Student Spotlight: Tara Jones ’24 (B.A. in Art (Graphic Design) with minor in Art History & Visual Culture)
Posted May 31, 2022
What are you studying at Otterbein?
I am a Studio Art major with a concentration in Graphic Design, and minor in Art History.
What is a typical day like for you as a student?
A typical day for me at Otterbein consists of going to the Art and Comm building in the mornings, either for Darkroom Photography to develop film, or designing logos and reports in Graphic Design. I will go eat lunch then will come right back to the same building for yet another art class, Painting, and another speech class in the Communications part of the building. Usually my classes end any time before 5:30 which leaves me enough time to grab dinner with my friends! The rest of the day is up to me if I need to finish homework or projects. Or if I have time, I always finish the night with some painting and YouTube or music.
What are your goals after graduation?
My goal after graduation is to at a company doing design work. Along with Graphic Design, I hope to take my painting to a more official platform like a possible business for myself to sell paintings and take requests. It is also a dream to be a mural artist and would love to be able to do projects like this as a side.
What is your favorite part of being an art and art history student?
My favorite part of being an art student is everything. There’s no one best thing I could point out because it really is that great. The faculty and staff are just amazing and always kind and helpful. The teachers have helped me tremendously with stepping out of my comfort zone in my art making, and my skills in drawing, painting and design have improved greatly. They help me realize there so many possibilities and opportunities that you can do with art and art history. I think my favorite part is that I am genuinely excited to go to class. I can create art in so many ways and each class brings something new.
Why did you choose Otterbein?
I chose Otterbein because of how connected the school is. Once I went to see Otterbein for myself, I knew this was where I wanted to go. This is the perfect sized school, everything is within reach, and Westerville has an uptown area to go and explore different shops.
What is the best part about living in the Columbus area?
I think the best part about living in the Columbus area is all the opportunity there is within it.
What advice would you give to an incoming first-year student?
One piece of advice I have for incoming first-year students is don’t be afraid to take risks and don’t be afraid to fail. So many of us get caught up in any work we do, sticking to what we know because it’s our comfort zone, but it is only when you become uncomfortable, things start to happen.