Lauren's statement

I make art because I love taking something from my mind, that's only an idea and making it a tangible object that others can interact with. Art is my way to connect with people.

Doug's statement

I feel art is not just an embodiment of the artist, but actually a part of their subconscious. While sometimes artists go into projects wanting to tell a story about their piece, sometimes their piece tells a story about them that they were unaware of. Artists don’t just make the art, the art makes the artists. That is what I want from my art. I want it to tell me something about myself that I was unaware of or not thinking of at the time of creation. A past love? A future desire? Yesterday’s mistake? Tomorrow’s hope? That is what art does. It goes deeper than what the artist intends, and that is what makes it so beautiful.

Ed's statement

Art is as natural as science. One cannot go about their everyday without seeing
both of these. Throughout my journey in film and art the most intimidating thing to me
was the equipment/hardware peers had owned. Working simple has restricted me to let
art happen to myself rather than me happen to art. It becomes a tone/presence that you
can tap into and learn how to ride and steer in a particular direction. A major killer of
great ideas is overthinking. The art evaporates and the idea gets lost and tangled.

The tone of art carries on throughout you . Just because I classify myself as a
filmmaker does not restrict me from other media. I like to have a constant art project
other than film that is strictly for me. It’s like an artist’s punching bag. You can’t lose to a
punching and you can’t mess up on your personal art project. It’s refreshing and opens up
a tone of creative doors that usually bring ideas to the film platform that I can run with.

Everything will get in tune if you allow art to happen. Sometimes it’s not going
take the same route you’ll want to take and that is when you start making some pretty
good shit.

Corrie's statement

To me, the role of the artist is to create the question; the role of my 

audience is to come up with an answer, and each answer will be exceptionally 

unique to each viewer who chooses to engage.

I ask myself, “Why are people so caught up in the amassing of material 

possessions?” “What is motivating people to believe that the accumulation of 

belongings can somehow enhance their overall lifestyle?” “Why do we put so 

much emphasis on looking a certain way?” 

I begin with questions like these and choose mediums such as 

photography, video and posters to create striking imagery according to my 

concept. For example, in a recent piece I used design and digital manipulation of 

photography to create a line of advertisements for fake products that promise to 

enhance your life simply by making you look physically flawless. With these 

posters, I want my audience to consider what they think they can gain just by 

looking different, or “better”.

My work asks questions about identity and societal influence on human 

beings, and takes a look into what people put their worth in. I choose to work with 

photo and video because of the sort of irony it poses as it contrasts the negative 

effects of media influence, many of which comes to the viewer by way of 

television and movies. In other words, the presentation of my ideas will be in the 

same form of the object of ridicule. Primarily a digital artist, my work exists largely 

as photography and video. These particular mediums allow me to record material 

from real life and manipulate it in a way that makes my viewers rethink what they 

already know, to take a critical look at the world around them, reflect and look 

inward. I want to make the implicit be explicit, to take what I see around me and 

expose it for what it really is. Ironically, viewers will be influenced by what they 

see in my videos and imagery, which is criticizing how much we are influenced 

by what we see.

No person is entirely satisfied with their appearances, and our society 

seems to make people, especially young women, extremely susceptible to 

placing a high value on looks and bear far too much weight on the minor flaws. 

With this in mind, I have chosen a process which I believe will encapsulate the 

shared hopes of people to be visually flawless. My goal is to tap into the viewer’s 

deeper cravings, to show them that we all share an overwhelming and innate 

desire to be desired. Being constantly bombarded with commercials, magazines, 

television, and other forms of media, we are trapped by these unrealistic 

expectations. There is a reason that trends and what is perceived as attractive 

are constantly changing – they can never be satisfied, and we keep having to go 

back to them. I hope that my work will make people realize that there are other 

sources of worth apart from appearances and possessions.

Akasha's statement

The thing that makes me an artist is I love seeing and making new things. I want to make

films/movies that make people think, and making a difference in their lives. Making positive but

real movies to inspire real people that are struggling with certain things to keeping going and do

things that make you happy.

I am going to be the best me I can be a director, producer, and editor.

Lauren's statement

I make art because I am not good at science and even worse at math.

Gian's statement

Without art, my mind loops endlessly into itself until I'm sad and lost. It allows me to take my mind out of the endless echo chamber of my skull and put it somewhere.

