Guarisco Merit Scholars Named by Art, Art History, and Visual Studies Program
April 7, 2025
Pictured above: Selection from Untitled series, by Savannah Brister, C’26
The Art, Art History, and Visual Studies Program has announced the winners of the Peter V. Guarisco Merit Scholarship for the 2025-26 academic year. Savannah Brister, C’26, was awarded the Guarisco Scholarship in Art for excellence in coursework, creative production, and engagement with the visual arts. Isabelle Sniatecki, C’26, was awarded the Guarisco Scholarship in Art History in recognition of excellence in coursework, writing, and engagement with questions of art history. The scholarships provide both recipients with tuition for their senior year and funding for a postgraduate career preparation experience.
Savannah Brister is a junior art major from Shreveport, Louisiana. A multidisciplinary artist, Brister works primarily with two-dimensional media including painting, drawing, photography, cyanotype, textiles, and collage. “I push my art beyond traditional formats, considering material, edges, sequencing, titles, and presentation,” said Brister in her artist statement. Faculty in the Art Department noted Brister’s striking use of different media in her work. “[Brister] consistently takes risks in her multidisciplinary practice, combining materials and processes in surprising ways,” says Associate Professor of Art Jessica Wohl. “Her deep introspection manifests in her work, and her complex, poetic ideas are beautifully crafted throughout her studio practice.”
Isabelle Sniatecki is a junior art history major from Turlock, California. In a statement in support of Sniatecki’s selection for the Guarisco award, the faculty in the Art History Department highlighted Sniatecki’s dedication to her scholarship and leadership in the classroom as particular strengths. “Her exemplary scholarship and impressive academic abilities will no doubt serve her well in pursuing a postgrad position in international teaching,” they wrote. “She had a standout application that expressed a joyful outlook to a future in urban planning after teaching with a clear grasp of how her art history major will prepare her with the necessary skills and knowledge for her career plans.”
An important feature of the Art, Art History, and Visual Studies Program, the Guarisco scholarship encourages ongoing engagement in the program and recognizes student achievement in both scholarship and studio practice. As Guarisco scholars, both Brister and Sniatecki will serve as ambassadors for the arts in addition to continuing their academic and creative pursuits.
The Guarisco award is given to two rising seniors each year, one from art history and one from art. Sewanee’s art history faculty selected Sniatecki to receive the Guarisco scholarship. Brister was selected for the Guarisco scholarship by a jury of external artists that included Windgate Museum Director/Curator Christian Cutler (Hendrix College), artist and educator Claire Joyce, and MFA in Visual Arts Chair and Associate Professor of Drawing Kristi Hargrove (Belmont University).
