The idea of college applications is daunting enough, with supplemental questions and detailed resumes. Imagine having to submit a portfolio of art work on top of that. Imagine curating a series of images, from your work, that serve as an expression of your artistic life so far. Here’s some of how that process works, with a look into the mind of Form VI student Masha Zaitsev.
You’ve created quite a lot of art to get to the point where you feel ready for a portfolio. What is your selection process for the ones that make the final cut?
In my fine arts portfolio, my goals are to show my technical abilities, my skill in experimenting with a variety of mediums, and my ability to create more conceptual works. Some pieces will incorporate all of these aspects, while others will incorporate only one (such as a purely technical work). Additionally, practically all the works I’ve chosen have been from my junior and senior years, as this is where I’ve felt I’ve produced my strongest work. Overall, I have chosen the pieces that create diversity in my portfolio, and that represent me as an individual, and how I think and perceive the world.
When did you first get in this form of art and do you have your very first drawing?
Being an artist has been a large part of my identity ever since I was little. I’m not sure if I have my very first drawing, as I have many drawings that I made from a young age– I was probably drawing before Pre-K started. My mom told me a story from when she let me draw all over my walls and curtains in marker because I was so completely immersed in it that she didn’t want to tell me to stop. I was probably two then, and I drew for a few hours straight. I think this story showcases well that art has been a part of me from the very start.
Do you think about other people in the art they are submitting or are you able to focus on your own?
In all the art communities that I am a part of, everyone is always extremely supportive of each other, and we all always have a fun time together, so I have never felt that I was “competing” with anyone. I love the people in my art communities and these communities are my safe places. Multiple of my closest friends are also artists. Additionally, I think people have such different styles in art that it is hard to compare yourself to someone else, just because they are entirely different in the way they approach and execute their craft. Being surrounded by other artists has been a gift, and a large source of inspiration for me, very far from anything negative.
Do you share your choices with anybody else or just do it solo?
Throughout the past few years, my primary art teachers were also the ones who I have trusted to give me feedback on my portfolio. This includes the wonderful 2D Visual Arts teachers that we have at Fieldston, Mr. Wolfson and Mr. Fischer, along with the teachers from an outside-of-school art program I’ve been doing since junior year. In our 2D art major at school, the seniors also share their portfolios with the rest of the class, so we get our classmate’s input as well.
Do you have a mentor or someone in the industry you admire and emulate already?
Georgia O’Keeffe and Salvador Dalí are two of my favorite artists from the past, and one of my favorite contemporary artists is Emma Webster.
Several of my works allude to the styles of O’Keeffe and Dalí and the symbols they have used in some of their works– such as O’Keefe’s skulls and Dalí’s pomegranate.
I saw Webster’s work for the first time at Art Basel last year, and fell in love with it immediately. Webster combines the old and the new– she alludes to artists of the nineteenth century, but her expressive style and use of VR to model landscapes is very much of the moment. I love her inventive use of our natural world’s beauty to create wondrous landscapes that are worlds of her own. She has inspired me to learn about more innovative methods and mediums in art, particularly in intersecting technology with art.
How do you feel about commercial appeal versus personal expression when choosing your art works?
In creating a fine arts portfolio, I think there are definitely certain works you need to create to show your technical abilities, even if they’re works you wouldn’t necessarily create on your own time (figure drawings and still lives, for example). However, I do think creating such works is an essential part of growing as a visual artist, and although it may be a little boring at times, it is how you hone your technical skills. Having a strong grasp of these technical skills is critical in order to better express yourself in those more conceptual and personal works.
Additionally, certain schools prefer slightly different types of artwork. Some prefer more conceptual works that tell a story, while others prefer more technically oriented ones. This is something to consider in creating the most effective portfolio for different universities.
Still, I believe that a portfolio should 100% represent who you are as a unique individual, and the way that you think and perceive the world. Having a mix of works that both showcase your technical skills (commercial appeal), and those that represent who you are (personal expression), are essential in having a great portfolio. Even if you take into consideration certain preferences of universities, you should still stay authentically you.
What do you want to do when you finish your studies and how do you think your portfolio choices reflect that? Or maybe they don’t?
I am still not entirely sure what I want to do after university, but it will probably be the intersection of the arts along with something else. I think the majors I’m going for reflect that more than my portfolio does, even though my portfolio incorporates history, which is something I’m very passionate about. In all the schools I’m applying to I’m looking into dual degree programs or interdisciplinary ones, so that I have the chance to study everything that I am passionate about.
Do you have any recommendations for students that are just starting out on the journey of building a portfolio or repertoire of their own?
First off, I would recommend to start creating as early as you can, and draw or create as much as you can in your respective medium. In preparation for a fine arts portfolio, draw as many different things as you can– people, objects, landscapes– and experiment with as many different mediums as you can. Don’t be afraid to try new things! A diverse set of skills will always benefit you as an artist. The next piece of advice I would give is to keep a sketchbook!! In this sketchbook, document any ideas you may have for concept work, or just doodle. If it feels right for you, also write in your sketchbook, sort of like a journal. You can later use your ideas to create pieces, and they might come together in ways you never imagined. When you submit a portfolio for university, you can also submit some of your sketchbook pages, so investing time in your sketchbook is always a good idea. Lastly, take advantage of any in-school art classes, and look for outside-of-school opportunities to improve your craft, learn more about the history of an art medium, or just learn about portfolio-specific things. These experiences will educate your artistic choices, and aid in making a well-rounded portfolio.
