Creative Arts Scholarship

"It was only when I realized how actors have the power to move people that I decided to pursue acting as a career.” Cate Blanchett. I am often asked by people in my life why I am pursuing acting. I always respond in the same way: “I want to move people.” Acting, for me, is a powerful means to reach people emotionally. Through storytelling with my voice and body, I can move the heart of someone sitting twenty rows back from the stage. Even when I sit as a member of an audience, I am moved by the actor who is pouring their soul out in a role. It’s like a secret experience that our hearts are sharing together. That’s the beauty of live theater. I come from a family of very creative people and have been moved by art since I was little. I love drawing people into a shared experience of beauty – whether it’s through music, theatre, art, or even nature. When I moved to Pennsylvania to attend the Sight and Sound Conservatory, I hadn’t yet met many professional actors. A woman I met early on at the Conservatory opened my eyes to the world of acting in a way I’d never experienced before. Rachel Day Hughes is captivating. The way she shapes and utilizes language on the stage is stunning. She has taught three of my classes so far and I’ve learned a number of standard techniques from her. You can tell that Rachel absolutely loves her craft. She has taught me to respect and befriend the characters I have the honor of portraying, and her devotion to moving people is something I can only hope to emulate one day. My high school theater director, Adam, and Rachel have both said things that have inspired me to pursue acting with passion. “You might have done this show 200 times already, and you’re tired but this is the audience’s first time seeing your work. Move them the same way you moved the first audience. (Rachel)” “You have no idea what hardships these people could be bringing in with them tonight. Give them a reason to forget, even just for a few hours. (Adam)” I have performed now for three months in JOSHUA at Sight and Sound and it has been a dream come true! It has been an incredible experience for me that I will never forget. The most personally impactful performance I’ve done so far, was Into The Woods with my local theater company, The Studio. It was my final show with them before leaving for school, so it was a bittersweet time. I had the privilege of playing the role of the Baker’s Wife. She will forever have a special place in my heart, because she was the first character I’d played that was complex and challenging. She had very obvious flaws, and I loved it because for me it was the most conflicting and emotional role I had played thus far! Every character I had played up until then had dreams and fears but she made serious mistakes which is a very human thing to do. She opened my eyes to the many possibilities in acting and the importance of showing real life! I believe that one of the primary purposes of theater is to remind us of our humanity. We are all the same, with dreams and fears, joys and failures, and stage characters carry these just like we do. I pray I get the privilege and joy to carry the mantle of moving hearts of people for the rest of my life!

“Creativity takes courage.” This simple quote by Henri Matisse, a visual artist who paved the way for our understanding of bright visuals and intricate form, encapsulates the very difficulty modern artists face in finding the path to their creative pursuit. Our present-day society promotes a strict, 9-to-5 workplace structure, emphasizing conformity rather than freedom of self-expression. This means being an artist is rather unconventional, and oftentimes difficult to find success in. While I believe a person’s humanity is defined by their creativity-- not wealth and status from said workplaces-- the real world is shaped to support the opposite of that. Despite this, I wish to pursue a life in the arts, something I’ve known I’ve wanted to do since middle school, but the way to achieve this always seemed out of reach to me. My Art teacher, Ms. Wood, is the one that helped me see an attainable path to reach that goal. Professional art isn’t a fantasy, but rather a career that is difficult to attain, and opens endless doors (not just in my career, but in my lifestyle as well). She understands the courage needed to enter the very competitive world of visual arts. Courage is creativity. Ms. Wood has taught me that to stand out, it’s not about conforming by following what’s already been done-- it’s carving your own path by taking inspiration from the artists and environment around you and remixing it into your own product. Throughout my 4-year high school journey in visual arts, she’s laid the foundations, the skills, and the insight I need to succeed. Beyond learning those necessary aspects of generating art, however, she’s simultaneously challenged my thinking and what inspires my art-- for most projects, she’s pushed me to have the courage to be innovative, to try, and to fail. Creativity takes courage. The courage to try and mess up, to find a technique that works better, to scrap an idea because you found a better one in the process of making. Ms. Wood puts the reality of creating art in perspective, having taught me that art isn’t defined by a deadline but is consistently about unpredictable cycles of motivation, persistence, and trial-and-error. While eventually, the post-modern, 9-to-5 workplace structure has to be taken into account, she has brought the reality of creating for a living to the studio space so I can prepare to enter that very heterodox workspace. Everyone has courage to create. A fond memory relating to art resides in my childhood, where that very courage led me to become the artist that I am today. Having arrived in the U.S. armed only with the words “bathroom” and “spoon,” drawing was my tool for communication. I would use my drawing skills to express my ideas. Even after I picked up the language and could speak English fluently, this concept of letting images portray the fantastical worlds and creations of my mind stuck with me. The courage required to express my basic needs then is the same courage I draw on today to tell and share stories through my artwork. Knowing that’s what I want to do professionally, finding the right path became my real barrier, but Ms. Wood helped me find my courage to succeed. That courage is something everyone has-- Ms. Wood has shown me its importance in not just visual art, but also every creative outlet. Having the bravery to pursue creativity is something I now value immensely, and something I hope I can inspire in others through my art as I pursue my career in illustration with college.

