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Michael Santiago

1,775

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Finalist

Bio

For many years art for me has been a voice that expresses itself not through sounds and words, but through images that the artist uses to connect to the audience. My thought process in these last few years has changed helping other artists that I knew. For the last three years. They helped me see art not only as an expression, but that art is much more. Art is about relationships; the relationships between lines and colors, how necessary it is for straight lines to need curved lines, and how certain colors complement each other. As an aspiring artist, I want my art not only to reflect this concept of relationships in art but also that in the same way, art has relationships in itself, people can relate to the art and apply these values to themselves and with each other. For this reason, I wish for my art to one day impact people, even if its just a few, and help spread a message that helps them see the beauty of their life with the struggles that come with it. Being a Catholic and having done missionary work for some time has helped me see the different kinds of backgrounds people have and what has faith done for them and for me. My Goal in all of this is to try to bring beauty or at least help find beauty. My Art even though I put an interpretation to some pieces I have made, I leave a a window for the audience to wonder and interpret a meaning for themselves.

Education

New York Academy of Art

Associate's degree program
2024 - 2026
  • Majors:
    • Fine and Studio Arts

Miscellaneous

  • Desired degree level:

    Bachelor's degree program

  • Graduate schools of interest:

  • Transfer schools of interest:

  • Majors of interest:

  • Not planning to go to medical school
  • Career

    • Dream career field:

      Arts

    • Dream career goals:

