Where are they now?...
4 Alumni Artists on Life After High School
In this special column, I catch up with four former classmates and current close friends --- some of whom submitted to this very magazine! Now scattered across the country, they’ve each charted wildly different paths, shaped by everything from family expectations to financial realities to support systems. Some are immersed in art school critiques; others sketch between physics lectures. Some are pursuing creative careers, while others have found surprising ways to keep art in their lives without making it their entire life. What unites them is not a single destination, but the commitment to keep creating in a world that doesn't always make that easy.
Their stories are as vulnerable and honest as they are varied. Whether you’re a budding artist yourself or simply curious about what lies ahead, we hope their journeys inspire you to imagine your own—on your own terms.
featuring Bita, Ethan, Rae, & Suzu
interviews conducted and edited by Davina J
Our Cast of Characters...
Ethan H.
A first-year illustrator studying sequential arts at SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design; Atlanta, Georgia) with a minor in creative writing.
Bita S.
A first-year artist studying textiles at RISD (Rhode Island School of Design; Providence, Rhode Island).
Suzu
Rae S.
A second-year student at UW (University of Washington; Washington, Seattle) studying microbiology and education with a passion for engineering!
A first-year physics student at LMU (Loyola Marymount University; Los Angeles, California).
Question 1
How has your relationship with the arts changed since graduating?
ETHAN H.
Since graduating, I cannot deny that I have gained a substantial amount of appreciation and respect for other artists. I’m currently studying sequential arts (a fancy term for comics) at SCAD with a minor in creative writing. I always took art decently seriously, but seeing the amount of skill that some of my peers have (and their growth by the end of the school year), I became even more motivated to continue to improve my craft.
BITA S.
I think I became more in tune with my process of making after graduation because I really got the time I needed to explore my limits and see where my affinities lie.
Art school is definitely an expensive and unique experience that’s not for everybody, but I can say that for me personally it’s the best decision I’ve ever made. I feel like I've finally found a place where I belong. It’s difficult for sure, but somewhere in the process of turning in assignments and meeting deadlines I was able to better understand myself and the world around me more through my art. In turn, I became more aware of my positionality and the way I — as an individual — fit into the world around me.
SUZU
I stopped doing anything related to art right after graduating from high school. Although it was really nice having so many mediums accessible to me, the art department became a bit too toxic for me (not really a surprise since toxic competition can be crazy at TAS!).
After starting university at the University of Washington, Seattle, I would participate in activities here and there; including drawing on chalkboards in my dorm and making collages for a club. Despite that, I was still afraid to reenter the arts after my negative experience in high school.
Now, in my second year, I’ve started to reignite my passion for the arts, on a much smaller scale. My partner encouraged me to buy a new sketchbook and start making art again. Since I’m not in an art-related program, I don’t have access to a lot of resources. Recently, I’ve started making collages using ephemera I obtained from garage sales and my everyday life, and picked up fountain pens as a new medium. I also led a project within my underwater robotics team, hosting a sticker collaboration with our local bookstore, which will be available for free to all students, faculty, alumni, and others in the community for the month of June!
One of my engineering clubs also held a computer-aided design (CAD) workshop that I participated in since I have had around ~5 years of CAD experience in the past. I was able to quickly get used to AutoCAD, a program UW lets us use for free, and am planning to make more 3D models with that. I’ve also obtained a 3D printer from a white elephant gift exchange (which is absolutely crazy!) that I plan to order a power supply unit so I can start 3D printing things again.
So, in a way, I still do participate in art-related activities; however, they are now all tied to engineering instead of studio arts. In the future, I hope to take workshops in other mediums I’ve always tried in high school, like glass art and mosaics.
RAE S.
During high school, I was involved with a variety of artistic mediums – visual art, pottery, etc. I’m not currently doing art in college though. There’s less resources available for sure — my high school had an open studio where you can use all the paper and paints for free, but that’s not the case in college. LMU is split into 5-9 colleges with different topics (art school being one), so if there is an open studio I have almost no hope of finding it or gaining access to it.
There’s also the lack of time. I’m studying physics now and way too busy to even be involved with art clubs. I’m actually considering taking summer classes for a couple hundred dollars to lighten the load during the school year at a community college or ASU. Maybe I can even take an art class! This could potentially free up more time for me to create art, which is something to look forward to!
On the bright side, I've been consuming more art on a regular basis! About 30 hours per week, I would say? Besides just playing video games I’ve been reading and learning about the developers and the history behind the games I like. For example, in Honkai Star Rail there are story arcs based on different historical periods (the jazz age, chinese regimes, greek mythology). I’ve started reading the Odyssey again as a result. In short, I’ve been engaging with the art I like on a deeper level.
Question 2
Was there a moment when you realized you wanted to pursue (or not pursue) the arts seriously after high school?
