The power of art shines through students and faculty at Pepperdine. Art can guide people through life’s darkest moments and illuminate the path to healing. Students and faculty said artistic expression can have a profound impact on human life — nurturing our spirits, soothing our souls and igniting a flame of resilience within each of us.
Olivia Edmunds: Capture Joyous Moments
Junior Olivia Edmunds’ artistic journey began in the cozy confines of her family home, where cultural activities like museum visits and theater outings were the norm.
Edmunds’ artistic style leans toward realism as she captures the essence of moments and emotions through meticulous detail.
“I mostly do drawing and then some painting and a little bit of embroidery,” Edmunds said. “I think that it’s a cool integration.”
Her family was always going to museums or plays, she said.
Drawing sessions with her mother became a cherished ritual, and her innate passion for art developed at an early age.
Edmunds’ artistic process is deeply personal, and she said she often draws inspiration from photographs that resonate with her emotionally.
“I’ll just see a picture and be like, ‘I just want to draw that because, for some reason, it just speaks to me,’” Edmunds said.
Despite her admiration for surrealistic art, she said she finds solace in the control offered by realism, particularly in drawing.
Edmunds describes drawing with a pencil like an extension of her hand.
For Edmunds, art serves as a vessel of emotional expression and exploration. Drawing with pencil provides her with a sense of control, while painting offers a different kind of liberation, allowing her to embrace imperfections and incorporate them into her work.
“There’s so much less control,” Edmunds said. “It’s easier to work those mistakes in instead of feeling like I have to make everything perfect.”
In her portraits, Edmunds finds joy in capturing moments of pure happiness. She believes expressions convey a depth of emotion that surpasses a photo.
“When you can draw somebody who looks just truly happy, it can really capture that moment in a way that a photograph doesn’t as much because it just feels more personal,” Edmunds said.
Through her art, Edmunds said she seeks to evoke empathy, connection and healing, inviting viewers to delve into the complexities of human emotion and experience.
Bradley Griffin: The Drama of Redemption
As a professor of Theatre and divisional dean of Fine Arts, Bradley Griffin understands the impact that storytelling can have on the human psyche. Through theater, Griffin said he seeks to create a safe and supportive environment where students can explore the depths of their emotions and discover the healing power of creativity.
“In theater, you need to be able to take risks in order to make discoveries,” Griffin said. “It’s about creating an environment where students feel free to express themselves and take creative leaps.”
Griffin said the stage serves as a special space, where individuals can confront their fears and, ultimately, find redemption.
“Drama is all about conflict,” he said. “But, through that conflict, we find catharsis and healing.”
Taylor Faas: Dance Through Adversity
For senior Taylor Faas, dance has been more than just a form of artistic expression — it has been a lifeline, guiding her through the twists and turns of her journey, she said. From her early days as a young dancer to her role as a choreographer for Dance In Flight, Faas’ passion for dance has burned brightly, infusing every movement with meaning and intention.
“As I choreograph a piece, I always try to tie it back to an event that I’ve experienced or some sort of general emotion that I felt in my life,” Faas said. “It’s my favorite way of expressing myself.”
Yet, Faas’ dance journey has not been without its challenges. A devastating injury nearly crushed her dreams, which she said cast a shadow over her love for dance.
“When I was 17, I tore my hip labrum and was unable to dance for a while,” she said. “It was a period of darkness, but through dance, I found my way back to joy.”
Faas said dance served as a healthy outlet for processing emotions. During her period of injury and darkness, dance provided her with a means to express and work through her feelings.
Faas said she choreographed a contemporary piece called ‘Do you ever wonder if your missing piece is yourself?’ for Dance in Flight Spring 2024, which centered around her own experience of injury and recovery. She said this piece symbolically represented her journey, with the younger version of herself symbolizing joy and passion for dance and obstacles representing challenges like her injury.
Through this choreography, she said she was able to externalize and visually represent her experience, allowing her to confront and, ultimately, overcome her struggles.
