Semester 3

Art is expression, so by merely making art you are allowing others to catch a glimpse of your worldview.  It is another medium by which different people’s experiences and beliefs can be translated and communicated to a larger audience in a unique way. Art is a way for us to get more in touch with our own perceptions, and a way to begin to understand the feelings of others. In order to initiate this creative process, I believe one should follow their ideas where and when they come, and then dive into things like research and continue to develop their ideas until they have a well-rounded concept to create. During this process, feedback is incorporated in order to better understand how a message is being communicated, so both the creator and the recipient should have mutual respect for each unique perspective in order to get the most out of the feedback.

Being able to express yourself is incredibly important, especially during a year like this one. The first things that come to mind when I think about how art has been used for expression recently have to be the massive Black Lives Matter murals that have popped up all over the country since the beginning of this year, like the one in D.C. I already had appreciation for these kinds of artistic contributions to social movements, but I think being in Arts Scholars has deepened this appreciation and understanding. I can’t help but think of the visiting artist we had one week that talked about the importance of murals to their expression and community. I already had an understanding of the general importance of these pieces and how they are tied to the movements, but I am thankful that Arts Scholars continues to provide room for more voices to be heard. 

I am a theatre performance major, so on top of Arts Scholars I am taking many classes in the arts that can easily be connected to one another. If anything, my time in Art Scholars so far has helped me grow more comfortable trying out different kinds of creative endeavors, such as writing and picking up new instruments. However to be more specific, I think I saw the most overlap and connections between Art Scholars and my THET351 course, Intro to Musical Theatre. I loved becoming a part of a community in Arts Scholars, even if I wasn’t the most outgoing of the bunch, and forming an ensemble for our musical cabaret performance in 351 was very similar. Throughout this course and my time in Art Scholars I have learned to open up a bit more, and grow more comfortable sharing ideas with others. I would say that I’m a very creative person, but in the past I have struggled with sharing my interests and my work. Over the course of this year I have been pleasantly surprised with myself and my confidence due to this community-building.

​

I can say with confidence that Art Scholars played a part in helping me get through this virtual fall semester. I really looked forward to colloquium on Tuesday nights. I looked forward to seeing familiar faces that I recognized from the time before Zoom. I looked forward to our silly and chill warm-ups and TA time. It was such an inviting space that felt like a break from the stress of typical classes, but I still felt I was getting something out of it. I have to admit, I was worried about Art Scholars when I first started. I was a wildly ambitious freshman that was terrified of “figuring everything out” when it came to the performing arts first thing in college. I thought that maybe Art Scholars wasn’t focused enough on one specific thing, even though I didn’t know what that “thing” was supposed to be. Over time I realized I was being a little ridiculous, and that being in an environment that fostered all kinds of art was really wonderful. Being able to see what kinds of endeavors my peers wanted to embark on, or what hobbies they wanted to expand upon (for those who aren’t exactly art majors), was really cool and only made me more excited to keep exploring my own ambitions, especially after realizing how supportive everyone is of each other.

While I was not able to be a Peer Mentor this year due to the chaotic scheduling of my theatre major, I have tried to remain a present and engaged member of the community, even amidst the turn to online programming. Both this year and last, I have frequently made use of office hours in order to ask questions, clarify, or even just sit down and talk. I enjoy the open and easy communication that Art Scholars allows for. While colloquium is somewhat large and there isn’t much talking going on over Zoom, office hours have allowed me to continue to stay engaged in a small way. I don’t think I have contributed much to Art Scholars as a whole in my time here so far, but I’m definitely looking into becoming a TA next year, if scheduling allows. I’ve really enjoyed Art Scholars and I’d love to maximize my time here in any way that I can, especially since these last two semesters have not exactly been the ideal normal. I think it would be fun to play a part in creating the same kind of atmosphere for incoming freshmen that the program has made for me. 

I haven’t yet come into contact with people that have challenged my beliefs in this program. However, I don’t believe this is because we are in some kind of bubble. Rather, I believe that the people I have met in this program are incredibly open-minded and willing to talk about difficult subjects and explore other people’s viewpoints in an encouraging environment. Being able to listen to others and learn to understand their beliefs is incredibly important and vital in the push towards true equality and equity for all. So, I don’t believe that I have a specific example for a time that my beliefs were challenged. But every guest artist, every pentathlon, and every peer interaction has been a new experience and has brought a new perspective. Art is expression from perception, so I’d say Art Scholars is the natural breeding ground for understanding through this artistic exposure.