I'm drawn to painting because it can most purely reflect my thoughts. With paint you can illustrate concepts in full vibrancy, with texture and depth to boot. Mediums like video and photo largely limit you within the realm of the physical world. Animation comes close, but no individual frame (in any sane person's animation) will ever be able to capture the time, effort, and aura of an individual painting.

Paintings can capture the essence- the physical, psychological spirit- of existence. Owning a quality painting is like having a slab of nature, one that peeks behind the veil of reality and into a higher plane of consciousness.

I really want to be a painter.

Andy's statement

I create art in order to view the world in a way I never could through my own eyes.  Creating art also enables me to feel emotions that sometimes the normal person do not know exist, until they can remove themselves and view these situations from another medium.

Eric's statement

Art has been a constant source of solace since I was very young. When I was 11 years old, I discovered the ability that art (specifically film) had to “transport” me. Film has a natural ability to take its viewers away from their problems. When I was 15, it finally dawned on me that there is a deeper meaning to film. Everything that happens onscreen is a direct result of choices made on behalf of a director, producer, writer, etc. In the past 5 years, as I have been writing and filming my own material, film has become a way for me to navigate issues that are difficult for me to process. Struggles with religion, politics, romance, death (just to name a few) become less scary and less confusing through an artistic lens. Taking a world of chaos and ordering it in a way that makes sense to me provides a therapeutic outlet, gives me a certain sense of peace, and lets others get a better grasp on who I am as a person and as an artist. ​

Sam's statement

I like to make art because I want to explore the ways in which old and new technologies affect our outlook.

Gabby Statement

Over this term I have noticed that my work has changed in the last year. My artwork is turning for a new view point from being an internal look on how i view society too a view on the social and cultural issues that we all deal with as people.  The proposed dream, of a fairy tale life that doesn't exist but rather is impossible to achieve. I plan on continuing my work on documentary like film on hard times, issues, and celebrations in the everyday lives of those around me. 

David's statement

Art has been a special form of entertainment for me. TV, internet, and other media just aren't enough, sometimes. At the same time, there's a challenge to it, with a certain satisfaction. In general, I just have a thing for creating. Often, when nothing's going on, I may find myself poking around with some kind of media creation. I've worked with drawing, painting, animating, videotaping, and even sound recording. This basically sums up what I want to do: build up talent with all kinds of art, so that many jobs will be open to me. This will especially be helpful, since some art jobs are short, and the different experiences will add all the more variety to my life.

Michael's Statement

If I were to describe my artistic identity in a single word, I would say I am a cartoonist. Of course, this word tends to invoke assumptions of childishness and low intelligence, which I hope not to convey by it. I use the term to mean that I am more about style and charm than realism, though I may carry realism as far as it will enhance my work. I’ve been drawing as early as childhood, and it is the biggest foundation for the art I create, although I have branched into other areas, such as writing and video making. I’ve attempted to build myself up as a storyteller, drawing original characters. While I may enjoy elements of a relatable, real world experience in a story, the fantastical, namely science fiction and fantasy, takes a large part of my interest. Nostalgia tends to find its way into my work regularly, inspired by cartoons, comics, and movies I loved in my childhood. A sense of imagination, wonder and excitement, akin to youth, is what I hope to communicate with my work.

Tim's Statement

For me, any art I produce doesn't normally have a hidden meaning or purpose, I just like to make things that are visually interesting and that are fun to explore and look at. Any meanings and feelings that people attach to the work is just a bonus because that adds meaning and a value to it that couldn't be there without the viewer and the viewer's experiences.

David's Statement

My goal as an artist is to simply take every dream that I have and create things that positively impact society.  I want to inspire people to believe in themselves and to think for themselves. Any form of creativity requires a leap of faith so I think that its only fitting to project optimism and hope in anything that I do.

Lina's Statement

I produce art as a way to express my understanding of the experiences that occur in my life. I find myself as an artist drawn to pieces that evoke a strong emotional reaction and leave me thinking about life.  I’m fascinated with the simplicity of life and the interactions we have with each other as people. My work focuses on the observations I’ve made as I go about my daily life.

Jacci's Statement

I make art because I have to. It's the only way I can express myself from the experiences I've been through. I have always been creative, even when I tried to do engineering the creative side came back and I had to switch to art. 