Art has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. A few hours after I was born the pediatrician told my parents that I would be very artistic because of the way I moved my hands. She even said my art would not be limited to how I see the world, but rather how I experience life by touching and feeling my surroundings. My parents didn’t share this with me until I was in high school because how could she have possibly known what a newborn would become by the way they moved their hands? Well, 18 years later and I am going to Western Illinois University to pursue my BFA in Fine Arts. As a child, I would pick up a crayon and draw whatever popped into my mind. Nothing could stop me, not even the edge of the paper. Then I started elementary school and learned the importance of detail and staying inside the lines. I have to say that I was blessed to have amazing art teachers growing up. I am grateful for Ms. Holm and Mrs. Wood. They taught me that it is OK to explore new techniques and push myself beyond my comfort zone because that is what allows us to grow as an artist. Because of their guidance I was able to study various artists throughout history and as cliche as it might sound, Van Gogh is the artist that truly changed how I viewed art. I realize it isn’t original for an artist to choose Van Gogh, but his work allowed me to feel safe in trying new techniques and expressing myself outside of the “traditional” lines. Each piece he created challenged movement through his technique and colors of choice. He allowed me to feel comfortable creating art in my own style. I had an art teacher that wanted students to always have perfect technique and perfect lines. It always made me feel like my art was fake. Then I was reminded in high school that art is not limited to one perspective. That is when Van Gogh rescued me as an artist. He paved the way that allowed me to feel safe in creating art in my own way. Studying his pieces helped remind me that it is ok if my perspective is off, as long as it made a piece look interesting or had a purpose. Van Gogh created some of his art to look semi-realistic by the way he moved the material, colors, or the perspective lines off center. He pushed the boundaries of the art world with every piece. My high school teacher, Mrs. Wood, really drilled the importance of looking closely at each artist's piece because that is how you get to know them on an intimate level. Each piece shares a glimpse of who they are by how they use the material. I try to express emotions through my art by using certain materials and how I apply it to the surface through shape, composition, moventment, color, and line. Pursuing art at a higher level requires self discipline and determination. Van Gogh himself created more than 2,000 pieces of art in his lifetime. I am honestly very driven and enjoy creating so much that time stands still when I work. Van Gogh painted a path for young artists like me to be able to create without the fear of having to conform to perfection. Art is the freedom to express how we see the world and I am forever grateful that I get to share my perspective.

