During the School of Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts Pre-College program (SMFA), I was able to enhance my knowledge on different components of art, given in depth lectures about various art forms, and practiced mediums of art that I’ve never explored before (such as animation and 3D Media). Taking these classes not only helped me build a solid portfolio and gain connections with people who create art for a living, it also really helped me realize that I’m an interdisciplinary artist, as I have no specific way of expressing myself.
After this realization, I was finally able to create a baseline idea of what to do for my project focusing on the stigmatization of mental health. I wanted my pieces to be as accurate as possible, therefore, I went out and asked people, “What do people think of your mental disorder(s) vs. What’s it actually like?” I was elated to have people respond and, in a sense, trust me to depict what they’re going through in my artwork. I’m glad I was able to get so much done and create work that proves that I’ve grown as an artist while gathering information on the psychological standpoint of others in order to work on a future project that I hope to share with the world eventually.
-Hayden Sawh ’22
Following are some pieces I created during the SMFA Tufts Pre-College Program:
