I think, therefore I CREATE

Department:Fine Arts 
Education: M.F.A., University of Iowa, 2013 B.A., University of Virginia, 2009       
Current Research:Printmaking in Venice, Italy

How did you get involved in printmaking and why did you pursue it professionally and academically?
When I started college at the University of Virginia, I did not really know what printmaking was. My Introduction to Drawing instructor recommended that I take a printmaking course with Prof. Dean Dass, so I did. By the end of the course I had officially declared printmaking as my major.

What made printmaking special for me was the community. I loved that everyone was working together in the same studio, and that the option of making multiples allowed for collaborative book projects and portfolio exchanges.

As Prof. Dass would always say, “Process saves us from the poverty of our intentions.” My interpretation of this quote is that no matter an artist's original intent, having a medium such as printmaking that demands constant problem solving along the way, reinforces and further develops technical abilities and ideas. So the very act of printmaking itself can help artists grow.         

Who or what inspires you?
I am extremely lucky to have had truly inspiring professors including Prof. Dass, Prof. Akemi Ohira (University of Virginia), Prof. Anita Jung (University of Iowa), and many others!

Why are the arts important in public life? In education?
The arts can bring people together, allowing for personal expression and shared experience. I love teaching art because you get to see students develop their visual voices and guide them through learning new processes. These lessons can reinforce knowledge and understanding of other subjects, such as chemistry and physics.

If you could go to dinner with three people living or dead, who would you invite and what would you eat (and drink)?
I would appreciate the opportunity to have some soup and tea with Leonardo da Vinci, Abraham Lincoln, and Mahatma Gandhi.