Hello everyone, welcome back! This past Halloween seemed to run extra long with two different “Halloweekends” so why not extend it a bit more with this week’s artist? This artist caught my eye with her everyday aesthetic and artistic style. This edgy artist is…
Tehya Dietrich
Major: Sculpture
Minor: Business
Graduation Year: 2026
Clubs: N/A
I am majoring in Art because…
Expressing myself creatively has always been an outlet for me. My family helped foster my need to make and create art, supplying and supporting me since kindergarten. My Nana especially provided me with a space where I felt I could make anything, constantly feeding my need to craft. With this, my interest only grew and so did my confidence. Art became a very familiar home and I was interested in it all. Anything that caught my eye, I thought, “Why not try it?” And that’s what I’ve been doing ever since. I’ve tried my hand at so many crafts (crochet, cross-stitch, wood-burning, wood carving, needle felting, wax stamps, paper-making, screen printing, dreamcatcher-making, ceramics, painting, mold-making, book-binding, jewelry-making, block-stamping, graphic design, etc. etc. etc.) I’ve learned a lot about myself through using and playing with these mediums and one thing I know for sure, is that I will be a jack-of-all-trades in the art industry. I want to keep expanding my toolbox so that I can keep making unique, beautiful works that mean something to someone without the barrier of my abilities. That’s why I am majoring in Art.
The kinds of things that inspire me are…
Horror and thriller, generally; a lot of my art takes on a darker, edgier look naturally. My father was a horror fan so growing up I was exposed to horror films and I took an immediate interest at an early age, so I suppose he’s to blame. I also take inspiration from nature and incorporate it into my art. I especially love drying out flowers and leaves and decorating with them, pressing them, and using them in my art that way. I am a huge animal lover. When I was young, I swore that I would be a veterinarian until I realized that I would be only dealing with sick or hurt animals… so I didn’t take that route. I have multiple pieces I made of my pets, and I only plan on making more; I’d say they are my biggest artistic inspiration.
My favorite art class so far is…
Mixed Media with Prof. Stephen Colley. I’m currently taking it as my sculpture class and it has been super fun. Stephen Colley teaches and allows me to be completely free artistically and is so supportive. We are primarily exploring different ways to make molds, working with plaster, silicone, alginate, cement, wax, clay, etc. My class has a gallery showcasing some of the art we completed so far this semester (and should still be up as of this posting; Insalaco, first floor<3)!
When I am not in class….
I’m usually still in class. My free time at school is mostly spent in the studio (ceramic or sculpture) working on whatever I’m working on. If I find time away from the studio, I’m in the HR office either relaxing for a bit (My Mom is an HR Analyst) or doing my work study there. When I’m not at school, I’m hanging with my best friend, binge-watching whatever show, yapping, gaming, and doing schoolwork.
The coolest thing I have done at Marywood so far was…
go on a field trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC and share an elevator with award-winning composer, lyricist, and actor, Lin-Manuel Miranda. Need I say more?
What excites me most about Art is…
The absolute endlessness of it and its constancy. Art will always exist, not only with human existence but with the natural world’s existence (but mainly for human enjoyment). Art is what keeps the world happy, entertained, and most of all, not alone. Art is a communication tool, and it speaks only to those who are meant to hear it. Art surrounds us, completely encapsulating our world. Everywhere we go, there is art to be found, you truly just have to look. I love that I get the chance to add to it all. Everyone can create, communicate themselves in a truly unique way, and be heard by others who share the same. It is an amazing thing we as humans get to do, and I highly encourage everyone to explore their creativity. It is healing and therapeutic; Creating and consuming art.
When I graduate…
My primary goal is to open my own business, selling my and others’ art, and displaying it. But while I work on that, I want to find jobs locally in art, build my network, and plan more to travel and explore more opportunities.
The person/thing that inspires me to create would be…
My family, for one. My best friend as well, is my biggest supporter. He is always uplifting me, helping me critique, and so, so proud of me. He is always pushing me to advertise and expand my art, showcase it more, and sell it. My teachers are also big inspirations to me. They push me to do more and to do better, and motivate me to keep going. They give me opportunities to expand my art and open networking opportunities for me.
~~~ Check out some more creations by Tehya!
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I really appreciate those who aren’t afraid to express themselves in every way and Tehya does this exceptionally from her personal style to the pieces she creates. Sayonara! ~Conchita