Mechelle Hankerson
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Yearlong Audition: AFO studio classes begin to take toll on Andrew Kearns
Photo by Amber-Lynn Taber for The Commonwealth Times
In his first week of classes, freshman Andrew Kearns’ Space Research professor, Jack Wax made it clear to the aspiring graphic designer that he couldnt be an artist unless he could be confused.
If that’s all it takes to be considered an artist, Kearns is well on his way after his first few weeks in the VCUarts program.
It’s been up and down for the freshman studying art foundations from Salem, Va. He received a job in the graphic design departments media lab but cut his finger and had to wear a bandage on his hand in the first week. His finger is still healing and he said it makes some tasks, like typing, difficult.
“(I’ve had) a little bit of a rough start,” Kearns admitted.
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Yearlong Audition: VCUarts freshmen prepare for first year
For prospective art students, their senior year of high school is full of portfolio reviews, submissions of their best artwork and for some, auditions. At VCUarts, the No. 1 public art school in the nation, students pursuing applied and fine arts spend their first year in the notoriously rigorous Art Foundations program while performing arts majors audition prior to being admitted to the school. While theatre, music and dance majors spend their time in practices and performances the whole year, AFO students spend their first year in a series of classes designed to strengthen their basic art skills where they will showcase not just their artistic skills, but their ability to handle being at the No. 1 public art school in the nation. The CT will be following five students through their first year, documenting their transition to college and their journey through their first year in VCUarts.
