I am very grateful to have been chosen as the speaker for my MFA class.

Hello, I’d like to thank my mom, Kristin Blackwell, my mentor, Preston Drum, and all of the 3d shop techs; without them, I wouldn’t be here today.

Thank you to the family and friends who have supported all of the artists here. Congrats, everyone, you’ve all done amazing work and a great show!

  I hope none of you have lost your love for the arts. Burnt out is heavy, and I bet some of you are feeling it, even now. Luckily, you’re about to enter the world without professors telling you what to do all of the time. And, surprisingly, that can and will be scary, losing a source of guidance. Losing community. 

Art school gives you a great opportunity to have community with artists everyday, all the time. And some of you might have never had that before MCAD. So it is extremely important for everyone to keep in contact with the people you’ve met here, keep these friendships. This is irritating but the need for critiques is a lifelong one. Keep supporting one another. It is crucial after this moment that you rest and be kind to yourself. But also that you keep creating, don’t let rest become a pit of despair. The moment you truly stop creating, it will be so very difficult to start again. 

Life is full of despair, the state of the world and this country is getting more violent and hateful every day. The world needs you; your art is needed. Now more than ever. As artists, we are privileged to be able to create. There cannot be art without humanity. Technology has evolved, but it can never truly replace you. All art has value, and as artists, we must lift each other up and protect each other. The many ways of making art must be preserved and celebrated. Don’t let people divide and devalue us because of our different concentrations in creating. 

Keep making art as a job, as protest, or most importantly, just for yourself. For your soul. No matter where you’ll end up in life, you will always be an artist. Not because of this degree, but because it is fundamentally a part of you. 

There is beauty in creating art just for yourself, for no one else. And there is also beauty in creating for an audience. As you step outside this institution, we must keep hope for a world that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion. But there cannot be hope without action.  Artists have always been pillars in communities, so it is time to continue organizing, fighting, and speaking out. But most importantly, protecting those who are targeted. And knowing when to be silent, silence does not always equal compliance. Silence can save lives.

As artists, you have extreme power to connect with others. So please keep creating, even if it’s just drawing on post-it notes every once and a while. 

Challenge one another, rely on each other. Never be afraid to ask for help. You will need it. The world would not be the same without you. Thank you