ETHAN H.
During my junior year of high school, I really wanted to graduate early and skip my senior year. I had two main talents at the time: music and art. I basically grinded (ground?) music for an entire year but then I realised I didn’t enjoy music as much as I enjoyed art. Art is also gonna be the medium that I will be using in order to express my ideas, not music; music will just be a component piece to my dream, and not the star. Also, art gave me more of a sense of satisfaction when I grew and improved. I’ve always had perfect pitch, so to an extent it didn’t feel like my skills in music were earned. Even though I think it’ll be easier to make money and find success in music, art makes me happier. So I slowly but surely pivoted away from music and leaned towards art.
BITA S.
I’ve always known I wanted to pursue the arts, though I lost some of that passion temporarily for a few years in high school. Regaining that passion is a different process for everyone, but for me it’s a matter of keeping it fresh and new, and seeing my connection with the arts as something that’s constantly changing and evolving, so it never becomes static and thus boring.
There was definitely a ‘turning point moment’ when I made my choice. I’d already paid the deposit for Tufts University, where I had gotten into a double degree program between literature and art. I forfeited all of that for a degree at RISD. I felt like RISD was a better fit for me in the end, as I’d decided to get the best art education I could, which I believed at the time — and still believe —was at RISD..
SUZU
In high school, I thought that if I went to university, I would go to one with a strong art program. This wasn’t a decision I really wanted to make, but since I spent nearly all of my years focused solely on the arts, it felt like the only path I could take. Thus, when applying to colleges, I applied to most with my art portfolio as a prospective visual arts major. However, on the inside, I kind of knew that wasn’t what I wanted to do. I enjoyed biology and environmental sciences, and I wanted to head in that direction. Therefore, for the other colleges that I didn’t apply to with art, I applied to ecological & wildlife conservation programs (something my college counselor did not really approve of! I would be concerned as well tbh). Art felt like a safety net, so I wasn’t necessarily concerned about going into an art program.
Most of the colleges I applied to had a system where it was easier to switch majors, which was something I looked into, since again, I didn’t really want to do art. If I didn’t get into any environmental science programs, my plan was to switch majors from art to something else once I enrolled in a university.
Surprisingly, I did get into an environmental science program at the University of British Columbia. I was ecstatic! But one thing led to another, and my family told me I couldn’t go to a university in Canada since they wanted to wait until they obtained a green card (US permanent residency) and move to the US, where I would be ready to help them settle in. By then, the college decision acceptance deadlines have already passed. In a panicked decision, I emailed the admissions office at UW, asking if they could let me accept my offer despite the deadline being passed because of personal family reasons. And they did! Yay!
I applied to UW under visual arts, so I was in their “pre-arts” program. Even before I moved to Seattle, I knew I didn’t want that. In my first quarter at UW, I declared the marine biology major because the major had a really helpful newsletter (in which I managed to snag an internship out later, so very well worth it!).
Before I moved to Seattle, I saw UW’s medical laboratory sciences (MLS) major, which was extremely competitive, accepting only 30 people each year (since you need to apply to your major at UW after you get in). This caught my attention, since when I was younger, there was a period of time where I went to the hospital regularly to get lots of diagnostic tests done. The people there inspired me and I wanted to do what they were doing. I aimed for that, completing all required classes to apply. Unfortunately, I didn’t get far after applying, which devastated me. The only major I could really continue to easily was microbiology, since MLS and microbiology share a lot of their required courses. So, I declared microbiology as my major. Later on, I declared education as my second major to pursue a double degree program.
On the side, I’m a part of several engineering-focused clubs and organizations. Although I was interested in engineering at first, I decided to give up on it since I really didn’t want to take calculus. (I’m in calculus now and I’m doing amazing so I have a bit of regret there.) But I love being in those engineering clubs, and I hope my career can also shift in that direction. As someone who is first generation with a single mother who didn’t work until last year, I had no clue what university, majors, careers, anything really, was.
All I know now is that I don’t regret not pursuing art at all. It would’ve been a safety net for me, but I would’ve been stuck doing something I didn’t really want to, just for a feeling of security. With such a crazy track record of switching majors, I doubt I’ll continue to a post-graduate program in my major, microbiology. But who knows! College is all about self-exploration.
RAE S.
I’ve always really wanted to pursue the arts professionally but couldn’t due to my parent's disapproval (combination of money + practicality). Honestly, I come from a very anti-humanities family. My mom actually wanted me to go pre-med. They’re very traditional asian.
I don’t think my parents even know I enjoy art. I like video games and webnovels – my parents think video games were for unemployed losers, and I didn’t want my parents to know about the latter. So I suppose it was never really on the table for me.
Question 3
Looking back, is there anything about the creative scene at TAS that you now appreciate more? Or are you more critical of it now?
ETHAN H.
