The Significance of Art School: My Journey Freshman Year

Not every person needs to pursue a degree to become a good artist. With the internet, it is easier and cheaper to find tutorials online. But it was something I absolutely needed. 

I attended the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) from 2019 to 2023, majoring in illustration and minoring in writing. The four years I spent there improved my art tremendously- I often look back at my high school portfolio pieces and think, What the heck was I doing? 

My first year (often called the “foundation year”) was grueling, yet perhaps the most rewarding. I took studio classes in drawing and design that reinforced techniques and principles I thought I understood. I remember getting off the bus at 8 pm, covered in charcoal, and complaining with my roommates about the growing pile of homework we all had to suffer. But it exhilarated me, the idea that I would get to draw and paint for homework, even if it meant sleepless nights and caffeine abuse. My roommate and I would sit on opposite sides of our room, working silently on an abundance of charcoal, graphite, and pastel pieces, with a random playlist or documentary playing in the background. 

The most fun I had was in class. I loved seeing how my peers interpreted a prompt in their own visual language. We wove our stories and personalities into our work if the assignment allowed flexibility. The ways that other people interpreted my work always interested me, and I loved when conversations started from an idea. There is something special about being in a room with people devoted to the same thing. 

A progress picture of a pastel still-life that was one of my final projects for my second trimester foundation drawing class.

Outside of homework and classes, I loved exploring Savannah with my roommates. Walking along River Street at night was one of my favorite pastimes. The scenery and calm always inspired me.

My final trimester of freshman year was spent back home due to COVID-19. At the time, my laptop was nearly ten years old and wouldn’t let me access live Zoom meetings. So I was stuck watching the class recordings and doing my best to participate in discussion posts. My work hit a plateau- receiving comments from professors during studio classes when working on projects always allowed me to be successful. 

It wasn’t until my third year that I would be on campus again.