Congratulations to Violet Moyer (Visual Arts ‘18) who is going to New York in the fall to study at Parsons School of Design!
“After four years at The Academy, I find myself being inspired by music and dance — not just other paintings. I love seeing others do what they love. The environment creates this mutual understanding. It just feels like there is so much empathy within this school. These friendships that I’ve made, even with my teachers — we’re all connected through doing the things we love. I believe every school should have something like that.”
Violet has felt a special bond with her teachers Margy Stover and Brenda Moore, but feels like the entire Academy faculty has been there for her throughout her tenure.
“Our teachers have told us that if years from now, they came into a gallery and each piece of art didn’t have a label, they’d be able to tell which one of us made it. That’s incredible to me. They just have this understanding of each person. I feel like I gained this friendship with my teachers that I didn’t have at my middle schools and the CPS school I was at before I transferred to The Academy. I go home and I make jokes to my mom about my teachers — “I saw all my best friends today!”. Ms. Stover is really my role model, she’s like an aunt to me. But even with my academic teachers, I feel like I can come to them for anything. I went to Mr. Pinto last month for advice on my artist statement. There's no sense of anything being a chore for them. I can't say I've found that at other schools.”
Violet values the department-wide shows where the underclassmen can be featured.
“I love when we have our Figure Drawing shows, our freshmen's first show, and you see their eyes are being opened to just how seriously we take what they love doing. But I love all of our exhibitions. We’re all dressed up and everyone is excited. My family comes and I walk them through everything and introduce them to other students through their art.”
But Violet is particularly proud of her still life piece "Essence in Muse" that she made for her recent Senior Exhibition.
“That one took me four months to do. I actually set up a still life right here in my corner. It wasn't a picture or inspired by another piece of art, and it was completely self assigned. I just stared at this still life for so long. Sometimes I think I might have stared at it more than I actually painted it. I just wanted to understand it. I think that it taught me a lot about the way I work — which I believe every piece should. You should gain something from each piece. But this piece really speaks to me, not only in representing my aesthetic but also my devotion and work ethic — the willingness to invest that amount of time in my art. Just to make one piece.”