Happy Student Feature Friday!! This Friday we are featuring Painting Major and Madame President Celeste M. Rodriguez! 🎨
Art is something that Celeste has always had a passion for, having explored both writing and music in her youth. When she entered highschool, however, she decided to pursue visual art. She then chose to follow that same path into her college career after receiving much encouragement from her art teachers, with a concentration in painting. Prof. Pilliod, Celeste says, is a professor here at Rutgers who has inspired her and helped her to push her work to the next level. Getting the chance to do an independent study with Prof. Pilliod was one of Celeste’s favorite classes, during which she completed a project on the 17th Century German painter, Adam Elsheimer. Throughout her college career, Celeste has been very involved with various organizations, including, becoming President of the Art Students League, Treasurer of the Animation Alliance, and a resident studio artist at the Camden Fireworks Gallery. And in 2023, she participated in a Biodesign challenge at Parsons School of Design, where her team presented a soil kit with the purpose of identifying microbes in urban soil. After graduating this year, Celeste plans to continue making art that stems from her identity, such as her gender, emotions, and culture. She says that teaching art to others is also something she is interested in pursuing in the future. Currently, some of Celeste’s artwork is being showcased in the Campus Gallery as a part of our newest exhibition titled, “It`s not me, it`s YOU!!!!" Go check it out! Fun fact: Celeste has met many of her favorite celebrities and voice actors, including David Tennant, Carl Weathers, Chris Sarandon, and many more! @campusgallery.ruc
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