Shiyn's Statement

The cinematic art for me is a mirror for the real life. As the cinema theorist Andre Bazin said, cinema is the asymptotic line for reality. I have studied Journalism in China for two years. I believed that I can report news, present justice and discover the truth behind appearance to the public. However, I was disappointed because even the journalists are afraid of telling truth under the pressure of invisible authority. I cannot change the situation and I do not want be one of them. However, I never give up the right to give it voice. Why not change my direction to film making which is a better way to reflect reality. Indirectly, artistically but profoundly influence audience and public. I realize how powerful and emotional the cinema is to tell the story happened around us. Hopefully, I can achieve my dream someday.

Ally's Statement

In my work I attempt to move away from the traditional subversion of artistic materials as tools to create content and instead allow the materials to become the content themselves. I explore materiality by using the inherent and essential qualities of a medium, whether it be wood, yarn or skin and letting the physical nature of these decide how a work progresses. I choose to collaborate with my materials rather than control them. With this method I hope to create work that becomes a representation of not only myself but of my environment. I aim to focus attention on not only the way an artist can manipulate a material, but how a material can shape the intentions of an artist. I attempt to understand the ways in which my mind and actions can also go so far in creating a piece and the rest must be left to trust and chance.

Olivia's Statement

As an artist I'm not always out to create art that takes on a deeper meaning or to convey a metaphor.  I like to make art that is frank and to the point with an obvious intention or meaning.  While some projects require metaphoric concepts to communicate a subject, there are a lot of ideas that benefit from blatant intent surrounded in artist creativity.  Even though simplicity is sometimes best, I still strive to make my art unique and thought provoking.

Miranda's Statement

I have always been interested in the fascinating stories of Tim Burton. It's very disturbing to me how he uses cartoon characters in such weird and unusual story lines, but that's also what intrigues me. I feel like I can relate to him very well. I am so fascinated by the unreal and horror. I am terrified of scary movies but instead of shunning that fear, I embrace and explore that fear. I even try to project that fear into my artwork.

Chelsea's Statement

I have been through a lot in my life and I need my art to reflect this struggle.  it's what I know and it's what helps me get through it. When I learn something from my art is when I know I'm dong it right.

Preston's Statement

The biggest difference between present artificial intelligence and the
human brain is that humans forget. Everything we don't manage to
forget, everything we think we know about ourselves, is held together
thanks to a narrative glue. By tapping into this glue and telling
communal stories, people can form communities. But not all stories are
equal and not all 'communities' are good. Many stories abuse this
trait of the human mind and succeed in clouding up the truest
experience of the world (such as the story that money given to the top
1% will trickle down to the rest of the economy or all of
advertising). Given the slightest opportunity, divisive and
corporate-fueled stories will clog up our mental inboxes day in and
day out, forever. It has been the task of the worlds' greatest
writers to speak truth to power and to clear the air so that we can
reassess--at least for a moment--what matters and what should be
filtered out. The great hope is that strong true narratives are
remembered, and that weak ones die out. As I see it then, my job (most
broadly stated) is to humbly craft true stories that encourage the
healthy forgetting and re-imagining of a united world.

Nikki's Statement

Stares of judgment

Accusations of blame

Stolen innocence

Abandoned childhood

Awkward silence

Past experiences have haunted me, changed my life in everyway possible, stolen things from me that I didn’t know was possible, given me strength I didn’t know I had and made me ready to move on while remaining in place. This video is representational of what I go through everyday of my life. Fear of judgment when telling what this past of mine is, sitting with the stares, the accusations and the awkward silence when my mind is anything but silent: hearing all the hurtful judgments that have previously been spoken, being reminded of the pain, replaying songs that have gotten me through those times, praying that moment will be over and covering the self-consciousness with laughs and unrelated statements while being faced with all of the emotions, faces, and horrific memories again and again.

Lacy's Statement

Art has become the only thing in life I feel good at anymore. Not that I don’t think
I’m a pretty good novice at things like working out or having a wide range of useless
ninety-nine percent of the time information. I just believe that I can make art that
inspires others, and isn’t that a big reason why most people make art? When I think
about my life and what makes me beam from the inside out is making..making art. I love
to pick up my camera and just get lost nothing else in the world matters when I’m
releasing my shutter. My photography is centrally focused around the recollection of
memories, to recall an event and represent it artistically, that's what I do, and what I’m
good at.

Lauren's Statement

As an artist just starting out I have been especially interested in juxtaposing elements.  In my painting, photography, and video art I like to explore the use of color in forming interesting and contrasting compositions.  As far as what I am trying to achieve with my art, ideally I want my viewer to find fascination in the banal or to look at something simple as something new and unfamiliar.