Vivian Steckline

Senior, Illustration
Hearst Senior Illustration Merit Scholarship, $4,000

Describe the work you submitted for merits.

For my merits installation, I submitted a mix of illustrative work. This included illustrations and books that I've made at MCAD in the last two years. I wanted to represent the variety of work that I have—from children's book illustrations to illustrated product pitches. While there was variety in the content showed, my illustrations tend to have strong limited color palettes and emotive— and often theatrical—figures.

Why did you decide to come to MCAD?

When I toured here it felt like it could be a home to me. It's a small campus, but it's in a bigger city. It felt like the best transitional place for me when coming from a small town. Plus, the MCAD community reflects so many of the values that I hold dear.

What are your plans for your senior year? And beyond?

I'm going to continue with my path in illustration, getting into the nitty-gritty parts of the career, as well as taking plenty of electives and workshops that combine my passions of publishing as well as physical bookmaking and textile art.

Favorite thing about college life (so far)?

My friends.

What's the best thing you've got from MCAD's free shelf?

A bunch of embroidery thread.

What inspires you?

Folk and fairy tales, mythology, romance novels, nature, and the human form and the lines it creates.

Do you have a favorite piece you've made? Describe it!

I really love my children's book illustration of The Angry Little Witch. The prompt was so open (I just had to work with the adjective of "angry" and the setting of "forest"), and I had so much fun figuring out the characters, their personalities, their motives, and how to create the drama in the scene. It was really fun to play with something like that and try to create a whole story in one scene that kids and adults could relate to!

Anything you're obsessed with at the moment?

Pride and Prejudice (1995) with Colin Firth (not just in this moment but always and forever).

Junior, Illustration
Liberal Arts Merit Award Scholarship $2,000
Online Portfolio

How are you going to celebrate your win?

A good dinner, a full night of sleep, and maybe watching 6 hours of Pride and Prejudice— the 1995 version with Colin Firth in it.

What kind of work are you excited to make next?

I'm really excited to write, illustrate, and bind some more books. It's really satisfying to have a hand in every part of the process of creating a book.

I'm also making a long furby on the side. Because why not?

What made you choose to come to MCAD?

I wanted to be within a smaller community while still being in a place with enough space and opportunities for me to grow. I also fell in love with the illustration program here.

Favorite thing about college life (so far)?

The people I've met here are the best part of my college life. My friends, teachers, and peers are so influential in my daily life, and I've grown so much in getting to know them.

Steckline's Merit Work

• The Developments Towards Postmodernism in the Writings of Harold Rosenberg and Roland Barthes
• The Seeds of Ambition and Commodified Illustration