Image Student Degree Bachelor of Fine Arts Areas of Study Animation Location Kansas City, Missouri Describe the work you submitted for merits. The works I submitted were all a variety of pieces from my foundation classes. They covered a large variety of mediums, from stop motion animation to charcoal still lives to sculptures. With each piece, I can see what I learned from them and how I can apply those skills to my future works. I'm grateful for having worked in so many different mediums, as the skills I learn from one often transfer to others. What's next for your practice? Anything you're really excited to make? I plan on continuing to make more 2D animations. I'm very excited to learn more about character animation and crafting unique stories. Although it's 3 years away, I'm definitely already thinking of ideas I could do for my senior animation project. Why did you decide to come to MCAD? I decided to come to MCAD for its animation classes and it requiring internships. I found the college through National Portfolio Day but hadn't had a chance to actually meet with them. After a lot of deliberation and finding information on their website, my family and I decided that this college was the best choice. MCAD's focus on making sure its students find jobs after graduating was something a lot of other art colleges didn't do, and that gave me a lot of confidence. Favorite thing about college life (so far)? Probably the community. I have met so many different and unique people at this school and I hope to meet even more in the coming years. Anything you're obsessed with at the moment? Lady Gaga. I have been watching a ton of her music videos and learning more about her childhood and struggles in fame. I love how her music videos often start with a minute or longer of silence or ambiance and how that adds to the artistry of her work. Additionally, the outfits she wears are just amazingly sculptural and bold. What inspires you? I am mostly inspired by anime, as it's something I grew up watching and the stories really connect with me. I am always looking for new content to consume though, and have found inspiration in many other things (such as fashion, architecture, music videos, and nature.) In particular, my favorite anime and manga is Haikyuu, a story about high school boys playing volleyball. As someone who played volleyball when I was younger, the story really effectively captures what it feels like to play the sport, but explains it simply so anyone can enjoy it. My favorite thing about the series is the character designs and development, as each character feels lifelike and realistic. Do you have a favorite piece you've made? Describe it! I like a few of my pieces for different reasons. I think my most favorite ones are the ones that have been most challenging. If I had to choose, I'd say my stop motion piece titled The Dragon. This was my first time working with stop motion, and I learned so much from this project. It was definitely challenging, as I had to figure out how to film the piece on my own, and my dragon was a sock puppet that I put on my arm. At the end when the dragon dies, I had to figure out how to keep the prop still for the final shots. I ended up stuffing it with a towel and it was very efficient. Instagram Work Link to Work Detail Link to Work Detail