Psyche Inspired: Julia Stephens

Person with dark hair, wearing a black top and key-shaped earring, smiling at the beach with ocean in the background

Institution: Florida State University
Major: BFA Studio Art & Creative Writing
Psyche Inspired Class: 2025-2026

Reflections on Psyche Inspired

Reflections on Project 1: Reflection

The form of the asteroid and the spacecraft of “psyche” are combined into one hybrid unit. It is drawn in ink atop a colored watercolor background based on the map of the optical albedo of the asteroid which is a measurement of the reflection of sunlight.

Reflection

Julia Stephens

December 8th, 2025
Major: Studio Art and Creative Writing
Genre/Medium: Watercolor and ink on paper
About the work:

Reflection is a piece that explores the psyche mission’s goal of discovery in regard to helping understand our own earth’s core and how it parallels the mythical story of Cupid and Psyche. The original myth is about a reveal and discovery of something unknown being close to familiarity and humanity. Psyche is reaching out to Cupid as we are reaching out to this planetesimal. With both the asteroid and the spacecraft living under the title of Psyche, I thought it was fitting that the mission happened to be almost a self-discovery. Psyche is unveiling a secret of herself in a way. We are exploring Psyche to understand more about ourselves. This concept is highlighted in the combination of the asteroid and the spacecraft meshed into one atop a colored background based on the map of the optical albedo of the asteroid which is a measurement of the reflection of sunlight.

Gallery View: Reflections

Reflections on Project 2: Essence

Attached to a white translucent ribbon are three clear acrylic discs with the Psyche Inspired logo laser cut in a radial pattern on them. Two of the discs are the same size with one of them being larger and in between the two. They lead upwards with an array of decorative beads and wire to a paper form representing Psyche made up of clear vellum and printed raw images captured by the spacecraft.

Essence

Julia Stephens

February 16th, 2026
Major: Studio Art & Creative Writing
Genre/Medium: acrylic sheets, ribbon, wire, vellum, beads, paper
About the work:

Although we have taken data and distant observations to generate possible models, we don’t truly know what the Psyche asteroid looks like. We only have an “essence” of what to expect. With this art piece I wanted to highlight the beauty in this uncertainty and discovery to come. There is a definition in shapes and form within the sculpture, but the materiality is transparent, representing the idea of leaving room for interpretation of what may actually come to be true. I wanted to play with how the journey to Psyche is just as important and beautiful in shaping the way we will view the asteroid upon arrival. The form of Psyche at the top is made using translucent vellum and printed raw images from the Psyche Spacecraft cameras. I laser cut three acrylic discs that spiral upwards toward the asteroid motioned by the wire forms and beads. With the term “psyche” meaning soul I did not only want to allude to uncertainty of a final product, but also feeling “essence” as the hopeful feeling that comes with the mission that gives Psyche a further depth.

Gallery View: Essence

Reflections on Project 3: Impact

Utilizing steel rods and scrap sheet metal, I created an interpretation of what I believe the birth of psyche could have been. The piece was welded to show movement both physically and mythically around the asteroid body with a scrap metal solid core in the round shape of the Psyche asteroid with varied size strips of metal placed at the ends of rods curved around the spherical space of the body.

Impact

Julia Stephens

March 18th, 2026

Major: Studio Art and Creative Writing

Genre/Medium: Steel

About the Work:

The creation of the psyche asteroid as we know it is proposed to have been formed by a collision that stripped it to its metal core. This impact was the catalyst for the psyche mission, opening a realm for research and data that could influence the knowledge we have on Earth’s core.

“Impact” is a sculptural interpretation of the creation of Psyche both physically and mythically. I chose the word Impact as the title for this piece as it is a homonym that represents the process of psyche’s creation depicted in my work as well as highlights the potential impact on science that this asteroid could have.

Utilizing steel rods and scrap sheet metal, I created an interpretation of what I believe the birth of psyche could have been. The piece was welded to show movement with a scrap metal solid core in the shape of the Psyche asteroid as we know it now with varied strips of metal placed at the ends of rods curved around the spherical space of the body.

Gallery View: Impact

Reflections on Project 4: Inter: The Space Between

A stained glass artwork shows Earth on one side in bright blues and greens and the asteroid Psyche on the other in dark tones. Between them, two human hands reach toward each other but do not touch, inspired by Michelangelo. Light passes through the glass, highlighting a divide between the known and the unknown.

Inter: The Space Between

Julia Stephens

Major: Studio Art & Creative Writing

Genre/Medium: acrylic paint

About the Work:

The prefix Inter means between or among. What is separating, but also what is connecting. This piece means interception and also means interconnection. I wanted to portray this trust and juxtaposition of separation and connection between the earth and psyche. I was intrigued by the idea of sun interference and how the sun does not allow communication to pass through from us to psyche. I think this concept is a beautiful suggestion of trust in the spacecraft and how psyche has its own autonomy and its own mission to complete. Additionally I felt like it paralleled the myth of eros and psyche with this theme of trust and the idea of light being a catalyst for both a discovery of beauty and catastrophe.

Using acrylic paint I wanted to display the earth, sun, and psyche in an eclipse-like formation. Although the sun makes it so that we cannot see psyche and psyche cannot see us, both these bodies shine independently nonetheless. I wanted to show the light that is stretching around all three of these objects both as a highlight to their separation and also a form of connecting them through the utilization of the same bright cadmium color palette and flowing strokes.

Gallery View: Inter – The Space Between

The Psyche badge with no words on it.

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