What are you doing at the moment professionally?

I'm currently participating in the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Workspace program with my collaborator Tara Pelletier.  Concurrently, we are also preparing for the opening of our show, Urban Heat Island, at Real Art Ways in Hartford, Connecticut and a group show, Art into Music, at BRIC House in Brooklyn, New York.  I am also a co-owner/creator of a small business called Meow Meow Tweet; a small-batch, natural, vegan apothecary offering soaps, personal care and soy candles made by hand and from whole ingredients.

How has majoring in Art/Art History helped you the most?

In the studio and the business, I am constantly negotiating how best to represent an experience.  My art degree enables me with the technical skills and strategies to explore processes for communicating these ephemeral ideas though object based and/or conceptual projects.

If applicable, what internships or extra-curricular activities have you pursued while in college have been the most valuable to you personally and professionally?  Why?

Toward the end of my undergraduate experience, I started working as an artist assistant.  It was an amazing opportunity which influenced my perspective on becoming a professional artist in a positive and "unidealized" way.  It reinforced the importance of having a good work ethic while remaining true to one's vision.

Are there any “optional” elements of the undergraduate experience that you recommend students explore?

I recommend that students take advantage of all the resources the department has to offer. Some of the best dialogue and challenges I encountered came from professors and peers outside of my area of specialization, which was in sculpture.