I really enjoyed the resources. At art school you need to buy every art supply yourself instead of the school supplying it for you (for some reason).
Also, just the amount of time that you get to spend with teachers. You actually have to put in effort in order to get critiques out of professors because they are way too nice. I'm used to my highschool art teacher just coming up to me and dogging on my work.
The high school art classes are varied, though. For as much honest critique there was, some feedback can also be really vague. Especially in AP art, it was basically expected that I already know how to draw well. I was just a machine creating piece after piece. I didn’t grow as an artist at all.
I did feel really supported by my drawing teachers though. And, again, the open studio is awesome.
BITA S.
Honestly, I really really appreciate the arts scene at TAS for its awesome faculty (shoutout to Mrs. Kao, my IB Visual Arts teacher of two years, Mr. Badgely and Mr. Morris, who helped me assemble my portfolio, and just all the art teachers who’d ever helped me on my journey)!
My access to different mediums really helped me as an artist. Of course, RISD has taught me so many valuable skills and lessons I could’ve never gotten from TAS, but that’s the limitation of a high school where traditional academics are much more valued/seen as more important by the vast majority of parents and students.
I think there came a point in my high school career where I didn’t want to pursue art anymore because everyone else around me seemed to be more “successful” because they were working in the STEM fields. But I’m so happy and glad that I got over it and got so far, I couldn’t imagine my life if I went to a non liberal arts or art college.
SUZU
I appreciated the absurd amount of mediums and materials we had access to so easily. That really helped me explore what I loved to do within the arts. I still miss that, but I’ve been working on gathering everything that is accessible to me over here.
Unfortunately, I had a terrible experience with the actual department/community itself. To shorten a complicated story, I was the president of an art club, and there was a student-member suspected of plagiarism. Despite my vice president initially agreeing that we should bring this to the attention of our sponsor, during the larger officer meeting they suddenly withdrew their support – stating that the student didn’t plagiarise and I was making a big deal out of nothing. I was ostracised by the club as a result. I’m still very distasteful of my time at TAS because of that, but I do appreciate all the exploration I was able to do.
One thing I am critical about is post-graduation ideologies. I think the art community at TAS also can make it seem like the right thing to do is continue to an art school. I was also swept up in that belief, since I truly believed that there was nothing else I could do. When I was there, there wasn’t a lot of information on different career paths I could take. I think the department could definitely gear towards more post-graduation guidance.
RAE S.
I really appreciate TAS! Especially the open studio. The access is so awesome! Now, I’m pretty sure you have to pay extra to get access to studios (I had to pay extra for my lab and gym/rec centre too).
I really liked the art classes I took at TAS. You see a wide range of skills. There are people who are just starting out and having fun and people who want to do it professionally. And I really liked my art teacher.
I wasn’t a big fan of how my painting class was structured though. It was really rigid and everyone’s paintings ended up looking really similar. It kinda made sense since it was a beginner’s class, but I didn’t really get to explore or express myself creatively. On the bright side, it did allow me to explore colour theory and paint something really big. I’m usually really frugal – about both canvases and paints – so this was the first time I was allowed to experiment more and “waste paint” without feeling bad.
Bonus Question:
Did anything surprise you about how the arts are taught in college compared to high school?
ETHAN H.
Something that really surprised me was how varied the skill levels were. I had assumed everyone would be super polished, but a lot of people come in without much technical foundation. SCAD doesn’t even require a portfolio to get in, so you end up with a really wide range of skill levels. It made me realize how important 基本功 (fundamental skills) really are. Like, you might have an amazing story you want to tell and maybe even dream of turning it into a comic. But you also have to ask yourself honestly: is your art good enough yet to hold someone’s attention? People don’t owe your work their time—you have to make it worth it. And that means being realistic about where your skills are and accepting criticism, even when it stings. A lot of students get hurt by critique, but that’s part of growing.
Personally, I feel a lot more confident in my skills now, and I’ve been able to explore different styles. But that growth only came after learning to take feedback seriously and putting in the work to improve.
BITA S.
I was definitely surprised by the different people that I’ve met at art school. Some had been sure of what they wanted to do; some went to art high school; some didn’t; for some art school was even a last minute decision for them. It showed me that my artistic journey is personal and that art school is really what you make of it.
If you think it’s expensive and a waste of time, it may very well be true. But if you are like me and think that the experience is valuable and that it will affect your future, then that becomes true as well.
I’ve seen so many of my peers suffer from burnout and stress. I’ve even seen some people drop out or transfer. There are also people who transferred into art school, and people like my classmate who found out much later in life that an art education is what they needed (I have a friend and classmate who is 28, has a fiancé, yet has decided RISD is the right option for them).
