Isabella Dablemont arrived at Columbia College with a plan: pursue graphic design and enter the professional world following graduation.
But through meaningful studio critiques, conversations with faculty members and the close-knit community of the Art Department, her path began to shift. What the Columbia native found instead was a passion for art history and a future she never imagined.
“My time at CC was unexpected,” said Dablemont, who will earn a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design with a minor in Art History from the School of Arts & Sciences on Saturday, May 2. “I could have never anticipated the friendships I would develop within the small-but-mighty Art Department. And I could never have anticipated my switch into art history and pursuing higher learning past my bachelor’s degree.”
Going forward, Dablemont plans to pursue a master’s degree in Art History. In the meantime, she intends to continue creating commissioned artwork for musicians and music venues such as Café Berlin and Rose Music Hall in her hometown.
She built the foundation for her future in the classrooms and galleries of Columbia College.
“I’ve learned to not only to collaborate with my fellow student artists, but also to establish friendships and trust between people I otherwise would have never met,” she said.
Dr. Laura Ursprung-Nerling was a particularly impactful mentor in Dablemont’s time at CC, helping her discover various studies within art, such as the overarching study of art history. Ursprung-Nerling also introduced Dablemont to the possibility of traveling the world for art and the craft of archiving, preserving and restoring pieces.
Along the way, Dablemont gravitated toward a future in academia rather than entering the realm of corporate graphic design as she initially planned.
“(Dr. Ursprung-Nerling) has been an essential figure to my time at Columbia College,” Dablemont said. “She’s guided me through difficult projects, allowed me to pursue all of my curiosities, and has made my time at the college more than worthwhile.”
Dablemont credits the rest of the Art faculty for their insights and genuine advice.
“Everyone is constantly excited by art, which has made my time at the college equally exciting,” she said. “The Art Department has been one of the most welcoming and understanding environments I have ever spent my time in, and the building has become a haven for myself and others.”
A Ceramics League trip to Chicago was the best memory of Dablemont’s undergrad experience outside the classroom, as she bonded with professors, classmates and friends on an educational excursion.
“We visited the Art Institute of Chicago, spent time gazing out on the lake, enjoyed hearty Irish dishes in a historic bistro in the Loop, and had some of the best Cuban coffee in the Midwest,” Dablemont said. “We waited for six hours in the train station (during a high wind advisory) in La Plata for our Amtrak, and I didn’t mind a single second of that time.”
At the college’s recent Student Art Exhibition Reception, Dablemont received the Juror’s Choice Award for Drawing and Printmaking – fitting recognition to cap her journey to graduation.
From community to unforgettable memories, Dablemont enters her next chapter with gratitude.
“My experience as a student at CC has been an amazing one,” she said. “I’ll miss it all so much.”