Yvette Gellis: Paint the Colors of Resilience
Yvette Gellis, visiting assistant professor of Art, is a visual artist. She said her work serves as a reflection of her innermost thoughts and emotions — a testament to the healing power of creativity.
“I’ve always found comfort in painting,” Gellis said. “It’s a way for me to process my emotions and find peace amidst the chaos of life.”
For Gellis, art has been a constant companion — a source of solace and strength in times of adversity.
“There’s a sense of liberation that comes from expressing yourself through art,” Gellis said. “It’s like a form of therapy, allowing you to release what’s weighing heavy on your heart.”
Gellis said expressing oneself through art can bring a sense of liberation. Art allows individuals to release emotions and thoughts that may be weighing heavy on their hearts, she said. Through art, individuals can find freedom from emotional burdens.
Eden Reitnour: Experimenting with Ease
Junior Eden Reitnour’s artistic journey began long before her college days with childhood memories of crafting and creativity shaping her path.
“I’ve kind of always made art,” Reitnour said. “I remember putting that I wanted to be an artist on a first-grade question paper.”
Reitnour’s affinity for sewing and working with fabric and fiber blossomed early on, with sewing, crocheting and weaving becoming her favorite mediums of expression.
Reitnour describes her style as “a little bit chaotic.” Her approach is characterized by a strong desire for knowledge and experimentation.
“My approach is to learn as much as I can about as many mediums as I can,” Reitnour said.
This year, she said she has delved into woodworking, whittling, carving and more, eager to expand her artistic repertoire. Her focus lies not only on mastering techniques but also on using these diverse mediums to give voice to her ideas and emotions.
For Reitnour, art serves as a vehicle for self-discovery and healing, offering a sanctuary where she can navigate the complexities of grief and pain.
In the fall semester, she said she had a sketchbook project exploring these themes, creating a series of works centered around the concept of “sunshine grief.” Through this project, she said she found solace in structured creativity, allowing herself the space to process and heal.
Drawing inspiration from musical artists like Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash and Mumford and Sons, Reitnour said she infuses her artwork with the soulful melodies and poignant lyrics that have shaped her emotional experience.
In her creative process, Reitnour said she finds peace in the physical act of creating, embracing labor-intensive projects as a form of meditation and release.
“I really love to work on labor-intensive, repetitive action projects,” she said.
Cleaning up the studio space or tending to the tools of her trade becomes a ritual of gratitude, a reminder of her connection to the earth and the art of creation, she said.
Through her art, Reitnour said she invites aspiring artists to see glimpses of light and hope amid the shadows of grief and pain.
Isabella Alvarez: Sculpting the Soul
In the gentle embrace of clay, first-year Isabella Alvarez finds herself through art. When Alvarez was a child, she said she was selective-mute, and when she interacted with clay, she began to mold and shape her innermost thoughts and emotions into a tangible form.
She works on large-scale pieces and creates abstract, modern and contemporary art. She said her sculptures may not adhere to traditional forms or representational subjects but instead explore abstract concepts and forms.
She likes to feature vibrant colors, intricate textures, bold patterns and varied scales, adding visual interest and complexity to her work.
As a sculptor, Alvarez’s work speaks volumes, capturing the essence of the human experience with grace and precision.
“For me, sculpting is a form of meditation,” Alvarez said. “It allows me to connect with my innermost self and explore the depths of my being.”
Through her art, Alvarez seeks to inspire others to embark on their own journey of self-discovery and healing.
“There’s beauty in imperfection,” she said. “And, through art, we can learn to embrace our flaws and celebrate ourselves.”
Finding Strength in Creativity
Reflecting on the stories of Faas, Gellis, Edmunds, Griffin, Alvarez and Reitnour is a reminder of the profound impact that art can have on individual lives. Whether through crocheting, drawing, woodworking, dancing, painting, acting or sculpting, each of these individuals has found solace and healing in the creative process.
Their stories teach strength in creativity, courage in vulnerability and hope in the beauty of the human spirit.
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Contact Victoria La Ferla via email: Victoria.laferla@pepperdine.edu or by instagram: @vlf_insider
