... a BFA Graduate

Tessa Rushton is a recent Bachelor of Fine Arts graduate. She’s a graphic designer who attended Weber State for four years. I sat down with her to talk about what it’s like to be a BFA student and why she doesn’t have a favorite color.

Waldo: What kind of classes did you take for a BFA?

Tessa Rushton: You have the general art classes, which is like Drawing and Painting  and then 3D, Sculpture and Art History. And then for graphic design that’s Visual Communications, Design for the Internet and stuff like that.

W: What’s the best part about being an artist?

TR: Creativity. You get to use your imagination to create what you want.      

W: How many people did you have to draw in class?

TR: Four or five. One was in Italy. She was a beautiful woman but she had hairy armpits.           

W: Where’s your favorite place to study on campus?

TR: In the art building, cause of the natural lighting. It’s a lot more relaxing.

W: What is your third favorite color?

TR: Third? I don’t even have one favorite color. I like them all. I like the rainbow.

W: What’s your favorite non-traditional medium?           

TR:  I really liked the Etch board. It is a thick piece of paper that’s usually black or silver. And then you have a tool and you scratch away the black and there’s sometimes silver or white behind it.  So it’s like you’re drawing, but with a knife.

W: Who would win in a fight, Van Gogh or Picasso?

TR: For sure, Van Gogh. He’s crazier. You don’t know what he’s going to pull out.

W: Which Starbucks do you hang out with for inspiration?

TR: I don’t.

W: What’s your favorite inside joke for artists?

TR: Well it’s not that funny. Just that... graphic designers always laugh about when you tell people “I’m a graphic designer” And they say “Oh, you’re really good with computers." No, I’m a designer....

It’s not that funny.

W: What’s your favorite project you did as an art student?

TR: When I went to Italy and sketched for the whole month.

You can learn more about Tessa at her web site,
tessarushton.com