Anna DiPiazza is a senior at SUNY New Paltz majoring in Art History with a minor in History. She has served as the secretary of the Art History Association and in the campus’ Visual Resources Library. She is also an intern at the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art, SUNY New Paltz’s campus museum, and Historic Huguenot Street, an important local historical site. Anna is particularly interested in archival practices and American Art, but all types of art hold a place in her heart. This is her second time moderating at the Symposium, and she looks forward to learning more about what fellow undergraduate art historians have been researching!

Averill Downey

Averill Downey is a sophomore at SUNY New Paltz pursing a dual-degree in Art Education and Spanish. Art history has been a long-term interest of hers, and she feels most drawn to studying Mesoamerican and Contemporary Latin American art as well as artworks rooted in activism and social advocacy. Averill is very excited to participate in the SUNY New Paltz Undergraduate Art History Symposium as a moderator for the first time, and she looks forward to hearing everyone’s talks!

Jewels Graziano

Jewels Graziano is a senior pursuing a degree in Art History and English. She is thrilled to be participating in the Symposium for the very first time. She is the Social Media Coordinator for the Art History Association and looks forward to learning about what her peers have been researching. Her areas of interest include the work of the Hudson River School painters as well as the Dutch history of upstate New York.

Michael Grundy

Michael Grundy is a non-traditional student majoring in Art History at SUNY New Paltz. He is interested in the intersections of art history with anthropology and other disciplines.

Linsey Itak

Linsey Itak is a junior majoring in Adolescent English Education with a double minor in Anthropology and Deaf Studies at SUNY New Paltz. They love to write, study the arts, and engage and philosophical thinking. They are incredibly passionate about helping others and creative writing, especially poetry and short prose. Linsey’s interest in higher education brought her to SUNY New Paltz’s doorstep with a dream to inspire others in their creativity.

Emily Lunt

Emily Lunt is a junior at SUNY New Paltz. She is majoring in Art History and plans to declare a minor in Anthropology. She recently transferred and has enjoyed becoming involved in the Art History Association, serving as the club’s secretary. She looks forward to moderating the symposium for the first time and hearing your presentations!

Marlee Lustig

Marlee Lustig is a sophomore at SUNY New Paltz, who is an Art History major with a minor in Theatre Arts. She has a fondness for Impressionism and enjoys learning about new style of art. Her hobbies also include reading, drawing, listening to music, and, of course, exploring art museums. Marlee believes that art is a form of global communication, so she is quite excited to hear all the stories that this year’s Symposium will highlight. Whether it’s Renaissance drama or Contemporary visual culture, she is about celebrating art in all its glory.

Olivia (Liv) Martinez

Olivia (Liv) Martinez is majoring in Art Education with a minor in Art History at SUNY New Paltz. They serve as the president of the Art History Association and have been the group’s event coordinator for the past two years. They are honored to moderate the SUNY New Paltz Undergraduate Art History Symposium for the third time!

Gillian Miller

Gillian Miller is a sophomore at SUNY New Paltz, majoring in Biology and minoring in Art History. She is the Council of Organizations Representative for the Art History Association. Gillian is interested in art conservation and ancient Greek and Roman art. This year is her first time moderating, and she is excited to hear about everyone’s research.