Sara Calhoun, Year 4 Scholarship Winner Post Graduation Q&A
Sara Calhoun was one of our Fourth year Zinggia Art scholarship winners, waaaaayyy back in ye olde 2016. Wow, how time flies. Sara has just graduated from art school and was nice enough to fill us in on how she’s doing. Enjoy the interview and amazing art she sent :)
Q. What art school did you graduate from and what degree did you obtain?
I went to Rochester Institute of Technology and earned a BFA in Film & Animation with a mini immersion in comparative media!
Q. Did you have to do schooling remotely from home this past year? If so, how did that work out compared to previous school years? Is there anything you’d like to share about your “Covid-era” schooling experience?
My last year in college was completely remote. For me, the beginning was extremely difficult, especially since teachers were struggling to figure out virtual formats as well. It really was a balancing act between making sure work was reasonable for everyone no matter their circumstances and still having the course worth the student’s time/money. As most students know, it didn’t always work out but I’m grateful for the efforts this year that went into ensuring accessibility and flexibility for those taking online courses.
That said, I LOVED that a lot of things in my degree that were deemed as something you needed to be physically present for were now done remotely. It amazed me how much less stress was put on my body and drawing arm this year just because I didn’t need to force myself to work in the labs at certain intervals and I could get up to get myself a snack from the kitchen anytime I needed it. :)
Q. What were some of your favorite classes throughout your schooling and why?
I feel like my favorite classes were actually not related to animation at all – haha! I took a lot of uncommon classes outside of my degree’s range for fun. My favorites were a book-binding course, a 48-hour comic production class, and a pandemic/medical history comics course! They were all pretty fascinating and gave me a chance to explore other interests outside of film without the pressure of having to retain information for a future career. And now that I think about it more, they all sorta opened my eyes to how broadly applicable storytelling is as a skill across the arts.
Q. Did your school workload increase or get more challenging throughout the years?
Surprisingly, no! I think the main reason is that I took less credits and went part time my last semester because I knew after sophomore year what the workload looked like yearly and then catered my schedule to how much I could handle. Sometimes course requirements made it difficult to do that but I definitely aimed to keep a balance semester to semester.
Q. What was the most challenging project you had to work on in school?
Probably the 15 weeklong semester film. There’s a huge amount that goes into coordinating and putting together an animated film on your own especially in that short timespan. It’s a test of endurance and a gamble that nothing will come up and impede upon your schedule.
Q. Do you have any regrets from school (like not taking a certain class or taking one that you didn’t find beneficial)?
Well, I think every program comes with its own unbeneficial courses, but what I regret more is pushing myself so hard for those certain classes. Some courses are just poorly designed and there was no point in putting my body and mental health at risk in order to give my all for an environment that didn’t have students’ best interest in mind. It’s a hard thing to discuss but a huge struggle for artists is fighting against exploitation/unfair work practices and that all starts in school when you have to figure what is and isn’t worth your time to prevent burnout.
Q. You are currently searching for your first full time art job. What type of jobs are you applying for? Are you looking for jobs in Ohio or elsewhere?
OH, A LOT. College really unpacked my expectations of what I want from a career. I feel like my interests are much broader now, so I’m applying to positions from background painting to storyboard revisions and even non-animation things like editorial illustration.
Also I’m keeping myself very open in location too- so Ohio and beyond! I’m grateful that the pandemic really opened up the possibility of remote work from just about anywhere, so I’m also applying to positions that both may or may not require relocation.
Q. What are you most looking forward to with your art career?
Community! I really enjoy being around other artists and meeting new people with common interests! The aspect of working a slew of different kinds of projects also excites me. Sometimes the outline of schoolwork gets a little redundant, so I’m super eager to see what kind of new stuff people are making out there and hopefully getting the chance to help them along the way!
Q. Do you have any “Words of Wisdom” for young artists who wish to pursue a career in art?
No college has the perfect program, take whatever option is most accessible for you to grow as a creator and as a person. The artists and friends you meet during whatever studies you decide to pursue will be the ones to lifelong root for you and have your back, not the institution. Advocate for each other and share resources far and wide, rather than compete and divide. The art community is so interconnected and beautiful, so how you treat yourself, others and your work absolutely has an impact! Also… have fun!
Read all of the Q&A Artist Interviews with our past Zinggia Ohio Art Scholarship Winners.
Check out the scholarship requirements for the Zinggia Ohio Art Scholarship for high school art students in Ohio. Art Scholarships in Ohio are awarded yearly to a deserving Ohio art student who wants to pursue a career in illustration, graphic design, photography, or any art related program. The mission of the Zinggia Ohio Art Scholarship is to provide financial assistance to students whose creativity, inventiveness, and desire for foil-wrapped burrito goodness knows no limits!
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