After high school, I applied was accepted to the Kansas City Art Institute but was discouraged by parental advice that art school would not produce a viable career. For twenty years, I often questioned that decision. Art was always close to my heart. During those years, I was faced with many personal and professional challenges—including eleven years as an over-the-road truck driver! As I reflect on these experiences, I remember thinking how beautiful and enriching is our country. However, while on the road, I missed cultural activities, time with close comrades, and creative expression through clay. Nine years ago, wonderful people came into my life, who encouraged me to chase my dream, fulfill my passion, and return to art school. Through, their love and support I was able to refocus my intent on education and my art. It was time to follow my passion for art and risk of failure. After completing a few community college courses, I applied and was accepted into the BFA program at Kansas City Art Institute. KCAI provided me with technical, visual, conceptual, and critical thinking with regard to studio art and art history.
My primary goal for graduate school is to further shape and inform my conceptual ideas in ceramics. I realized during undergraduate school that dialogue and constructive feedback from faculty and peers invoked a process of introspection and application of new thinking to my art. I look forward to how graduate school will challenge and change my art forms. Additionally, I look forward to continued exposure to art history, particularly artists throughout who created positive images of transgendered and other gender-related roles. This is a topic I hope to explore and study in depth. Graduate school offers an opportunity for me to deepen my exploration and understanding of the arts, enhance critical thinking and analysis skills, and round out my experience through additional exposure and guidance from gifted artists.