Art school can feel very lonely at times since it may seem that everyone going through their own artistic journey. But for me it’s better that my friends are going through their own processes at the same time as I’m going through mine, and that we all encourage and accompany each other through them
Another thing I was surprised by was myself, and how I’ve changed so much since I went to art school. For one, I am a textiles major now, which I definitely couldn’t conceive of myself being a year ago. I went into RISD sure that I was an illustration major like most people, not knowing the revolutionary changes that I’d go through. It’s kind of interesting, watching myself grow and develop at such a rapid pace again, like a prepubescent child does when they go through puberty. And that change does come at a cost, which is the mind numbing creation of multiple works every single week, the harsh critiques and criticism you may get from professors and classmates, as well as the feeling of inferiority you may feel if you feel like you don’t measure up to your own standards.
Pushing through is important for improvement but I also understand if that’s not an experience everyone wants to have/is helpful for everyone at this time of their life.
Art school is definitely a place for artists to experiment, and its interesting how much artists bounce off of each other at a unique place like RISD or other art schools.
(Friendly reminder that my experiences are subjective and really I can only speak for my experience at RISD and not generally.)
Question 5
What’s a piece of advice you’d give to current students balancing creative work with academics?
ETHAN H.
If you really want to succeed as an artist you have to commit. You can’t half-ass it. You can’t say ‘oh I’ll study something practical and do this on the side’ – because you’ll always fall behind the people who are 100% committed. Art demands a lot of time, energy, and focus. If you’re not willing to give it that, someone else will—and they’ll grow faster than you. At the end of the day, it’s not just about talent. It’s about how much you’re willing to invest in your craft.
BITA S.
My advice? I was there once, I know exactly how hard it is especially at TAS where STEM is seen as more valuable or successful than the arts. But if you’re passionate and serious about art you’ll find a way through all the chaos.
Looking back, it’s crazy how for a while I couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel and killed a part of myself over my grades.
Seriously, you’ve got it in you. Don’t worry too much about your future (though that’s easier said than done)!
As they always say, trust in the process and in every stage, every version of you that you grow out of. Because they’re all real, they’re all you, it’s all just a process really and you’ll make it out stronger in the end. ❤
SUZU
I graduated early because of the terrible experience from above, which caused me to become agoraphobic and paranoid that everything and everyone was against me. I spent most of my time for months within my room, terrified to leave. I think I’m definitely a unique case in that sense, and I really hope other students aren’t going through what I did.
However, there was one pro that came out of my gap between high school and university. In that time, I flew back and forth from Taipei to Tokyo, spending more time with my grandparents. Although I was still terrified of leaving the house then, I appreciated all the time I was able to spend with them as I’m not able to visit them often. I think having a gap can be really beneficial, since it’s a period of time in which you can explore your interests and passions without it affecting your academic performance. If anyone is interested, I’d say it wouldn’t hurt to try. If anything, you also have time to pick up a job to save up for college tuition as well.
Although I don’t have a need to balance creative work and academics now, I do have to balance my clubs with academics. For that, my one piece of advice is to set up a calendar. Pretty simple, right? I struggle with getting things done as I have pathological demand avoidance as a part of my autism. Having a calendar really helps me with remembering what I have to do, where I have to go, how many hours I’m spending on each extracurricular, etc.
I’ve attached an image of my calendar (that I’m totally fine with sharing!) down below. It’s from a time around a local convention (Sakuracon)! You can see how I even plan for the 15 min commute it would take from home to a doctor's appointment (“HHC” on Monday) as well as a quick trip to the bookstore on Tuesday. Having everything out visually, whether it be on a digital calendar like mine, or a physical planner, is a really useful tool to have. I also share this calendar with my mom and partner so they’re able to see when I’m out of the house (seen on Friday afternoon). Not only does it help with keeping track of my own tasks, but it also helps me coordinate hangouts with friends and family easier! :)
I currently work as a project manager at UW Medicine. You can also see that I’ve scheduled my work to start from the early hours of the morning. At first, it felt like torture, but getting that over with in the morning allowed me to focus on academics and other fun things during the day. I honestly don’t know what kind of job in the arts would make you have a work schedule like this, but if they do, I really recommend it! If you’re also a visual person like me, color-coding is also super helpful if you haven’t done that already. In mine, I have work as purple (for UW 😎), school as grey, blue for friends, light green for clubs/organizations, dark purple for my robotics team (separate from the other clubs since I hold a leadership position which takes more time!), and so on!
RAE S.
You should explore while you still have the chance! You have so much more room for exploration in high school. Take advantage of it!
Also, you have to get very organised, especially in college. It’s very easy to not do what you intended to do for the day. You have to put pressure on yourself to actually finish what you need to do. But also be realistic: if your to-do list is, like, 20 items long you’re not going to get everything done. Also, don’t feel the need to overcomplicate your tools. I use Google Calendar and To-Do List and that’s it.