May 14, 2022 Image She/Her/They/Them Senior, Comic Art Roy B Justus Senior Comic Merit Scholarship $4,000 Online Portfolio Eagan, Minnesota Describe the work you submitted for merits. I feel like my work varies in tone and style. It’s a little difficult for me to describe it succinctly. I hope that I tell compelling or interesting stories. They can vary from middle/high school stories to simple fantasies. At the very least, I hope these are nice comics that are fun to look at. Why did you decide to come to MCAD? I came to MCAD because I didn’t want to wait until years later, realizing this is what I wanted to do. I saw so many great alumni coming out of the school and sought to grasp at the smoke they left behind. What are your plans for your senior year? And beyond? I hope to get my foot in the door of the comic industry. I want to reach out more, network more, but also avoid burning out and over extending myself. While I dream a lot for my career, I also just want to live peacefully and have hobbies. Favorite thing about college life (so far)? My fellow peers are really cool. People are very friendly and are often strong advocates for themselves and others. What's the best thing you've got from MCAD's free shelf? This is so boring, but I found a sliding desk attachment for a mouse and keyboard. Oh and some really nice paper. What inspires you? I think I’m inspired by manga and artists who also were inspired by manga. Vagabond, a manga by Takehiko Inoue, is a huge inspiration for me in both its writing and art. I hope to achieve such mastery of composition. Do you have a favorite piece you've made? Describe it! I made a comic about a pottery student who was questioning his place in the art world. It was just two characters talking. This was the comic I made when I realized comics were what I wanted to do. It’s not an amazing comic, but it was my first “real” comic. Anything you're obsessed with at the moment? I have a 3.5 foot long plush bee. It's unwieldy and very squishy.