Miguel's Statement

To me art is a way to show thoughts and emotions that you can’t put into words. I like photography and video because they are ways to capture the world around you before that moment disappears so that you can share that moment with other people. It is a way to open your mind to the world around you and increase your creativity and use those skills for all other aspects of your life. Art is all around us even in the places where you wouldn’t expect, from what we wear, to athletics, the novels that we read even buildings and city structures all use different forms of art. It is one of the main things that makes us human.

Tyler's Statement

    Art can be defined in many different ways; the very definition of the word "art" is oftentimes the subject of debate, as the term remains largely open to individual interpretation. However, it is fairly interesting to consider that although most people are exposed to art each and every day of their lives, art is rarely consumed for the purposes of serving any form of utilitarian function. It is important that one challenges his/her self by engaging with new and interesting works of art on a regular basis. Many often do so and experience intellectual, creative, and emotional stimulation and reinvigoration in the process. However, people oftentimes choose to engage with art mostly for the sole purpose of seeking out entertainment and a personal sense of enjoyment.

    ​Throughout my life, I have always been extremely passionate about fictional storytelling and narratives across a wide variety of mediums. Every day I gain inspiration from the stories and works of fiction that I find compelling. I have always loved how narrative works possess the ability to bring different people together, allowing them to share conversations and ideas that are prompted by their feelings towards their favorite movies, books, music, games, and other forms of media. As an artist, I desire to one day create narratives that critically engage with a wide variety of people. I hope to inspire others in the very same way that I have been inspired by my favorite works of fiction in the past. My goal is to provide audiences with fiction that they will enjoy on an emotional and/or intellectual level, that open their minds to new values and ideas, and that provide them with a sense of escapism and entertainment. I firmly believe that many people, some of whom may not even consider themselves to be artists, undeniably have a strong, intrinsic desire to craft narrative experiences for others, and I would consider myself a very empty and disheartened person were I not to strive to create those types of experiences.

Mia's Statement

      I like to think that my art is a chance to express myself and is a great way to convey my ideas. Art, for me, is a way to channel my thoughts and feelings that I cannot express with words. I will always enjoy making art. It is a great stress reliever and a rewarding field, and I will hopefully continue to make art in my future.

Phil's statement

I create art in order to invoke an emotion. I feel like an art piece isn't complete unless it feel something when you come into contact with it because it's that emotional connection that makes the art work special. Hopefully the emotional connection that is created when people see my art inspires them to want to create as well.

Lauren's statement

Working with a wide range of media and exploring their possibilities allows for great forms of communication. Through art my ability to communicate is realized.  My subject matter as well as my process explore dichotomies; between art and humor, the polished and the crass, the physical and emotional and between the objective and passionate.

Specifically, with photography, it’s the use and source of light that I am interested in playing with.  Whether it is masking light while making prints or the use of alternative light sources such as projectors or computer screens, this allows for opposition within the process itself.  In video, I am interested in the examination of movement and the emotion that can be found between rigidity and freedom.

I also like the idea of creating art from art, taking something noted and beautiful and inverting it; or, conversely, taking something infamous and ugly and augmenting it.  I do this by appropriating images found on the Internet.  The accessibility of the past, present, and future via the Internet and the fact that it is fairly lawless is disconcerting as well as empowering and fun.

Kylie's statement

For me, my art is all about capturing what already exists. I try to capture emotions, memories, and ideas in images. I think that video is a beautiful art form, and to me, it has the most power out of any art form to capture the things that aren't typically seen or visualized. Keep it simple. I make what I want to make and I make what makes me happy. At the end of the day, video is really just what I love do to. Every project is my baby, something I've created, and something I want to be proud of.

Katherine's statement

Art, to me, is a lifestyle.  Without art, I believe I wouldn't have a purpose in this world.  It keeps me sane and allows me to express myself in ways that may live on for years after I die.  Art has a sole that is superior to all others and because of that, it calls to me.  Though art can be frustrating, the feeling I acquire when I accomplish a difficult task or discover something knew is leaps and bounds over the threshold of 'worth-it.'  Art, however corny it sounds, is my one and only vice and gets me in ways I didn't believe were possible.

Grant's statement

I view art as a way to express how one feels at a certain moment in time.  Anyone can interpret art in any sense they choose, however it is the creator who hold the key to the true meaning of the work.  My art comes from deep inside me and a way to express how I feel when no one else is around.  The literal translation of my work is seldomly the true meaning of my focus, however its the implied meaning I am trying to capture.