“I have been involved in the world of art and art making my entire life” is an admittedly cliche statement that however proves indisputably accurate to myself and my experiences.

I was born in Vietnam and my earliest recollection involving the arts is participating in an amateur-level children’s art competition where I was no older than four years old. I vividly remember producing a colorful illustration depicting two figures positioned in front of blossoming cherry blossom trees.

In high school, I took advantage of any art-related opportunities and extracurriculars I could get my hands on. Apart from the traditional drawing, painting, and ceramic courses available for registration, I also explored the architectural pathway offered by my school. Additionally, I designed and painted set pieces for theatre productions and helped create art for student-led events. During my sophomore year, I was nominated to apply for the Governor’s Honors Program in the field of visual art. The Georgian program offered a university-level summer program for high school students interested in various academic and artistic programs. After multiple rigorous stages of interviews, I ended up becoming a finalist for GHP ‘58 majoring in visual arts.

I am currently at the University of Georgia as a graphic design major. I found out I successfully got into the program at the end of Spring after a semester filled with all-nighters building, organizing, and designing my portfolio. Throughout my first couple semesters at UGA, I took courses to explore and experiment with different art mediums and philosophy including three-dimensional sculpture making and digital videography.

Pictured on-site was a final project of an introductory figure drawing course I took last Spring. The assignment was a polyptych involving the human figure, an artwork of six 22” x 15” pieces meant to be assembled and visually cohesive in subject matter or theme. I chose to make an abstract self-portrait and rendered images of different parts of my face physically being contorted by my hands. The imagery is horror-inspired and its compositional layout aims to make an eerie mismatch of a face.

I love the tactile process of art making and design that results in a rewarding and visually appealing product. Being keen on design and visual aesthetics also facilitated my interest in fashion. Ultimately, I hope to use my education in design to obtain a career that involves my life-long interest in the future.