Alicia Kulick (Class of 2016)
Blogger Role: Printmaking
Major: B.A. Studio Art
I chose Marywood because the world is very large and intimidating. When I chose Marywood, I was tender and confused (still am), and required a good education while remaining close to home. Marywood was the obvious answer – with its intimate yet comprehensive art program and peaceful campus, Marywood is a quiet place to study your craft and develop at your own pace.
I am majoring in Art because I am innately drawn to observation and creation. I see, I hear, I feel, I move – through time, and people and places – and all of this must be documented. Art-making is how I breathe through the deepest parts of myself and push outwards. If you are an artist, you are an artist. That can never be taken away from you. However, studying art in higher education is an outstanding opportunity to learn history and technique. It is a place to share ideas with working professionals. It is a place to fail many times and succeed a few. It is a place to be pushed to your creative breaking point until you almost collapse – and yet by graduation, you will be strong and prepared and filled with childish excitement for a future filled with what you love. This is why I am majoring in Art.
When I’m not in class, I’m sleeping, usually. You can often find me passed out in a chair in the library or laying on a bench in the rotunda of LAC. When I’m not sleeping (which is rare), I am making art, struggling with art, hating art, loving art, talking about art, philosophizing about art, and ignoring art when I can’t stand it anymore. I also read poetry at local open mics, eat a lot of fun vegan food, listen to sad music, send funny pictures to my long distance girlfriend, and go dancing with friends. I also hang out with my cats about 99% of the day.
My favorite art class was Fibers and Related Media taught by Valerie Kiser. This class introduced me to the world of fiber art and soft sculpture, which I quickly fell in love with. The work load was intense, but worth it. Fibers is now my preferred medium, and I can’t wait to continue to experiment with all the techniques I learned in this class.
The coolest thing I’ve done at Marywood so far was create my own major. I have had many different majors since I started at Marywood four years ago, and eventually I decided to declare an ‘ad hoc’ major. This means I was allowed to hand pick every class and essentially create my own program of study.
When I graduate I will be moving to Philadelphia and I will make good art. From there, who knows?
I’d recommend the Art program at Marywood because the classes are small and every student has the opportunity to receive individualized attention. All the teachers are caring and knowledgeable. This program will give any artist a firm foundation and a strong understanding of art-making.