Students share their reflections on death through art

The purpose of the event, attended by about 40 people, was to allow CSC employees to meet with the students and hear their brief presentations about class art projects they created centered around the inevitability of death, according to Ellis. The variety of media assignments included drawings, paintings, photographs, AI generated art, and pottery.

Allison Beard of Chadron, a junior majoring in business administration with a focus in marketing, displayed a collage of photos from her great grandfather's funeral.

“He was a veteran of World War II and I thought the traditional rituals performed at the national cemetery were beautiful and enlightening. I’ve never really thought about what I would want other than just basic things like I want to be cremated. Watching the way the other veterans respected, cared for and honored him was so beautiful. It was a cool experience that opened my eyes,” Beard said.

Haleyanna Krohn, a senior majoring in business administration from Fort Collins, Colorado, created a clay mug inscribed with memento mori.

“This phrase is a reminder that one day we will die. I think the most impactful thing in this class was the memento mori concept. I had never heard of it until this class. It's important for all of us to remember that one day we're going to die. The constant reminder every morning that one day we're going to die will help put us at ease when that day comes,” she said.

She explained that she created a mug because she wakes up every morning and has coffee.

“What a great time to remember that even though this cup is full now, eventually it's going to be gone. It’s a good time to remember that someday I won't be on this earth,” Krohn said.

Kadyn Comer, a senior majoring in human biology from Hill City, South Dakota, shared a photo of a sunset she had taken.

“I've always loved sunsets. This photo is a good reminder to me that even though it's really beautiful, it's still going to end. It also represents how life is going to end. The sunset represents the end of the day as well as the end of our life. Whether it was good or bad, it's going to end at some point, so we have to make the most of it,” Comer said.

Eva Nitschke, a sophomore from Rawlins, Wyoming, majoring in nutrition and dietetics, shared a photo she took of changing trees in the fall.

“One tree seems kind of dead and the other one has a bright color. As I was walking to class one day, I stopped and reminded myself to look at the trees, because soon all the leaves will fall and they won't be as pretty anymore. Immediately, that reminded me of my own finitude. It's important to remember that one day we will die and it's important to know that you need to appreciate the season of life that you're in,” Nitschke said.