Rebecca Prowse (Class of 2028)
Blogger Role: Student Spotlight
Major: Illustration
Clubs: CMYKlub
I chose Marywood because I loved how safe and positive I felt on campus. I was initially drawn to Marywood University because of its small class sizes, emphasis on a liberal arts education, and strong art program. However, what made Marywood truly stand out to me was how welcoming its campus, faculty, and students were. Even before I stepped on campus as a freshman, I felt supported by those who would later become my professors, and was met by enthusiasm and encouragement by students. I was excited by the opportunities Marywood had to offer and I was confident that I would grow as a student, artist, and individual here.
I am majoring in Art because I love to connect people through art. Growing up, I had the great fortune to be exposed to so many amazing stories through film, animation, and writing. I have always been amazed by how emotional these art forms can be. Art, to me, seems to have this intrinsic sense of humanity ingrained into its appearance, its message, and even its process. There is little that is more amazingly human, good and fulfilling, communicative, and unifying as art is in its methods of connecting different people. Art amplifies our voices and makes us feel seen (even when we feel the most invisible). I major in art, and particularly illustration, because I want to be a part of a process that partakes in this relationship. I want to help people find a bit of themselves in my work, and to explore the world in a way they might not have previously tried.
When I’m not in class, I like to hang out with friends, read, watch movies (especially animations), write, and draw for fun. Admittedly, I spend a large majority of my time working on assignments for class, but when I do get to take a break, I’m most likely hanging out, cooking dinosaur chicken nuggets for a dino-themed party, or engaging in an impromptu midnight chat session with my friends. Outside of my wonderful friends, I am particularly obsessed with fantasy. I love J. R. R. Tolkien’s literary universe, but also like a wide variety of other fiction novels. On the film side, my all time favorite movie would have to be Disney’s “Treasure Planet,” though I have really enjoyed “Meet the Robinsons,” and the handful of Studio Ghibli films as of late.
So far, my favorite art class at Marywood was Digital Design with Professor Jenkins. I admittedly already had some background in Adobe products from my high-school classes, but I learned so much more I never knew was possible. This class was super imaginative and challenged my ability to put out ideas and flesh out projects at a faster rate than I was previously used to. I also really loved the prompts and enjoyed being able to exercise creativity in my assignments. The critique space was also super helpful and friendly, and I always LOVE being able to view my classmates’ work and cheer them on!
The coolest thing I’ve done at Marywood so far was either freshmen year portfolio review or the NYC bus trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Freshmen year portfolio review was definitely something I stressed over, but once I was actually there, presenting my work, the experience was very fulfilling. Seeing my progress laid out in front of me and talking about my work in a professional manner was thrilling and made me more excited to see where I can go next. The NYC bus trip to the MET was also excellent. I have never been to the MET in my life, so being able to finally immerse myself with its premier collection was incredible. I had no idea that the MET had so many works that I had grown up learning about.
When I graduate I hope to roll up my sleeves and start work in a creative career. Ideally, I would love to work as a concept artist for the animation industry, but I have also been interested in character design and book illustration. When it comes down to it, I just want to help create the future’s stories – the stories that resonate with tomorrow’s audiences as deeply as so many have resonated with me.
I’d recommend the Art program at Marywood because of its amazing faculty, incredible opportunities, and quality education. From day one, my professors have been immensely helpful in my artistic journey. The professors here truly help their students succeed and help propel us to new heights. The art department faculty challenge us to do better than we thought we ever could and are always super supportive throughout our creative processes. I have learned so much in the time I have been here, and I know that I will learn so much more under their guidance. The art department has so many opportunities for us to seize, including the bus trips to art museums and clubs on campus. Even aside from what Marywood itself has to offer, students are often directed towards calls to entries, galleries and exhibitions, local events, and more that have immensely helped the students who participate. Even our liberal art requirements have complimented our art courses and give us a more nuanced view of the world and our art. Everything here at Marywood is designed to give us the best experience with our program of study and built to help us succeed.