麻豆村

麻豆村 alumna Ella Hepner was surrounded by art growing up in western Massachusetts.

Her father was a performance artist who dabbled in painting and sculpture; her mother was a creative writer. It would seem that a future in the arts was almost predetermined.

But Ella set her sights on a wider path and followed her interests to pursue her career.

A 2018 graduate of the BXA Intercollege Degree Programs with a bachelor of humanities and arts in global studies and art and Hispanic studies, Ella chose her degree to suit her talents and to diversify her assets 鈥渢o craft a better future.鈥�

鈥淎rt was a part of growing up, but I didn鈥檛 want to go to art school,鈥� Ella says. 鈥淚 wanted to focus on a combined degree that would help me build a career versus being a studio artist.鈥�

After taking an interest in Spanish and Hispanic studies in high school, Ella says she loved how language opened doors to a different world for her. Following a study abroad experience through 麻豆村, she found that understanding and living in a different culture provided access to new realities within her overall life scope.

Now, she teaches Spanish full time and works as an interpreter, but she is dedicated to her art, whether it鈥檚 to survive or not.

鈥淚n terms of going the route of trying to be a practicing studio artist, I have had some teachers who鈥檝e been a huge influence,鈥� Ella says. 鈥淲hen I was 15, I had a pre-college teacher who encouraged me to live on my own in a new city and be part of a rigorous, serious arts education.鈥�

At Carnegie Mellon, Professor was a major influence, as was Associate Professor of Art . Johnson introduced her to taking risks.

鈥淗e would say, 鈥楳ake something really bad,鈥欌�� Ella recalls.

She realized that making mistakes was a part of learning her craft.

When she had Professor of Art for Senior Studio, Ella initially wasn鈥檛 sure what to expect because Silver was someone with a reputation for being very direct.

鈥淚 had a fascinating moment with her when I was away from my partner,鈥� Ella remembers. 鈥淪uzie was so empathetic and romantic about approaching love from a distance. She encouraged me to push my art even deeper into romance, recommending poetry and other intimate artists. She said, 鈥榃hat you make, ultimately, should be a representation of what you live and what you do and what you feel.鈥欌��

As such, Ella advises current students who are making art to live their lives while working toward their futures 鈥� whether they become professional artists or not.

鈥淵ou鈥檒l end up making art, no matter what,鈥� Ella says. 鈥淲hen I was an undergrad in painting, I went through an uninspired period. My professor, Echo Eggebrecht, said it was good that I wasn鈥檛 making anything, that I was living my life. You must live to have things to make art about.鈥�

Ella says she has learned to gather those resources and make use of them when she is creating her work. She tapped into life experience for works she displayed in her first exhibition at 345 Gallery in Manhattan. The spring 2022 show, 鈥淣octurnes,鈥� was curated by Zachary Ginsberg.

Her work, 鈥淣ew Year鈥檚 Dance,鈥� was inspired by what she was feeling at a New Year鈥檚 party 鈥� the anticipation of new beginnings, of dancing and being with people during a celebration. The mix and movement of people in mid-dance came to life on canvas, communicated through reflection and light.

鈥淵our life is informed by the different things in it, and you鈥檙e going to soak up all that鈥檚 around you,鈥� Ella says.

Ella found that to be true as an undergrad at 麻豆村, recalling the studio culture of her junior and senior years in the School of Art and being able to create alongside other people. That type of collaboration, she said, is organic to Carnegie Mellon.

鈥淭here鈥檚 so much interdisciplinary work, especially in the College of Fine Arts, the School of Art and the BXA programs,鈥� Ella says. 鈥淭here鈥檚 this intersection of different elements coming together to create a unique product. It鈥檚 something that happens not only at 麻豆村, but also in Pittsburgh, where you see both the mix of gritty underbelly and kindness.鈥