What was it like for you to go into art school? Was this always the plan for you?
Jeah: Going to art school or becoming an artist was never something I imagined as my future. In high school, I was in trade practicing technical welding with a plan to graduate high school and advance straight into working in a shipyard. As a young 18 year old, female, POC welder, however, a shipyard was not something I was ready for. So I applied to VCU instead with the intentions of continuing metalworking in the metals department of the Craft/Materials Studies major. With no true prior experience in art or understanding of jewelry, I have learned to explore, appreciate, and love the artistry embedded within metal smithing and jewelry making. Choosing art school and becoming an artist has opened a whole other side of me that I didn’t know existed and the more I learn and experience art, the more I come to learn and understand my
Mya: I never really had a plan, I didn’t make art in high school and figured I’d end up in the military like the rest of my family.
Liana: Art school was never my plan throughout high school- I had been preparing to study creative writing and was in internships and programs dedicated to it. For me, art school became a necessity out of a desperation to be heard through visual arts. I needed to make art and have people digest it. Now I am going back to my roots after four years and incorporating my writing into my art.
Jessica: I never imagined being able to pursue art in university, being first generation I still have moments where I'm surprised I ended up here. I decided to apply to art school a couple weeks before the deadline and ever since then I was pulled to commit to art.
Yve: Coming to VCU was both impulsive and heavily planned. Four years in university, especially out of state was out of the question, so I was attending classes locally at a community college supplemented with craft classes at a local studio where I came into contact with glass for the first time. I took a 12 week intro glassblowing class, which I loved, and where my instructor pushed me to look into finishing my degree at a university where I could take a deeper dive into the craft. She emphasized my identity as a person of color, a woman and a youth, and the importance I could hold in the community if I took it seriously enough. The impulsive part was the decision to apply to VCU, with the deadline for application only weeks away. Getting accepted was a surprise and although my family was excited, I was still hesitant to be so far from home, both in terms of the resources it required and the time I would be away from my aging parents. Even now, the weight of the opportunity to attend university for something I love, is only possible because of the sacrifices and hard work my parents endured in moving to America, creating a supportive environment for me and my dreams. I am happy where I am, but I am even happier to represent the success of their efforts, so I will continue working hard and making the most of every opportunity in thanks.
