Name: Angel Yao
Position: President
Year/Program: 4th year, double majoring in Physiology and Nutritional Science, with a minor in Immunology
What visual art means to you: "Visual art is a way of communication and open interpretation through colours, mediums, shapes, etc. The best part about it is, although the artist may have an intention of expressing a certain idea through their art, those appreciating it are still free to understand their work in their own unique ways. I also really like how I can layer certain symbols or elements that only I know the significance of into my work, and later finding out what these elements may mean to others."
Name: Christina Tang
Position: Vice President
Year/Program: 4th year Health & Disease specialist, Cell & Molecular Biology major
What visual art means to you: "Visual art is representative. People say that “The eyes are the windows to the soul,” but I think art does a better job at it. Art expresses experiences, hidden emotions, and values in a way that attracts a diversity of people. It can be made using different colour schemes, mediums, and central figures to build upon unique art styles. I find it absolutely astonishing that even meeting the artist, seeing their artwork can reveal so much of who they really are."
Name: Helia Karami
Position: Secretary
Year/Program: 2nd year, double Major in Political Science and Global Health with a minor in Immunology
What visual art means to you: "I am more of an art enthusiast than an actual “artiste”. However I love analyzing art, the way in which an individual can convey many little secrets behind a canvas truly awes me. This quality of art is what fascinates me and makes pieces stay relevant for decades and even centuries. I think art embodies the artist and allows them to portray their emotion, allowing it to be carried on to the viewers. This characteristic is what makes art lovable to me. "
Name: Prabhjot Toor
Position: Treasurer
Year/Program: 3rd year, Accounting specialist and minor in Economics and Data science
What visual art means to you: "As someone with no artistic ability, visual art is something I appreciate for the artist's effort and talent. I am not always able to look at the deeper meaning behind the art but I admire what I see on the surface. It amazes me how the artists can visualize their thoughts and emotions and communicate them with even the naivest observers, like myself, without using any words."
Name: Sissi Zhu
Position: Webmaster
Year/Program: 2nd year, Psychology and Cognitive science double major, Visual arts minor
What visual art means to you: "Visual art is a great way to communicate a story when words fail or when you don’t share a common vocabulary with someone. In the same vein, it can also open up verbal discussion with someone and allow you to share your feelings with people across different backgrounds; I think the best part of art, visual or otherwise, is when you can reach out to someone with mutual understanding of a shared perspective, as if to reassure them and say, “I feel this way too!”
Name: Fiona Hewes
Position: Event Director
Year/Program: 2nd year, History and Cinema Studies major, Art History minor
What visual arts means to you: "I cherish the overwhelming satisfaction I feel when I create a piece, and it seems to become properly coherent or communicative. Art will always be a medium that celebrates diversity and provides common ground for people from all walks of life. I will be forever grateful for the connections I’ve made with other fellow artists and art lovers, regardless of the nature of their relationship with particular mediums."
Name: Lisa Khvatova
Position: Event Director
Year/Program: 4th year, Neuroscience and Economics major, Physiology minor
What visual art means to you: "I like visual art because it allows for one to explore their imagination and self expression in so many ways and methods. Everyone can be emotionally affected by art in some forms and personally, it provided me with an opportunity to express myself and be something I can lean on when I have a hard time. I really enjoy coming back to some of my favourite pieces and see or appreciate something different about it every time."
Name: Brittany Cheng
Position: Marketing Director
Year/Program: 2nd year, Criminology and Sociology major, Psychology minor
What visual arts means to you: "Visual art will always be a medium of self-expression and self discovery to me. I would say that my artistic development has encompassed various stages of my personal life and interests since I was a child. As I view my past pieces, I gain satisfaction from the artistic journey I have taken to become my present self. Appreciating art and interpreting a piece’s purpose and emotions behind the artist in galleries are a source of inspiration and introspection in my life as well."
Name: Aime Saldias
Position: Marketing Director
Year/Program: 3rd year, International Relations major, French and Latin American Studies minor
What visual art means to you: "I believe visual art is unique because through your artwork you are allowing other people the chance to see the world from your eyes. By opening yourself up this way you are able to find other people with similar interests or learn from different interpretations people may take from your artwork. Not only do these interactions broaden your perception of the world, but you can later reflect on the experiences and thoughts you had at the moment of making each art piece that is now forever immortalized."
Name: Teresa Wang
Position: Marketing Assistant
Year/Program: 2nd year, Physiology and Health & Disease major
What visual art means to you: "I love art because it gives me an outlet to creatively express myself. I find the process of making art very therapeutic. I’ve always loved the idea that different artists are able to convey their messages through their art by means of medium, style, colour and other choices that define the piece. There is so much support and encouragement in the art community, I feel that that as well as my pure enjoyment of the process of making art is what drives me to continue to create."
Name: Yolanda Liu
Position: Marketing Assistant
Year/Program: 2nd year, Biochemistry specialist and Biomedical Toxicology major
What visual art means to you: "Ever since I was in elementary school, I loved creating visual arts to represent the concept and stories floating around in my head. Art can create such an impact on our identities and perspectives about the world. As a universal human experience, my favourite part about art is the emotional communication that can be expressed through each piece. Both the artist’s initial intent and the viewer’s own interpretations create their own distinct layer, adding on to the depth of the artistic medium."
Name: Daniella Aguilar
Position: Graphic Designer
Year/Program: 2nd year, major in Health & Disease and Nutritional Sciences
What visual art means to you: "I like visual arts because it gives me a sense of freedom to express my thoughts in different ways. Various art forms make me appreciate not only its aesthetics but also the processes behind the artworks themselves. I believe we can learn a lot from art as it evolves across time and cultures.There is a great satisfaction I feel whenever I create or look at an art piece, knowing different elements can come together and form a theme."
Name: Michael Peng
Position: Graphic Designer
Year/Program: 2nd year, Psychology and Physiology major, Pre-Med
Paragraph topics: "What visual art means to you:
I draw pretty people and things and people seem to love them, which gives me pride and self-esteem. I am very grateful for the friends I’ve met through art. Let my art speak for itself."