Welcome back everyone! This week I have another amazing artist to share with all of you! I have taken several classes with this artist over the past year and a half, and have always been a huge fan of her paintings and still-lifes. This semester, this artist and I have shared our General Illustration 01 class, and I have been blown away by the work she has presented. Introducing…
Gracie Slaven
Year: 2028
Major(s): Illustration
Minor(s): N/A
Clubs: CMYKlub
I am majoring in Art because…
Art has always been an outlet for me growing up. It started as just a normal hobby when I was a kid, always drawing in class or at home. But once I reached 6th grade, I started to take it more seriously. From then on, I have loved creating different characters to draw, and writing stories with them included. Once I learned that storyboard artists were a thing, it has been my dream to work behind the scenes on animated shows and movies.
The kinds of things that inspire me are…
Mostly different cartoons and animated movies. One big inspiration is the Disney movie Tangled, and the following show Tangled: The Series. I was obsessed with both for literal years, and through the show, I learned about storyboard artists. The idea of working on a show, creating characters, and drawing out scenes for people to watch became the main thing I wanted to do as a career.
My favorite art class so far was…
Two-Dimensional Design and Color Theory with Instructor Georisell Vazquez. That was the class where I got to do a lot of projects based on my own interests. It was really nice to be able to relate each project to something that mattered to me. The projects also had really neat concepts, and allowed me to play around creatively and try out new things.
When I am not in class…
I am most likely still drawing. Whether it’s artwork for class, or just for myself. I’m always doodling my own characters, and, when I have enough time and brain power, I work on my original stories with those characters. When I’m not doing either of those two things, I’m usually hanging out with my friends. These can be my in-person friends, usually at someone’s house or the mall, or my online friends. I always try to make time to catch up with my online friends, considering we sadly can’t hangout in person.
The coolest thing I have done at Marywood so far was…
I haven’t done a whole lot of big things here, but one of the coolest things I’ve had the opportunity to do is to be myself! It’s so nice to be able to do what I love. Taking art classes with other artists, being able to experiment, and even do some self indulgent art has been so neat. Also some non-art related things too. Getting to cosplay in class for Halloween last year was so much fun, and felt so freeing. It’s just really nice to be surrounded by similar people and I can express myself freely.
When I graduate…
I would love to work on some sort of animated project. While the idea of working at Disney is amazing, it would also be so cool to be able to work with an indie company, such as Glitch Productions. They’ve made some really successful animated shows, and I’d be honored to work on something that amazing.
I would recommend the Art program at Marywood because…
…of the people and the experiences. Everyone within the art program has been so kind. I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad experience with anyone. Besides, it’s just really nice to be surrounded by other artists who are all interested in seeing different types of art works. And, throughout all my classes, I’ve gained so much experience with different mediums and styles of art. While I definitely have the type of art I know I like to make, trying different types has been really enlightening, and I’ve found new things I enjoy as well.
What excites me most about Art is…
Being able to create things that others will enjoy. As I’ve said, I love obsessing over TV shows and movies, specifically with my favorite characters from those medias as well. I love the idea of being able to do that for others, as well. The closest I have gotten is creating my characters and stories for my friends to read. Seeing them enjoy my creations fuels me to make even more.
Do you listen or watch anything while creating? If so, what do you watch or listen to?
Usually I’ll listen to a lot of music, watch Youtube, or whatever TV/movie series I’m obsessed with at the moment. For music, I’m basically always listening to Will Wood. On Youtube, you can catch me watching a lot of GTLive, or anything else relating to my interests as well. And, recently, I’ve been obsessing over Loki in the MCU, so I watched all the Thor movies and the first Avengers in the past week.
If you were given unlimited resources, time, and motivation to complete your dream project, what would it be?
To create an animated show of my characters and stories. Preferably, a series of shows, considering I always try to make my stories tie into one another. Ultimately that is my dream. I want to put my characters out there, and hope everyone else will love them just as much as I do.
What advice do you have for young artists who are just starting?
Just keep going. Nothing you make at first will be absolutely amazing, and that’s fine. My work from 6th grade was really rough, but I had fun, and that’s all the matters. Make sure you’re creating art that you like. As long as you’re happy with it, why should it matter what others think?
I just LOVE Gracie’s work! Her character expressions are always so detailed and specific, and her characters connect. I really admire how in works where she has multiple characters interacting, the way her characters are posed, the way they are dressed, and the way her characters’ faces are drawn really sell the intended relationship. Her characters always look like they belong together! Her art style is also super cute and expressive — she is definitely going to be a massive hit in the illustration and animation industry.
I also love her attitude towards creating! There is so much pressure on artists to create a certain way or by a certain time or for a certain profession, that it is easy for artists to forget why they started drawing in the first place: to find happiness! Gracie’s reminder to draw for your own sake and happiness is a profound message that I, for one, will carry with me!
I hope that you have all enjoyed this introduction to the extraordinary Gracie Slaven! I can’t wait to introduce you to more student talent here at Marywood!
See you soon!
-Rebecca Prowse