Student Spotlight: Madison Spencer and Jenna Mayes

18 Apr 2023

Student Spotlight: Madison Spencer and Jenna Mayes

Madison Spencer and Jenna Mayes won first place at the Juried Student Show with their board game design Grande Spector Hotel. Spencer is a junior graphic design major, and Jenna Mayes is a senior Fine Arts major with a concentration in Graphic Design.

Tell us about your experience with the Juried Student Show and Grande Spector Hotel. Where did you find your inspiration?

Madison Spencer

This year I was fortunate enough to have two of my works accepted into the Student Show. My first piece was Electromagnetic Radiation. It is a relief print I created last semester by carving a linoleum block. The second piece was Grande Specter Hotel. I worked alongside Jenna Mayes and Zachery Stanley to create the board game from scratch. We all took a game design class where our main project was to create a tabletop game. We all agreed we wanted to make a game based on ghosts and a haunted hotel. We took inspiration from older retro board games. After three revisions we had the final version of the game which was submitted to the Student Show.

Jenna Mayes

Grande Specter Hotel was a group effort, and I had an absolutely awesome group. I think Madison, Zach, and I worked really well together to create this cool thing.

What clubs/organizations are you involved in?

Madison Spencer

Graphic Design club and Phi Mu Fraternity

Jenna Mayes

I’m involved in graphic design club and print club.

What is one way you have grown during your time at JSU?

Madison Spencer

I have definitely become more confident in my skills and talking about my work. I did not have many opportunities for art classes at my high school, and the program has been amazing at helping me improve my skills.

Jenna Mayes

I think my design and illustration skills have definitely improved.

What is your favorite course you have taken?

Madison Spencer

Printmaking: Relief. I was able to take things I have learned in other courses and apply them to a unique process. I definitely recommend to anyone in the Art program to take the class.

Jenna Mayes

I recommend Screen Printing and Book Arts.

What do you plan to do after you graduate?

Madison Spencer

I am currently researching all of my options, but I want to potentially find a job at a Design Agency in the surrounding cities.

Jenna Mayes

I plan to try and get a design or illustration job.

Any recent accomplishments?

Jenna Mayes

Aside from winning 1^st place in the Juried Student Show, I have also had work featured in Artifact Bold at High Point University.

What is a fun fact about yourself?

Madison Spencer