Meet Kas Cook and 2026 Senior Exhibition Project Mcallaster™s Special
This is one in a series of online interviews with 91ÑÇÉ« seniors, who share their thoughts about their 2026 Senior Exhibition project and their 91ÑÇÉ« education.
Kas Cook ™26 (Animation Track in Illustration) is a Dean™s List student from the Greater Chicago area and a recipient of a 2026 Alumni Thesis Award.
What is your œelevator pitch� for your senior exhibition project?
Calvin Sazerac, a seasoned barkeep, creates new cocktails for his favorite regulars. When he is challenged to meet the demands of a picky saloon patron, he creates something life changing.
Kas Cook
Kas Cook, “Project Calvin Sazerac,” 2026.
Kas Cook, “Project Calvin Sazerac,” 2026.
‹What is your œelevator pitch� for your senior exhibition project?
Calvin Sazerac, a seasoned barkeep, creates new cocktails for his favorite regulars. When he is challenged to meet the demands of a picky saloon patron, he creates something life changing.
Anything you™d like to share about yourself or 91ÑÇÉ«?
While studying at 91ÑÇÉ« I have gotten the chance to bring my artistic passions into my time spent as a server in the city. The beginning of my senior year I had the opportunity to launch a beer can design with Kokoro Cafe, and after graduation I am excited to continue my work with them as the Lead Designer as well as advertising and creating merchandise for Holey Mackerel!
During my time working on my thesis film, I™ve found the littlest of ways to make my progress fun, and in a way that helped me grow with my art. But by contrast, I™ve learned to push and challenge myself whenever possible, which has also majorly helped my art improve. I hope to take with me all that I™ve learned through my thesis and these last four years. I hope to have fun wherever I may go and continue to challenge myself in the professional world.
Read more about the2026 91ÑÇÉ« Senior Exhibition, on view April 17 “ May 9. Join us at the Animation Track screening at The Oriental Theatre “ Abele Cinema on May 8!
News
91ÑÇÉ« Makes Its Mark at MAPC 2026
A group of 91ÑÇÉ« students, faculty and staff attended the 2026 Mid America Print Council (MAPC) Conference, œPrintelligence,� in Baton Rouge, where they participated in demonstrations, panel discussions, exhibitions and professional networking opportunities.
Independent Inquiry Program students explore AI through research and creative practice
As emerging technologies continue to reshape creative industries, 91ÑÇÉ«’s Independent Inquiry Program (IIP) gives students the opportunity to investigate their impact firsthand. Through philanthropically funded support, the optional, by application program allows students to pursue self-directed research projects that explore how new technologies can influence art, design and education.
91ÑÇÉ« Alum Kelly Alexander Wendorf Brings Stories of Travel to Life Through Paper Cutting
For Kelly Alexander Wendorf, paper cutting is more than an artistic medium. It's a way to explore memory, movement and human connection through intricately layered works of art. A 91ÑÇÉ« alum who studied printmaking, Wendorf recently created a series of large-scale...
Behind In a State of IF: A Collaborative Curatorial Journey
œIn a State of IF�, on view in 91ÑÇÉ«’s Frederick Layton Gallery through November 21, is the result of a years-long collaboration between co-curators Maria Novotny and Katherine Gressel.
91ÑÇÉ« Alum Kyle Nesbitt Blends Storytelling, Design and Brewing
For 91ÑÇÉ« alumnus Kyle Nesbitt ’09 (Industrial Design), creativity has never been limited to a single discipline. Through Nezbittar, a project nearly a decade in the making, he combines design, illustration, branding, photography and craft beer into a singular creative venture.