Hello Everyone! I wanted to share another club I am part of! It’s called Zeta Omicron Kappa Pi. It’s an International Art Honor Society for art majors, sophomore and up who have at least a 3.0 overall GPA and a 3.5 in the major. Zeta Omicron helps member’s get involved in the local art community on and off campus. Zeta also sponsors several art-related community service projects each year.
I am very grateful to be President of this club. I have been President since 2021. It has been fun and a learning experience! I have met many wonderful and talented artists who have joined the group. Before everyone left for the summer I asked some of the Zeta members some questions about their time participating in this club and some personal questions at the end.
What is your major and year?
Caitlin: Photography, minoring in Art History, going into my fourth year in the fall 2022
Madison: Art Therapy, Art History Minor, 3rd year
Ty: Illustration (minoring in Graphic Design), going into my third year in the fall
Mallory: Art Therapy with a minor is psychology, sophomore
How and why are you interested in your major?
Caitlin: I started Photography as a hobby in middle school, but it truly sparked my interest my sophomore year in High school when I took a photo class where we were taking images on film cameras and producing them in the darkroom. This is where I wanted to be more serious and continue if for the rest of my life.
Madison: Art therapy combines artistic skills with helping others and those are two of my passions.
Ty: Illustration has always played a very critical part in my life, and I want to continue embracing it further.
Mallory: Art therapy combines my love for both art and psychology and it will allow me to help others in the future.
How did you learn / hear about the club and why you joined?
Caitlin: I learned about this club my freshman year orientation, I finally joined when I had the requirements. I wanted to join Zeta Omicron Kappa Pi because I wanted to meet other art majors, make friends, and help the Marywood Community!
Madison: I heard about the club from Professor Sue Jenkins and she recommended I join. I joined because we are a group of very talented artists who also care about the community and academics.
Ty: During my first year, I attended a club fair and one of the clubs being featured was Zeta Omicron. I was very intrigued by the prospect of the existence of an honors society in my field of interest, and I also wanted to meet more artists attending Marywood.
Mallory: Professor Sue Jenkins reached out to me!
What is your favorite event, memory or thing we did in the club since you joined?
Caitlin: As being the President I enjoyed all the ideas and events we came up as a club! Like for Trunk or Treat we came up as our car theme being ghosts, made an ornament for the Marywood Tree, Christmas party, our annual exhibition, created valentine cards for the Marywood Heights residents, made a activity bag for kids stuff; which members created a coloring page, Easter card and bake sale which we made half of the processed got to St. Vladimir Ukrainian Church to help the Ukrainian War, I inducted our new members into the club, had a homework / art night where members worked on home work or created some art! and lastly our end of the year party!
Madison: Getting inducted and our annual exhibition were great memories and I loved participating in making Valentine’s day cards for Marywood Heights residents.
Ty: Perhaps my favorite event to take place is our yearly exhibition in the Kresge Gallery. I love viewing everybody’s work and also being able to display my own.
Mallory: My favorite memory was the exhibit at the end of the year.
Why would you recommend Zeta Omicron to future members?
Caitlin: I recommend Zeta Omicron Kappa Pi because it a great club to meet people who are your major and other different majors. I am amazed every time when I see other members work on how talented they are and it truly inspires me. Everyone is kind and welcoming! Because of that Zeta is a great club to join!
Madison: I recommend Zeta Omicron to future members because it showcases your artistic and academic abilities while also giving back to those within the community and Marywood’s campus.
Ty: To me, Zeta Omicron represents a coming together of Marywood artists, and getting to see what everybody works on and watch their artistic abilities flourish with our events every year is always great. That’s why I would recommend the club to future members.
Mallory: It allows you to branch out and meet more people involved with the arts at this school.
Here are some of the other questions I asked the members, to get to known them and learn from them!
Who’s your favorite artist and why?
Caitlin: My favorite photographer is Vivian Maier. She is a well known street photographer who was discovered through old undeveloped images. Her images are unique and well composed. Her images inspire me to capture anything that come across my path.
Madison: My favorite artist would probably have to be either Claude Monet or Bartolomé Esteban Murillo. Both of these artists are extremely talented in their accurate execution and style of painting.
Ty: I don’t have a favorite artist per se, but I am especially inspired by the works of Olly Moss and Roy Lichtenstein as their work pops out in a very unique way. The way they utilize simple detail yet very vibrant colors appeals to my standards.
Mallory: My favorite artist is Keith Haring, I love his style and pop art and I also love that he creates for social movements on a bigger scale with flyers and mass murals. His art is just so interesting to me.
Where do you find inspiration?
Caitlin: My inspiration comes from other photographers that I know or learned from class or follow on social media.
Madison: I find inspiration in those I surround myself with whether it’s my family, friends, classmates, or professors.
Ty: Inspiration comes to me practically everywhere. Ideas begin to stem in my head when I see something I find interesting, and that can be anything from the work of another artist to an episode of a TV show.
Mallory: My inspiration comes from other artist techniques and the people who are close to me.
Describe the best piece of art you’ve created.
Caitlin: My favorite image I have taken is an image of the inside of my local church, my mother was my model so I had her kneeling in front of the alter / cross. I am step backed so the aisle and the rows of empty chairs help guide you to her. This image is so powerful and impacting.
Madison: I am super proud of a portrait I drew of George Floyd using markers. Its overall message is really important to me and social justice artwork really makes an impact.
Ty: Right now, I am working on a collection of fake mockups utilizing characters from a previous project. This collection is what I call the Mark on the World series, and I feel it’s a love letter to the medium of art and all of the media that’s inspired me throughout my life.
Mallory: My favorite piece that I have made was a huge portrait with the mouth blurred out made from acrylic paint. This represented how the youth is not likely to have their opinions approved by authority on social issues such as gun violence or police brutality, mostly because “we are young and don’t know better”.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
Caitlin: From a book I am currently reading, “The creativity inside of you–right now, at this moment–is the lever we will use. To quote Archimedes, give us a place to stand, and with this lever, we will move the world.” – Creative Calling by Chase Jarvis
Madison: “Everything happens for a reason” and “trust the process”!
Ty: Take time for yourself! Art is important, but so is your well being!
Mallory: If it won’t matter in five years, don’t spend more than five minutes being upset by it.
I hope you enjoyed reading and learning about Zeta Omicron Kappa Pi! If you are interested in learning more about the club or interested in joining please contact us at zetaomicronkappapi@gmail.com
Or if you like to see what we have done over the semesters you can follow us on Instagram at @zetaomicronkappapi