Succeeding with an art degree is harder than most think, but completely worth all the handwork that you put into it. This weeks alum tells us how she discovered her favorite medium, loved her professors here at Marywood, and how she is continuing her studio art degree. She treats school like a job to try to relate to what it will be like once she graduates. Read more below on how Alexandra believes art is a team sport.
ALEXANDRA PRICE
Graduation Year/Major: Class of 2014, BFA Studio Art, Art History minor
Marywood Clubs/Activities: President of Zeta Omicron, Marywood’s chapter of Kappa Pi International Honorary Art Fraternity (2013/2014) and Editor-in-Chief of The Bayleaf, Marywood’s Art and Literary Magazine
Current Occupation: Going to graduate school full time is a job where you put in overtime but nobody pays you. I’m currently a second-year MFA candidate at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and am scheduled to graduate this coming May 2016. At school, I try to treat going to the studio and going to class as going to work because what I learn and how my artwork progresses will inform the jobs I have later. Outside of school and my art practice, I also hold an internship at the Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts. EFA is dedicated to providing artists across all disciplines with space, tools, and a cooperative forum for the development of individual practice. They are a catalyst for cultural growth, stimulating new interactions between artists, creative communities, and the public.
Favorite part of Marywood: One of my favorite parts of my experience at Marywood was the faculty. You’re always going to have professors who you work better with than others, but I’m happy to say that the majority of the faculty I worked with was top-notch. Many of them truly cared about their students and wanted them to succeed while providing an educational and entertaining class experience. They understood when you were burnt out, when you needed to be pushed, and when the class needed to be held outside the classroom.
Advice for current art students: Going back to the faculty, particularly in the art department. Most, if not all of them, have real world knowledge of the art world and especially their craft. Don’t be afraid to reach out to them if there’s something you want to know or for advice. Take that one step further and don’t be afraid to reach out to faculty who you DON’T have a class with. Marywood is your university and you have all of these experienced resources at your fingertips.
How did my art education benefit my career: On a distinct level, I would not have gotten into graduate school, pretty much my current “job,” without the guidance I received at Marywood, whether from Steven Alexander or the visiting artists that were brought in. The practical knowledge they shared like how to put together a cohesive, harmonious portfolio, what kinds of questions to be prepared for in an interview, or simple conversations about my developing work, all helped shape me as an artist and professional.
Favorite part of grad school: My favorite part of graduate school, my current job, is the community. Like-minded, creative individuals who simultaneously bring very diverse ideas and backgrounds to the table surround me. It’s a community that is open to and encourages deep discussion and that will be an everlasting resource. If there is one thing I’ve learned about art and the art world both at Marywood University and my current institution, it is that art is a team sport.
Favorite medium: A medium that I discovered in a figure drawing class at Marywood that has followed me after graduating is oil paint stick, specifically R&F Pigment Sticks. I’m very interested in the idea of drawing in painting as well as an abstract expressionist concept of action painting. The oil sticks allow me to be more confrontational with my surface and utilize high-energy gestures. I’m also a big fan on the “fat” of them that when combined with medium or other oil paint gives me a thick, rich effect.
Check out more of Alexandra’s work at her Website: www.alexandra-price.com
Featured image courtesy of Alexandra Price.
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN STUDYING PAINTING?
UNDERGRADUATE: Painting is among the most ancient of human expressions. Even in the face of contemporary technology, it remains vital, pluralistic, and integral to our cultural identity. The study of painting within a liberal arts curriculum prepares you to engage the world with empathy, insight, individuality, and problem-solving skills. LEARN MORE