One of my favorite experiences in the arts right now has been light designing Emily Brontë Teenage Ghost Hunter in the spring of 2024. Being able to light a brand-new play, I was able to have a lot of creative freedom. I was able to use the lights to express the mood change when the characters switch realities by switching from a “normal” base light cue to a very eerie dark and green light cue. Normally I try to use fewer greens in my work to keep people from looking like zombies, but for Emily Brontë, I was able to incorporate those greens. With this play, I was able to focus on lighting in front of the main, which meant hanging lights from balconies to add color instead of face light. The lights on the balcony were able to enhance the scenes to keep the eerie and ghostly feeling from when the main was up. Emily Brontë allowed me the creative freedom I enjoy as a designer, and with that, I was able to put my best work forward for this new play. These reasons are why Emily Brontë Teenage Ghost Hunter has been my favorite experience in the arts so far. Someone artistic who has influenced my life has been Bryan Rivera. Bryan has not only helped me grow my career in light design but also my passion for it. He worked at my high school to build sets and ended up teaching me almost everything I know about lights today. Over the past two years, he has taught me how to use many different types of intelligent lighting, how to make a magic sheet and different types of light boards. With all this Bryan has shown me how to express myself within lighting. The skills Bryan taught me have allowed me to be confident in my work and what I can design. He has allowed me to work as his assistant lighting designer at Starlight Theatre for the 2024 season. The opportunity has allowed me to expand my lighting skills, specifically on equipment I had never used before. Bryan has not only given me experience in designing but also hanging, focusing, wiring, and gelling fixtures to expand my knowledge even more. Bryan has pushed me to critique my work and make it the best it could be. We worked together to create two great shows that we are both very proud of that showcased the best of both of our works. Without Bryan's help, I would not be where I am today.

Art has so fundamentally been a part of who I am that I cannot be separated from it. I can still remember feeling the warmth of the lights on my face during my first time on stage as a nine-year-old in a small production of The Secret Garden. Since then, many teachers and coaches have come and gone, but one has stayed the same. Amanda Warren. Amanda Warren has been the most inspirational woman to me. She runs her own photography business with grace, teaches with understanding, and has shaped me into who I am today. I met Amanda when I was a freshman in high school attending a drama camp. During that week, Amanda worked tirelessly to give this random group of teens the best experience on stage that she could. She taught us stage directions, presence, and other useful tips that I still use today. When I went to that drama camp, I thought theatre would forever just stay as my extracurricular activity but never be able to be my real focus. Because someone told me I should start looking for “a real job” and that shaped my formative years. I grew up thinking the only talent I knew I had, I couldn’t pursue. But Amanda came and showed me that not only could theatre be part of my life, but I could excel in it too. Her hard work and determination in her craft as an artist pushed me to pursue theatre in college. At college, Amanda shifted to wearing the hat of my professor. No matter the day she had, Amanda put her students first. And this caused me day after day to be thankful for her as a teacher. At this time, she showed me what it means to be passionate about teaching the next generation of artists. I want to be a teacher and show my students that the arts are a beautiful gift that we have to share. Amanda has now shifted to being one of my best friends. There has never been a time that Amanda hasn’t helped me. What started as a camp counselor has grown into a friendship that I can trace in all parts of my life, shaping who I am today. She encourages me to not give up in my pursuit of theatre, even when it is hard. This allowed me to experience one of my favorite moments on stage. This was during The Studio's production of Grimm. At that time I was facing life struggles beyond what I thought I could handle. But during a song called “Home,” I was masked by an emotional scene and I couldn’t help but cry. Theatre has been a constant part of my life as other things and people leave. It always provides an escape for me and a way for me to share my passion. There, on the Grimm set, surrounded by the most beautiful voices of people I love the most, the only thought in my head was “I am home, this is all I need”. The lyrics say “the brothers Grimm found refuge there” and those lyrics perfectly explain theatre in my life. The most meaningful part of the arts is that they are meant to provide a way to connect to those around us and bring together, and that is what I wish to give back with my work. Things may come and go, but the connection of art cannot be replaced or forgotten in my life and I am thankful for all those who have helped me come to this moment in my life.