      Help bring beauty to the art world and the community

    • Painter

      Catholic Church
      2021 – 20221 year
    • Delivery Driver

      Amazon
      2023 – 2023

    Sports

    Basketball

    Junior Varsity
    2009 – 2009

    Awards

    • none

    Research

    • History

      High School — Student
      2012 – 2012

    Arts

    • Catholic Church

      Religious Art
      2024 – 2024

    Public services

    • Volunteering

      Catholic Church — Painter
      2021 – 2022
    WCEJ Thornton Foundation Music & Art Scholarship
    For years art for me has been a voice that expresses itself not through sounds and words, but through images that the artist uses to connect to the audience. My thought process in these last few years has changed helping other artists that I knew. For the last three years. They helped me see art not only as an expression, but that art is much more. Art is about relationships; the relationships between lines and colors, how necessary it is for straight lines to need curved lines, and how certain colors complement each other. Most important of all to see the beauty behind these concepts. As an aspiring artist, I want my art not only to reflect this concept of relationships in art but also that in the same way, art has relationships in itself, people can relate to the art and apply these values to themselves and with each other. For this reason, I wish for my art to one day impact people, even if it's just a few, and help spread a message that helps them see the beauty of their life with the struggles that come with it. My Goal in all of this is to try to bring beauty or at least help find beauty. My art even though I put an interpretation to some pieces I have made, I leave a window for the audience to wonder and interpret a meaning for themselves. My hope with all that has been written is to help show that no matter what background a person comes from, there are always people who will support, encourage, and push you to become great. I hope that with what life has taught me, I might be able to encourage and help others with art and discovering beauty.
    John Traxler Theatre Scholarship
    For years art for me has been a voice that expresses itself not through sounds and words, but through images that the artist uses to connect to the audience. My thought process in these last few years has changed helping other artists that I knew. For the last three years. They helped me see art not only as an expression, but that art is much more. Art is about relationships; the relationships between lines and colors, how necessary it is for straight lines to need curved lines, and how certain colors complement each other. Most important of all to see the beauty behind these concepts. As an aspiring artist, I want my art not only to reflect this concept of relationships in art but also that in the same way, art has relationships in itself, people can relate to the art and apply these values to themselves and with each other. For this reason, I wish for my art to one day impact people, even if it's just a few, and help spread a message that helps them see the beauty of their life with the struggles that come with it. My Goal in all of this is to try to bring beauty or at least help find beauty. My art even though I put an interpretation to some pieces I have made, I leave a window for the audience to wonder and interpret a meaning for themselves. I remember there was one day when one of these artists was explaining to me the concept that art is about relationships. I was impressed by how simple he explained it. He used many simple examples to help me see relationships in art. He used the example of the feeling of being cold or hot, how when we are cold we can appreciate the feeling of warmth, likewise, when we are hot we can appreciate the feeling of being cool. I can go even further, for instance, had I not received the experience of people telling me that my drawings are bad and will go nowhere, and that I'm wasting my time, I could never have appreciated the experience of people and friends encouraging me and pushing me to better my drawing. It's like suffering and happiness. If I never experience this suffering of negativity in my life and the crisis of what is art for me or what kind of artist I want to be. I could never appreciate the happiness I felt working with some artists and the encouragement they would give me or my parent's support because it was through these many experiences and crises that I now know what kind of artist I want to be and the fact that I have this experience of negative and positive responses about my work helped push me to understand this concept about relationships. My hope with all that has been written is to help show that no matter what background a person comes from, there are always people who will support, encourage, and push you to become great. I hope that with what life has taught me, I might be able to encourage and help others with art and discovering beauty.
    Terry Masters Memorial Scholarship
    For many years art for me has been a voice that expresses itself not through sounds and words, but through images that the artist uses to connect to the audience. My thought process in these last few years has changed helping other artists that I knew. For the last three years. They helped me see art not only as an expression, but that art is much more. Art is about relationships; the relationships between lines and colors, how necessary it is for straight lines to need curved lines, and how certain colors complement each other. Most important of all to see the beauty behind these concepts. As an aspiring artist, I want my art not only to reflect this concept of relationships in art but also that in the same way, art has relationships in itself, people can relate to the art and apply these values to themselves and with each other. For this reason, I wish for my art to one day impact people, even if it's just a few, and help spread a message that helps them see the beauty of their life with the struggles that come with it. My Goal in all of this is to try to bring beauty or at least help find beauty. My art even though I put an interpretation to some pieces I have made, I leave a window for the audience to wonder and interpret a meaning for themselves. My hope with all that has been written is to help show that no matter what background a person comes from, there are always people who will support, encourage, and push you to become great. I hope that with what life has taught me, I might be able to encourage and help others with art and discovering beauty.
    Wendy Alders Cartland Visual Arts Scholarship
    For many years art for me has been a voice that expresses itself not through sounds and words, but through images that the artist uses to connect to the audience. My thought process in these last few years has changed helping other artists that I knew. For the last three years. They helped me see art not only as an expression, but that art is much more. Art is about relationships; the relationships between lines and colors, how necessary it is for straight lines to need curved lines, and how certain colors complement each other. Most important of all to see the beauty behind these concepts. As an aspiring artist, I want my art not only to reflect this concept of relationships in art but also that in the same way, art has relationships in itself, people can relate to the art and apply these values to themselves and with each other. For this reason, I wish for my art to one day impact people, even if it's just a few, and help spread a message that helps them see the beauty of their life with the struggles that come with it. My Goal in all of this is to try to bring beauty or at least help find beauty. My art even though I put an interpretation to some pieces I have made, I leave a window for the audience to wonder and interpret a meaning for themselves. I remember there was one day when one of these artists was explaining to me the concept that art is about relationships. I was impressed by how simple he explained it. He used many simple examples to help me see relationships in art. He used the example of the feeling of being cold or hot, how when we are cold we can appreciate the feeling of warmth, likewise, when we are hot we can appreciate the feeling of being cool. I can go even further, for instance, had I not received the experience of people telling me that my drawings are bad and will go nowhere, and that I'm wasting my time, I could never have appreciated the experience of people and friends encouraging me and pushing me to better my drawing. It's like suffering and happiness. If I never experience this suffering of negativity in my life and the crisis of what is art for me or what kind of artist I want to be. I could never appreciate the happiness I felt working with some artists and the encouragement they would give me or my parent's support because it was through these many experiences and crises that I now know what kind of artist I want to be and the fact that I have this experience of negative and positive responses about my work helped push me to understand this concept about relationships. The value of having a negative impact as well as a positive impact. My hope with all that has been written is to help show that no matter what background a person comes from, there are always people who will support, encourage, and push you to become great. I hope that with what life has taught me, I might be able to encourage and help others with art and discovering beauty.