Communication sophomore Delaney McCallum said she has been making art for as long as she can remember, writing songs and drawing since she was seven. She never thought she would be working at a “business and STEM-based” place like The Garage — until SESP sophomore Olivia Hernandez reached out to her about the Artists in Residence program.

This Friday evening, The Garage’s first ever pop up will showcase the artwork of student artists across campus. Hernandez said the event features artists from “across the board,” displaying a variety of media from graphic design and sculptures to interactive, web-based pieces and even music production gloves that allow you to make beats with your hands.

After working with The Garage during her first year, Hernandez did not feel the entrepreneurial space was welcoming to more artistically-driven people and also felt the need for a campus community of independent artists. To combat this, she started the Artists in Residence program at The Garage this fall to foster a community of students who want to monetize their work and “make it” in the digital age.

“I really wanted to have this be a space where anybody could showcase anything,” Hernandez said. “There’s a huge population of people who don’t really fit into those segments perfectly and have very multimedia outlooks on their art and want somewhere to explore all sorts of media.”

Currently completing a module on media and game design, McCallum falls into that category. She said she has a hard time categorizing herself as an artist, and her portfolio reflects her eclectic style. On Friday she will be showcasing a choose-your-own-adventure, creative coding piece, as well as some prints and films.

Throughout the school year, she has been working on projects every week with other students in the program. She said the experience has pushed her to find an audience and publish her content.

“It’s been incredible and validating to have new people follow my art Instagram,” McCallum said. “It’s also pushed me to work in new mediums.”

Communication sophomore Anna Cohen said she was also approached by Hernandez. She will be launching a startup on Friday that focuses on mental health care products for young adults. This includes a gumball machine that replaces medication management tools like the sterile, orange pill bottles or daily sorters. She will also be showcasing foil prints with positive mantras.

Cohen said she’s always enjoyed crafting, but she credits Hernandez for helping to bring out another side of her art.

“Just making foil prints was fun but didn’t incorporate the larger motivations I had for wanting to create art and contribute to society,” Cohen said.

Hernandez said she plans to expand the group in the coming years, hoping to create a formal application process to widen their NU reach.

“Being an artist is one of the most entrepreneurial things you could ever do,” Hernandez said. “I felt like there really needed to be a strong presence of artists in a space like that where so many ideas are being created all the time.”

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @pamesjollard

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