Pre-College Student Profile: Maya Jable

What surprised you the most about the Pre-College Summer Session?

I was surprised about how welcoming and friendly everyone at Pre-College Summer Session was. I felt like I could sit down to have lunch with any group of students and end up making new friends and having great conversations. On top of that, the students at Pre-College Summer Session all managed to work incredibly hard without making the program into a competitive environment. I always felt motivated to create and put my best effort into my artwork while not feeling pressure to compare myself to the other artists there.

What aspect of the program has had the biggest impact on you?

Hearing the professors and TAs talk about their personal experiences helped me gain a lot of insight about both art school and careers in the art world. Their advice and experiences made me think a lot about what I want to do with art in the future and which ways I want to keep art an integral part of my life, which impacted me just as much if not more than actually creating art at Pre-College Summer Session.

How has your artistic practice changed from being a part of the program?

As a result of both working from life and having to paint quickly, I had to make decisions about what details were the most important to include and what would be the most efficient way to tackle a painting in a short amount of time. Pre-College Summer Session made me more intentional about the choices that I make within my work because of having to make quick decisions. After trying new techniques, talking about different artists and styles, and being inspired by the work from other students, I feel more thoughtful and knowledgeable about the artwork that I create.

What was your favorite experience, outside of the classroom?

I loved being able to explore the area and walk around Eat Street to get food with people. Grabbing food was both a great opportunity to get to know the people in my major in a different setting and a chance to spend time with people from other majors. The food was also incredible; I highly recommend Black Sheep Pizza or looking for hidden gems such as the tea store that sells teas based off of book characters!

What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about coming to Pre-College Summer Session?

I would tell anyone thinking about Pre-College Summer Session to be prepared to put a lot of time and effort towards their artwork, but to see homework and projects as fun activities and a chance to spend more time doing what you love rather than just work. Pre-College Summer Session requires you to push yourself and put work in, but with a positive mentality and the reminder that you have the opportunity to create great artwork with a lot of great people, creating feels more like fun with friends than classwork.