By JJ Bowman
Staff Writer
Pepperdine students graduating this semester with degrees in art may not have the best facilities, but they do have the honor of hanging up their best artwork in the senior art exhibit starting April 15 at the Weisman Museum.
One of those students, Ashley Miller, discussed her life as a Pepperdine art student, a member of the 2001-2002 Florence program and talked about her (vague) plans for the future.
Miller transferred from UCLA as a freshman. Her sister, Christina, attends Pepperdine and studies in Heidelberg, Germany. Her older brother is also an artist. She said she hopes to move back to Florence next year and study at the art school, Studio Art Center International.
What’s life like for a Pepperdine art major?
Pepperdine art majors are few. It’s not a hard major if you’re into what your doing, I guess … What’s good about my being in the art department has been that I have to really figure what I’m doing and what I want to do and not have it based on anyone else, or teachers, because I don’t necessarily feel like the teachers have a lot to offer. And so, it’s like either you motivate yourself to really get into what your doing or you don’t do anything. And, I feel like I’ve definitely made my art my own at Pepperdine, rather than relying on being taught.
What should Pepperdine do to improve the art major?
They need more professors. I think they have, like, four or something. And they should definitely have models. They don’t allow life drawings because Church of Christ thinks it’s – I don’t know – wrong for some reason to have nude models, which I think is a big problem with the art department.
So you can’t draw any nudes?
No, they don’t have any classes like that, which is a basic part of art school that I think should definitely be part of the curriculum. I feel like generally the art department isn’t focused at all on teaching you structure or teaching you how we use the materials. It’s kind of like, “do whatever you feel like doing.” (The department) doesn’t look at art as a science. There’s a balance between that, but I think there’s so much to learn technically about what you’re doing and to learn your craft. I think they should teach more of that.
What should we expect from your art show?
I have about 12 or 13 paintings and then 10 or so journals that I’m going to show. The journals are, kind of, collage journals where I’ll do writing and painting and drawing on all the paintings. And some of them will be open and some of them (will just have the cover showing).
You studied in Florence. That’s a pretty good place for an artist.
Yes, Florence is amazing. Florence kept me at Pepperdine, for sure. It’s so different. I really miss it. I miss how the streets are and how everything is old. I think everyone feels like that when they go there – whether you’re an artist or not. You just feel like you’re inspired. You’re in this old land. There’s all these secrets that you can discover.
Was the Florence house as conducive to your artistic spirit?
The Florence house definitely had an effect on my art, because I felt completely out of place and like I had no friends. But it was good. When you’re in a close group like that you realize who you are and who you’re not … I just felt like being in Florence was the point where I knew I’m an artist, and that’s just who I am and I might as well accept that and just do that.
Is it easier or harder to be an artist in a family that has another artist in it?
I think my brother has definitely influenced me … He’s always been an artist, since he was, like 2, always drawing. I can’t tell how much he has really influenced me because it’s always been like that.
Do you have any vision of what you might be doing five years from now?
I don’t know. Hopefully something I would never expect, because I just want to see what happens. Maybe I’ll go to Florence next year, maybe I won’t.
I know I want to do something with my art, and I’m going to, of course, always be doing my art…
I think it’s so cool because you can do anything even though you don’t have any money. I’m kind of excited about being completely poor … I could be anywhere, and doing anything, and I don’t have anything holding me back. How’s that for a vague answer?
If there is a heaven, what would you like God to say to you when you reach the Pearly Gates?
“Well done, good and faithful servant.” Because I really do want to use the gifts he has given me. I believe he has given me gifts. I just want to use what he has given me and not be afraid to do that.
Submitted April 1, 2004