First, tell us a bit about yourself!

Where are you from? What year are you at Emory? What are you studying? What kind of art do you make?

I'm from Baltimore, Maryland and am currently a senior studying Human Health with a concentration in Business and minor in Sustainability. I love painting, mixed media and anything crafty. Right now, I am super into watercolor/sharpie mixed media, whereas over the summer I was making jewelry every week and upcycling clothes from Goodwill.

 

Did you make anything interesting during quarantine?

Yes! I made a great amount of jewelry in my free time from broken necklaces I had lying around my place in Atlanta. I also bought several pants/shorts from Goodwill and hemmed/tie-dyed them to update my wardrobe. I also made several 5.5x8.5in mixed media pieces that are hanging in my bedroom/house.

 

Why do you create? How do you incorporate it into your daily life at Emory?

I create art because it is truly fundamental to my identity. Ever since I was a kid I would buy as many crafting kits and art supplies as possible from AC Moore with my weekly allowance. Art is something that I naturally have enjoyed- it lets me be creative, get into a flow state and express myself when words cannot be found. To be honest, I think I have lost myself a bit as an artist at Emory. It's hard to justify buying a new sketchbook over textbooks, or spending hours painting when I could be studying for a test. Whenever I realize that I haven't been creative in several weeks or months due to sheer volume of class work, I force myself to draw something- if I neglect my practice too much, I lose creativity and ability fast. When I'm not too busy with homework, I create whatever it is that I'm feeling such as a triptych or a pair of earrings. It's constantly in change, and that's how I like it.

 

I’m specifically interested in your mural work at Emory. Can you tell us about how you got started in murals, how you got permission to do this kind of public art on Emory’s campus, and what you hope others take away from your work?

Great question! I wish I could answer this with every detail I have, but I'll try to keep it short. Essentially, an idea spawned in my mind in one of the first exec meetings of the Pulse my sophomore year to create a mural on campus. Our president at the time, Nava, told me that whatever I wanted to do, she would help and the Pulse would support me. So, I went for it. With a ton of help from friends across campus and various Emory employees, I eventually came into contact with Campus Life, and they got me the materials, money and support I needed to make my first mural. I was supposed to create a second mural with the Emory Hospital in their cardiac ICU units to improve inpatient experience/care (I met the man in charge of the unit one day when I was painting the Cox Bridge mural, and he asked me "who's in charge of this mural?" I responded proudly, "Well, that's me!" and that's how the Emory Hospital mural was born), but due to COVID-19, our entire project was cancelled. It was a shame, because the other artists and I had already created designs and were going to be paid for our work! Anyways, I hope to create more murals wherever I go, and I sincerely thank Emory for giving me the chance to make something like this happen.

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What inspires you? Artists? People? Environments? Quotes?

The people who inspire me are those I see in everyday life. For example, one of my roommates my junior year is an incredibly pioneering, strong and intelligent woman. She inspired me in so many small ways and she doesn't even know it! It's truly an accumulation of acts that inspire me. The energy that I harness from those actions and memories remind me of why I do what I do. They remind me that I am a kind, creative and pioneering woman too. And that confidence lets me continue to create art despite any doubts.

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You seem to experiment with several artistic media in addition to murals. Can you tell us about why you like this sort of variety?

Honestly, the reason I experiment is because I am "jack of all trades but master of none." There is no one form of art that I am absolutely stellar at, but there are multiple forms that I am adequate at. This gives me more of a reason to experiment, because if I want to create an image that expresses X concept but don't know how, I have a wealth of options to choose from that will best suit X idea (ex. using sharpie to draw a female figure but using watercolor to paint the background). Additionally, I am not a perfectionist and I do not like to follow ordinary rules. I prefer experimentation and going against the grain- it's the best way, for me at least, to be my most authentic self.

 

I know you’re a senior so I’m curious how you think you’ll incorporate creativity into your life after college?

I hope to carry a sketchbook wherever I may travel so I can draw/paint at any place and time. I likely won't be settling down for a few years, so I will have to be frugal in the art supplies I take with me. Once I do settle down, my dream is to have a room dedicated purely to creativity in my home. A room that has every artistic medium imaginable and room for spills, stains, and any absurd creation. I know I won't have that kind of room for a while, but I am determined to make one!

 

What is your advice for freshmen hoping to get involved in the arts at Emory?

Just go for it. There's nothing holding you back besides your own fears and preoccupations. Join whichever arts club speaks to you on campus, attend various events and get in the habit of performing or presenting your work through Emory's various outlets. I know it may seem like there is no art community at Emory, but trust me, there are a lot of people working to keep the arts alive here - you just have to find them.