Even the most rigorous school schedules allow free time for extracurricular activity. Some students pick up a sport or go to the gym, others get involved in more artistic ways. Through that free time, students find their passion alongside their major.
For senior art major Sydney Harris, art is something she has been doing about for quite a while – making her major her lifelong passion.
“I’ve been doing art almost all my life,” said Harris. “I think it really started in high school. I started taking ceramics classes, so then I started getting more into it.”
Since coming to Waynesburg University, her passion has grown into something bigger thanks to some of her teachers.
“I started taking more ceramic classes,” said Harris. “[Assistant Professor of Art Andrew Heisey] is a real big influence on that and is very pushing on making sure you do what you love so, when I started doing ceramics here, it kind of took off.”
When it came time to choose a college, Harris said that smaller size of Waynesburg convinced her to enroll.
“I went to a semi-small high school,” said Harris. “So, when I was looking for [colleges] I wanted more of that one-on-one experience with the teachers. I really like the class size [of Waynesburg] and the teachers are so personable.”
The art program has not only helped Harris excel in her artwork, but also has given her experience in presenting her art as well.
“When you’re taking art classes here, they are really big on making sure you gain life skills,” said Harris. “For finals, you have to critique everybody’s work so that made it easier talking to people, because I’m still semi-shy.”
Harris has produced several pieces of art and said that her favorite is working with clay.
“When I do ceramic work, I like to carve a lot into my pieces,” said Harris. “It is nice to be able to work with the clay, build the clay, because that’s one thing that Professor Heisey is big on. We learn how to make clay from scratch, so that’s always a nice skill to have.”
Going forward, Harris wants to further her education after graduation.
“I want to be an art therapist,” said Harris. “I think that is something I’ve always liked doing, so after college I’m looking into a master’s program for art therapy and probably looking into nonprofits to work with.”
Art therapy is the practice of using art as an activity to help aid in the healing process for patients who have experienced trauma according to Harris.
“It depends on the field,” said Harris. “I want to work with trauma patients, so either kids that have had traumatic experiences or adults with Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), so you work with them through the arts and kind of help them express themselves with what they are going through, and then interpret it to a therapist.”
Harris opened her senior art exhibit with a reception on the night of Monday, Feb. 26 in the Benedum Fine Arts Gallery. The exhibit is open to the public and will continue to be on display throughout the week.