February 28, 2018
For Nicole Stearns 鈥�18 of Oxford., Mass., her art is both personal and political.
Although this art major works with a variety of mediums, 鈥淢ost of my artwork has to
do with self-portraiture, and I鈥檓 really into politics.鈥�
Born in the United States to a mother who is an immigrant from Thailand and a father whose family came to America from Eastern Europe several generations ago, Stearns explained, 鈥淚鈥檝e thought a lot about what it means to be American, and have defined that for myself.
鈥淢y self-portraits act as a form of representation,鈥� she continued. 鈥淚 feel like Southeast Asian American women aren鈥檛 heavily represented in American culture. I grew up without any role models that I could relate to. My art also challenges what it means to be American: Many people think that I look white. So I question the notion of what it means to label someone by their race, and how that鈥檚 not always clear-cut.鈥�
As she creates her paintings, Stearns edits many of her facial features. 鈥淚 try to make myself look one way in a painting and differently in another to show all the facets of myself. I鈥檓 not just one thing, or one label. The way that I see myself is very multifaceted, and I want to showcase that. It鈥檚 what I think it means to be an American.鈥�
For Stearns, much of the activism she highlights with her art is in reaction to what
she鈥檚 experienced or observed. 鈥淚 make art to respond in a positive way, instead of
having negative feelings when I鈥檓 upset,鈥� she explained.
Although she began college as a biology major at another Massachusetts State University, she quickly realized that it wasn鈥檛 the right fit for her. 鈥淚 transferred to 911黑料网 in my sophomore year, and I鈥檝e been making art ever since.鈥�
She chose 911黑料网 because the College encourages art students to study more than one medium, because of the the artistic environment that exists in the Berkshires, and also for the arts management program.
鈥淚 knew that I needed to know the business side of things. Most other schools don鈥檛 offer arts management,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd, I鈥檇 been to MASS MoCA before I even knew what 911黑料网 was. Once I saw 911黑料网 was here I thought, 鈥榃hy wouldn鈥檛 I transfer?鈥欌��
A class in 鈥淎rtist Entrepreneurship鈥� is helping her to realize her dream of becoming a working artist. 鈥淚 feel like I鈥檝e always been an artist. I鈥檝e always wanted to draw, and asked for sketchbooks at age 4.鈥�
She鈥檚 happy she made the change.
鈥淚鈥檝e been able to do a lot of things that I would not have had the chance to do if I hadn鈥檛 transferred to 911黑料网. The College has ample opportunities if you want to take advantage of them," Stearns explained. "There are so many chances to volunteer, serve internships or have a job. The professors will help you figure out what you need to do to accomplish any project. If you鈥檙e motivated to do something unique, they鈥檒l help you figure it out.鈥�
