Contributors

Howie Gao

Howie is a super senior at Colby College, majoring in Art History and returning to campus to conclude his degree after taking time away from his college path. Originally from Beijing and now based in Orange County, CA, Howie enrolled in AR397: Alphabet of Creation to explore the intersections of Jewish activism and art. He enjoys skiing and surfing, considers himself a connoisseur of fine cuisines, and finds inspiration in the works of his favorite poet, Wisława Szymborska. In his free time, Howie loves discovering new culinary experiences and immersing himself in the great outdoors.

Shayna Purow

Shayna is a member of the class of 2026 at Colby with a major in Studio Art and minors in Creative Writing and Environmental Studies. Shayna took this class because of her combined interest in Art History and Jewish Studies, as well as the opportunity to get to work with historical materials with a small group of dedicated peers. Shayna is on the varsity volleyball team at Colby, is a member of the Wind Ensemble, and works for the Athletics Department as a Student Graphic Design Assistant. Shayna loves to paint, read, and write and also enjoys skiing at Colby. She listens to many types of music including folk, country, rock, and jazz.

Julia Reilly

Julia is a member of the class of 2026, and is a Studio Art Major concentrating in Digital Media. Julia enrolled in AR397 Ben Shahn: Alphabet of Creation due to her love of Art History, as it presents the semester-long opportunity to collaborate with peers and research Ben Shahn’s life and body of work in depth. Outside of class, she assists with an art class at Greene Block + Studios, and enjoys several outdoor activities such as skiing, hiking, sailing, and exploring local towns in Maine.

Noam Reinhorn

Noam is a member of the class of 2026 at Colby College, studying Art History and Economics. Noam enrolled in AR397: Alphabet of Creation because of the opportunity to engage in art historical research and work collaboratively with his peers. He’s on the men’s varsity swim team and works in the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid. In his free time, Noam likes skiing, hiking, kayaking, and hanging out with friends and family. He enjoys country, folk, and indie music, and his favorite movie is Good Will Hunting.

Hannah Rosenberg

Hannah is a member of the class of 2025 studying art history and psychology. Her interest in this class stems from Shahn’s background as a Jewish immigrant and the ways in which this identity informed Shahn’s artistic practice. Outside of class, Hannah enjoys knitting, cooking, and reading.

Victor Sabbatini

Hailing from Lausanne, Switzerland, Victor is a class of 2028 student passionate about art history and English. An avid reader and collector of books, Victor decided to enroll in this class as it enabled him to research and engage firsthand with Ben Shahn’s maquettes; such an opportunity allowed him to immerse himself in Shahn’s artistic practice in a deeply personal manner, as well as gain insight on the various steps of the bookmaking process. In his free time, Victor enjoys listening to music, reading, and watching movies—his favorite being The Bittersweet Tears of Petra von Kant by Rainer Werner Fassbinder.

Jenifer Zanabriga

Jenifer is a member of the class of 2025, studying Anthropology and Studio Art with a concentration in painting. She is from rural Eastern Oregon and since coming to Colby she’s been interested in pushing beyond her comfort zone. Jenifer’s involvement with this project comes from an interest to learn about Ben Shahn’s artistic legacy and how to critically contextualize his works using an art historical perspective. Her interests outside of class include making art, gardening, meditating, reading, and spending quality time with her friends.

Professor Véronique Plesch

Professor of Art History at Colby, Plesch is the author of books and articles in English, French, Italian, and Spanish, on subjects such as late medieval and Renaissance iconography, Alpine art, Passion plays, early modern graffiti, book arts, and contemporary art—with a steady focus on word and image issues (she was President of the International Association of Word and Image Studies from 2008 to 2017 and is editor of Brill’s book series Word & Image Interactions). She has curated exhibitions on medieval liturgical objects, Grand Tour souvenirs, and book artist Christopher Gausby, among others. She is one of the editors of the Maine Arts Journal: Union of Maine Visual Arts Quarterly to which she regularly contributes.

Ellen Freeman

Ellen is a member of the Academic Technology Services team and has worked as the Teaching and Learning Applications Coordinator since June 2015. In the previous five years she worked as an Instructional Technologist at Colby. She brings expertise in instructional technology and a passion for innovative education. With years of experience in supporting tools like Moodle, WordPress, and recently artificial intelligence assistants, Ellen fosters creative learning solutions. Committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, she empowers educators and learners alike. Ellen resides in scenic Mid-Coast Maine with her family, where she finds inspiration in nature’s beauty.