Art Making and Jesuit Reflections

Nicky

Art Making and Jesuit Reflection

Art and Jesus

My time at Saint Louis University has been heavily influenced by the university’s core values of jesuit and catholic teachings. I have felt so welcomed and embraced in the community at SLU, I transferred from a community college and was nervous about the aspect of being behind my peers in terms of college. Despite these anxious feelings, SLU has been a lovely and fulfilling experience on all fronts. All of my professors have been very supportive and accommodating, encouraging me to push myself further in my education. I have switched my major a few times, but find myself very content and equipped for the transition. The foreign language department and fine and performing arts has been very nurturing to my education and my specific goals. I am constantly amazed at the effort, care, and love that comes from the SLU community for the students.

My art career has been espilly nurtured by SLU. I find myself striving for the values that SLU possess and wanting to create more relationships with God. The goodness of people is at the forefront of my path and being able to share that with others has been amazing. Social justice is a pivotal part of life for everyone and the way that Saint Louis University has embodied that makes a difference in my life, as well as many others. I come from an immigrant family and being the first one to go to college was scary. I felt scared and anxious and often lost in the application and preparing process. My advisors and staff have gone out of their way to make sure I was on the right path and on the same page as other students. This welcoming experience made a smooth transition from community college to SLU and alleviated a lot of my worries.

I have struggled socioeconomically as well, and the scholarships that SLU offers and granted me allowed me to pursue this education. The emphasis that SLU puts on helping people who have less has always been admirable to me, I would not have been able to attend SLU if it weren’t for the monetary support for the scholarships. I have never felt out of place for my background, there were always others in similar situations. It can be so easy to neglect real world problems and only focus on teaching what is crucial for majors. My experience at SLU is far from this- the core classes required pushed students and me to think about other experiences and perspectives of the world. These core values were expressed in classes where I learned about other cultures, people, and situations. My understanding of the world has been shaped by SLU and the staff that embody these holistic values.

The community that I have been able to find at SLU will always influence me in my future endeavors. I will carry these teachings past my college career and into the future and real world that I will enter. My art will always have reflections of my time at SLU and the community that surrounds me.

Screaming Cat

2023, ceramics

02

Green Pot

2023, ceramics

03

Green Mug

2023, ceramics

Pumpkin Mug

2023, ceramics

04

05

Teeth

2023, ceramics

Beetle Life Cycle Pitcher

2024, ceramics

06

Vase (with bitemark)

2023, ceramics

Assorted Lino Cut Patches

2023, lino cut, dye, fibers

08

Monoprints

2023, Geli plate, screen printing ink, intaglio and relief processes

Bug Pattern

2023, lino cut, fabric

A Cat’s Journey

2023, kitchen lithography

Placemats

2024, scrap fibers, natural dyes

Ceramic buttons

2023, ceramics

Artist Statement for Final Show

I took my inspiration for this exhibition from my recent dinner gatherings with loved ones during solstices and equinoxes. Taking time from our days and monotonous routines to

gather and reflect on the past seasons and anticipate the new comings of others. It has been a

special place to share, be intentional, and reflect and embrace the constant comings and goings.

Being forced to inhabit internet spaces and places that make it hard to recognize the seasonal,

lunar, and rebirth cycles that come with time has made interacting with each other difficult and

sometimes I neglect to be aware of the changes around me. Taking space to reflect on this cycle of changes. Each coming daily, weekly, monthly,

and yearly, we are constantly changing as our perceptions of ourselves are going through a never ending cycle. I have hand sewn, dyed, embroidered, thrown, built, and put together pieces that will be utilized for future gatherings and feel intimate yet universal to the human

experience. I chose to represent each place seating with imagery, colors, and textures that oblige

me to see these cycles for what they represent and cope with the cyclical nature that comes with

being alive. Having my undergraduate experience coming to a close, an old cycle ends and a new

one begins.