What is unique about you?

As a Professional Artist and Educator, I would like to begin by sharing a little bit about my own work. I would also like to discuss a little about why the subject of creating a portfolio for college admissions is such a broad topic. There are so many of you out there that dream of a career in the arts and spending your life’s work in the art field.

Let me start by saying that it is important to understand that your parents or family members come in very helpful in this portfolio and college admissions process. You want to be working together as a team. I was painting in oils on canvas at the age of five years old. My years in College were as follows, my first year was at Farmingdale SUNY in Graphic Arts and Illustration, I transferred to Pratt Institute for my second year until I completed my BFA in Painting with a minor in Art Education, I went on to CW Post College for my Masters in Painting so that I could keep my Teaching License in Art K-12. I went on after that to CW Post College once again to earn my MFA in Painting.

In school I tossed theories and concepts around in my head, I became an observer at times and began to intellectualize things in my head. I noticed how many students there were in my classes and began to think about how I would be able to compete in the art world when there were so many talented people in the field. I remember it very well to this day because this was very important in the big scheme of things. I realized that I would have to be much more than great at rendering the figure or painting various subjects. I began to question what made me different. What could I do that the others could not do? This is where I ask my students to start in order to start setting themselves apart from the others.