Majors
Studio Art, Political Science
Minor
History
Which activities did you participate in at Whittier?
The Quaker Campus, Media Council, Tutor for CAAS, Omicron Delta Kappa member, Pi Sigma Alpha member, Pi Alpha Theta member.
What first attracted you to Whittier?
I was initially drawn to Whittier because of its small size, liberal leanings, diversity, and interdisciplinary nature. Specifically, I liked the Whittier Scholars Program, even if I didn’t end up going that route.
Why did you choose to study art?
Art has always been a part of my life. I claim that my passion for art started while I was growing up. My mother refused to give me coloring books and instead made me blank books that allowed my creativity to thrive and not be forced between pre-provided lines. Since that young age, I’ve always been in one type of art class or another. Majoring in art while at Whittier seemed like the next logical step in this progression. However, after I was actually majoring in art I realized how much of a passion art actually was to me.
Describe your experience at Whittier College. What was your favorite class?
I will always value my experiences while at Whittier. It gave me a safe place to explore all my interests - art, journalism, politics, and history - in a creative, motivating, and rewarding environment. There are so many strong memories that I’m sure will stay with me for years to come: long nights preparing for our senior show in the art gym; working into the wee hours in the Quaker Campus office; being around smart, creative, and inspiring minds. While it is extremely difficult to narrow down one favorite class because there were so many that I enjoyed, I would have to say the paired classes - Feminist Philosophies taught be Michelle Switzer and Gender, Family, and Community Life of Colonial Latin America taught by Jose Ortega - because what I learned in these two classes was the foundation of what my art practice has conceptually become.
What was your first job after Whittier? What are you currently up to? How has your Whittier education benefited you professionally?
Currently, I am earning my Master of Fine Arts degree at the San Francisco Art Institute. While here, I’m also a teaching assistant for multiple classes. After graduation, I plan to find a teaching position and continue my practice. My work - paintings and installation focused on materiality - considers the role language plays in marginalizing and passivating certain bodies, such as feminine-identified and queer bodies. This work is directly related to my interdisciplinary education at Whittier.
What advice would you give to future art alumni when they graduate?
Don’t listen to the voices in the back of your head that say your work is not good enough. You will always wonder if what you are making is good enough. However, it is more important to pursue what you enjoy and create what you think you need to. If you enjoy making art and thinking with an artistic mind, find a way to continue doing so after graduation. That route may be getting an MFA, it may not. I enjoy academia and teaching and exposing my art to the potential for harsh criticism (okay, maybe not the last one). It is possible to make art and live your life at the same time. Always be open to the criticism that is given to you. Some of it may be irrelevant, however, without accepting it and working through it, your work can never evolve. And finally, make sure to make and maintain good relations with the faculty. They will be immensely helpful when you are trying to figure all of this out.
