ART-LIFE UPDATE #1

Now you may be wondering…”Pluto, wtf does this have to do with art?” WELL, my life lately has been literally good news after good news. So let me start from the beginning…

Sculpture

The spring semester began this February and I started taking Beginning Sculpture. This class is amazing! I never really knew I had a calling for sculpture. Like, I was always into it and always conceptualized making figures and such, but to be in the class learning what it’s all about was so eye-opening. My professor, Russell McMillin is great as well. I always run my ideas by him and he made me consider toy design as a career choice. This is where life starts getting crazy.

Art School?

About three weeks ago, a couple of art school representatives came to my campus to speak about their respective colleges. I’ll be honest, I didn’t consider going to art school until it was time to obtain my master’s. And I know what you may be thinking…WHY???? Well I felt like I probably didn’t have a strong enough portfolio and that I wasn’t ready for art school yet. I also go to a California community college, so I was mainly depending on the security that transferring to a Cal State brought me. But after talking to representatives at Otis, ArtCenter, Academy of Arts in SF, and FIT, I realized that art school may be a possibility. And so, I began to draw up a new map for my future. And this map included going to art school to obtain my bachelors instead of a Cal State, but this new path also included figuring out what career field I’d dedicate my life to. Did I want to continue on the path of only being a freelance artist? Or did I want to explore other options WHILST being a freelance artist? I spoke with my professor, Russell, and he told me that I’d do great in toy design.

TOY DESIGN?!

TOY DESIGN?????? ME?! I’ve always been a traditional and digital artist. I draw for a living. Could I possibly have what it takes to be a toy designer? Well don’t get me wrong, I’ve always pictured myself making toys, but I’ve always pictured myself making all kinds of things. I love working in different mediums, but was I ready to have a career in toy? YES! Why? Because I’ve been drawing my entire life, so I was ready to take on art in a different setting and medium. I could draw my ideas and then create a physical manifestation of them. That’s insane!

The Path Starts Where?

The top schools I was interested in applying to were Otis and ArtCenter. Otis for their toy design program, and ArtCenter for Entertainment Design (concept). I began working on a portfolio to give to these schools. I first started with ArtCenter, but quickly realized that I didn’t have what they wanted. I mean I had the ideas for conceptual design, but I didn’t have any keyframe paintings AND I didn’t know how to keyframe paint anyway. This meant I didn’t have enough work to give to them in time to apply for the Fall 2023 semester and they recommended I apply for the Spring ‘24 semester (lame). So I cut ArtCenter out of the picture. And now it was time to set my sights on Otis.

Otis Arc!

I began preparing my portfolio for Otis, and my professor was able to get me a meeting with Markus Maciel, a professor at Otis (OMG!). I asked my professor why he supported me and my work so much, and he told me that he wouldn’t vouch for me if I didn’t have what it takes. My other professor, Irene Mori, was the same; very supportive of my work and progress as an art student. To have that support from these amazing artists and teachers meant so much to me, and validated me as an artist.

The meeting went great! I met with Markus and the Chair of Toy Design at Otis, Jennifer Caveza. They loved my work, concepts, and my overall energy (so let’s hope I get accepted). The campus was amazing, too, and I could really see myself going there. I submitted my application on Tuesday(PLEASE GOD OF ART LET ME GO TO THIS SCHOOL)!!

San Francisco Filler Arc

I also took a weekend trip to San Francisco to tour San Francisco State (safety school), and to spend some time with some old friends. It was nice to spend time with friends again. It had been awhile since I made an effort to go outside and spend time with a group. I missed that feeling.

CONVERSE?? WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?

And while this was all happening, Converse contacted me about working on a project (WTF)! Would this finally be the start of Pluto entering the Creative Industry and adding some weight to her name? Could this be the point of no return? Where all I can do is keep swimming forward? I’m scared… Not scared of failing, but kind of nervous about entering a new territory, a new environment.

Time to Get Deep…

A new environment… Was I ready? For a couple of years, I had mentioned wanting to branch out because I felt like I had outgrown my current environment. I’ve outgrown my peers, and I’ve grown so much as a person and an artist. But man, were the growing pains real. Where’s my friend group? I don’t have one. They’re all gone now. I mean, I was sad about this, but also like…I got what I wished for. For the longest, I’ve begged for a new environment and change of pace. But after I had grown out of everything, I was lost. Instead of swimming, I felt like I was just floating. Going to school, going home, doing homework, hanging out with my boyfriend, calling my family, and doing it all over again. Day by day. I thought to myself, “When is it my turn?’ My turn to explode out of the water, and not just swim, but FLY. When was it my turn to fly way. I burned everything and everyone down. When was it time for my flowers to grow.

As someone in the 21st century, I think we can all relate to the trap that social media is. Looking at everyone living their lives and succeeding and wondering why I felt so behind. Like when would it be my turn. I soon realized that self pitying wouldn’t get me far, and put social media on the back burner. Only using it for posting my art, and I just kept pushing forward. Was I lost? Yes. Was I tired? Of course. BUT I knew with consistent effort, and enjoying the journey rather than just focusing on the end goal, it would all be worth it.

ALL OF THIS HAS ONLY BEEN IN A SPAN OF THREE WEEKS?????

YES! Well obviously, the spring semester started in February, BUT I only decided on art school three weeks ago, and life started getting great around that time. A domino effect of blessings! It’s all happening so fast that I could barely keep up. Like why were all these good things happening at once? I won’t question it to much, but know that I am eternally grateful for EVERYTHING. And that everything happens for a reason, at the right time. This is only the beginning.

PLUTO’S WORLD IS NEAR!

-Pluto <3