Blossoms of every size, shape, and color bring life to the pristine, white walls of one of the Visual Arts Building’s many exhibition rooms. These ideas came from senior Stella Deo, a graphic design major at the University of Iowa.

When asked how she was feeling about her first exhibit, “The Flower,” Deo expressed she was more than happy.

“I felt so excited,” Deo said. “I had to take time to prepare for it and I want to have more shows in the future.”

A collection of pottery with flower arrangements adorns the left side of the exhibition room, while some carefully crafted digital paintings hang on the other, all of which remain unnamed.

“I want people to have their own interpretations of my works,” Deo explained.

The sections are separated by a vibrant flower arch, a unique addition to tie the works together.

Deo was born in Đà Lạt, the capital of the Lâm Đồng province in Vietnam. Surrounded by hills, waterfalls, and greenery, there is no doubt that “The City of Eternal Spring” gave her artistic ideas.

“Some of those places [in Vietnam] inspired my works,” Deo stated. She wanted to capture the beauty of Hội An, a city she visited, in one of her vertical paintings. The painting featured an orange sunset overlooking houses, complete with a pink, red and white flower field.

Throughout her process, Deo utilized Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop to make her paintings.

She molded each piece of pottery on a wheel and fired each one in the kiln in her ceramics classes. It took her three months to make the flower arch, an achievement she prided herself on.

Her favorite work in the collection is a horizontal painting consisting of almost all pink lotus flowers and lily pads, surrounded by lush greenery and two crimson-red trees.

“I took a lot of time on it. I drew specific details [of the flowers] and wanted to create the feeling of seeing them in the morning,” Deo said. “Through my show, I hope people can get to know me and my art.”