As part of Delbarton’s annual AP Art Exhibit, we continue our AP Artist Spotlight series highlighting the creativity, intention, and storytelling of our senior artists. This week, we feature Griffin Maguire ’26, whose Sustained Investigation explores familial memory and the ways it can be preserved, altered, and emotionally experienced through visual media.

For Griffin, documenting moments has always been part of daily life. Growing up in a family that consistently recorded birthdays, holidays, and everyday experiences, he developed an early appreciation for how memory is captured and preserved over time.

“Birthdays and Christmases in my house are always accompanied by a camera,” Griffin said, reflecting on a household where documenting the past is a constant presence.

That foundation shaped his Sustained Investigation, which asks how mark-making and visual techniques can represent familial memory and the emotions attached to it. During junior year Studio Art, Griffin gravitated toward drypoint etching for its expressive linework and texture, which became central to his practice.

A key element of his process is the use of “ghost prints,” created by printing a second image without re-inking the plate. This results in a softer, faded version of the original image, which Griffin uses to reflect how memories change over time.

“The first print comes out as a clear and faithful representation of the etched plate, while the ghost print appears more faded,” Griffin said, explaining how this contrast mirrors “the softening and waning of memories over time.”

Over the summer, Griffin expanded his investigation by gathering photographs, videos, and personal stories from family members, building an archive of memory to draw from. These materials now inform both his reference images and the layered additions he incorporates into his prints.

His finished works often combine multiple mediums, including collaged photography, handwritten testimonies, and selective use of color. Each layer is intentionally chosen to represent a specific emotional or narrative thread, adding depth to the idea of memory as something complex and multi-layered.

Throughout his portfolio, Griffin places strong emphasis on light, using it to enhance realism while also creating moments of tension, drama, and nostalgia. As his work develops, he continues to focus on creating pieces that evoke reflection and a sense of remembrance in the viewer.

We thank Griffin for sharing his artistic journey and perspective, and we look forward to the next AP Artist Spotlight in this year’s series.