Imagine a video game whose art style and direction makes you feel as if you are playing a storybook or even a movie, whose story is mysterious and captivating, whose music can create emotions of excitement or the feeling of loss depending on how many instruments or what kind are used, a game who makes you care about the well-being of its characters and take interest in them. Then imagine finding out this amazing game and its world were made by only two people, as opposed to normal games which have teams of hundreds if not thousands of members playing their parts to create the environments, stories, characters, and gameplay. Hollow Knight is an indie game crafted by my two role models: Ari Gibson and William Pellen. Two game developers from Australia who had the dream of creating their own game. Down on funding, they created a Kickstarter campaign to hopefully gain supporters to help fund their prototype game. With only character designs made in photoshop and some mechanics made in Stencyl, people still fell in love with their concept and artwork showing off the future game. Despite seeking $35,000, the kickstarter campaign brought in over $57,000. This allowed the team to hire a composer, Christopher Larkin, to create a soundtrack for the game. As well as this, they were able to make the game three times as expansive as they originally intended. Three more locations, many more characters, and loads of amazing content were able to be added. The team even allowed every single kickstarter to design their own character and lore to be included in the game. Team Cherry, as the developers call themselves, had a goal and stuck to it despite how insurmountable it seemed. Two people created a greater game than even some of the biggest companies out there. Rather than caving in and selling their prototype to be made by someone else, they wanted to see it through. They created the world, characters, combat, environments, and so much more all by themselves. I have been taught that I don’t need a lot of people to create what I aspire to. All it takes is an idea and the willpower to see it through. Kind people will also step up to help out if they genuinely care. Excuses were not and still are not made as the team is planning to release their second game by either the end of 2023 or beginning of 2024, and it has been in development for five years. Their example has given me a goal. Instead of settling at some company making games I have no passion for, I plan to create my own. Before playing Hollow Knight, I did not imagine such a feat would be possible. I now realize, as long as I have a desire to create, I can do so and the rest will follow suit-even if it takes a little while. As for my favorite experience in the arts, it is hard to pick one, as I consider games to be artworks of their own. Hollow Knight of course is one of my favorite gaming experiences, as well as many others that I could gush about for hours upon hours. Video games are unfairly overlooked as ‘art’ because people do not understand the amount of genres and kinds of games out there and how they pull you in and you don’t want to put it down until you’re finished. Video games are art experiences, and more people need to realize this. Hopefully, more people can be inspired by video games as I have been.

While many artists have influenced me on my path to a career in the arts, there is one person who stands out. When I was 7 years old, I had a dance teacher, Mariah, whom I did not know would be one of the most influential people in my life 11 years later. My junior year of high school she choreographed my solo and changed the way I view my abilities as an artist. This was the solo that allowed me to see what I could do rather than what I could not. Mariah, similar to me, has strengths in story telling and virtuosity rather than competitive tricks. Thus, my solo focused on the movement quality and musicality that best told a story rather than putting in tricks for the sake of competition. This piece was an artwork, not a competitive dance. Despite that, our piece excelled at competitions. I scored higher than I ever had in past years. In the end, a plastic trophy that says "Diamond" has no value in the long run, but that year, it showed me that what I had to offer was just as valuable. This year of my life showed me that my artistry is valid regardless of other people’s work or opinions. Despite this significant discovery I made in my high school years, I struggled to maintain a sense of value in my artistry as a dancer in future years. When I first started college, I was determined to prove that I wasn’t just a dancer, that I could sing and act as well. However, issues arose when auditions came around and I tried to convince myself that I was less of a dancer than I was because I wanted a part. Eventually, I learned that this was hurting me. Not only was I trying to erase a part of my identity that had been solidified for 14 years of my life, but I also was failing to recognize the power of dance. A close friend then told me that “Dance is your superpower” and ever since I've held this truth close to my heart. Those lessons from Mariah about my individual artistry had finally rekindled. I realized that I can be anything. Just because dance is my strong suit doesn’t mean I am any less of a singer and actor than my peers. I can be a “yes and” not an “either or”. In my work, it is my responsibility to bring myself with everything I have to offer and let go of directors' views of me. Not to mention, dance has always been a part of my spirit and attempting to suppress it would only be a betrayal to myself. Interestingly and not surprising at all, my favorite experience in the arts involves a heavy dance show: Newsies. The moment in “Once and for All” where the cast walks towards the audience singing their everything out is by far my favorite. Getting to experience the feeling of your souls interlocking when multiple people are singing or dancing with the same level of passion and commitment is a pleasure that most humans don’t get to experience. Along with this incredible sensation, there is this feeling that you represent something bigger than yourself. This show exemplifies how we can honor those before us with the music we sing. Music and dance allow us to connect spiritually with those around us and pay tribute to the many artists and world changers before and after our time, thus I am most grateful that I am among the fortunate who get to pursue this passion.