Welcome back to another artist spotlight! This week’s artist includes someone who caught my eye through her photography skills. I first met her during a Shutterbugs Photography club meeting and we had done a photo scavenger hunt. One of the prompts we needed to take was an abstract photo and she took a photo of this chair down in the Insalaco lobby I had constantly walked by. I really appreciated how she took a very simple subject and created such a solid, clean image. She goes by @graciehicks.art on Instagram, but in reality her name is…
Gracie Hicks
I am majoring in Art because…
Art has forever been a passion of mine. Through art, not only am I able to create pieces that are “pretty” and relatable, but I am able to visually depict my emotions, perspective, and personal experiences. With a degree in Graphic Design, I hope to help others visually convey their ideas and continue to create inspiring works!
What excites me most about art is…
how versatile and personal it is! As an artist who can sometimes be stuck in her ways, I love seeing other artist’s takes on different subjects, ideas, mediums, etc. I find so much beauty in the fact that all artists see the world differently and love to see how others experiment and work with different materials and styles to create unique pieces!
The kinds of things that inspire me are…
personal struggle and the simple aspects of the world around me. Last year, I created a series of works based on the struggle of living with a terminally ill parent. I chose to contrast this sorrowful subject with bright colors and interesting compositions. Though the subject matter touched on a sad topic, I was truly inspired by my experience and felt that others could relate to my work even if they hadn’t gone through exactly what I had. Recently, I have loved figuring out how to depict the “real world” in my own bright, slightly abstracted style and have also gained a lot of inspiration from my ideas generated for class projects. As time moves on, I hope to continue finding inspiration wherever possible!
My favorite art class so far has been…
Two-Dimensional Design and Color with Prof. Romina Godoy! Did some of the projects stress me out? Maybe. But looking back (as a major procrastinator), that was probably my fault. 2D Design and Color was challenging yet inspiring! It forced me to approach compositions and concepts that I never would’ve thought to attempt otherwise. The critique space was extremely welcoming and professor Godoy never failed to let students know that they did a good job! This class is definitely at the top of my list!
When I am not in class…
I’m busy, busy, busy. When I’m not in class I have plenty to keep me busy! If I’m not working on a project or assignment in my dorm, you can catch me working as a DoorDash driver, tutoring, painting, practicing guitar, hanging out with friends, or driving 3 hours to visit my boyfriend and family. If I somehow get some free time to myself, you can bet I will be cuddled up watching some sort of rom-com or taking a spontaneous drive in the middle of the night!
The coolest thing I have done at Marywood so far was…
the fall bus trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art! If it wasn’t for this trip, I honestly don’t know when I would’ve next gotten the chance to visit the Met! As someone who hates driving in city traffic and doesn’t necessarily trust subways or public buses, this trip was an amazing opportunity for me! I’d also say learning everything I have so far is pretty cool. Even though I’m still only a freshman here at Marywood, the knowledge I’ve gained has completely changed my perspective on some aspects of the world and has made me a more well rounded person.
When I graduate…
I hope to work in the graphic design industry with a specialization in marketing! Specifically, I’d like to work on creating logos and brand identities for upcoming brands and small businesses. While I don’t currently have any big companies in mind that I’d like to work for, I truly just hope to find a well paying, flexible graphic design/marketing firm of some sorts that will push me to create the best work possible. Unrelated to academics, I also plan to move North and live somewhere in New York or in one of the New England states!
An aesthetic that would describe my artwork would be…
Perhaps I need to expand my vocabulary but I can’t exactly put my artwork into a category… My work tends to incorporate vibrant colors, intricate details, and interesting compositions. It is usually somewhat stylized rather than realistic and may incorporate hints of surrealism or abstraction. The aesthetic of my work also varies depending on the medium. While my paintings usually follow the description I just gave, my photographs are usually pretty simple and somewhat editorial/commercial feeling (at least that’s what I’m going for). Nonetheless, I simply just try to create work that makes me happy to look at and hopefully inspires others!
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I hope you all enjoyed Gracie’s artwork! I really enjoyed writing about her artistic background and I recognize that each medium Gracie has done definitely has their own flare as they are completely different mediums like photography and painting. From my perspective she has a bold aesthetic with her use of line and contrast. She has a great grasp on value ranges and keeps a clean piece of work through her use of contrast. See you all next time, äddi!