CSSSA @ COLLEGE FEATURE: Kai Lynn Jiang (CSSSA 2014) College: California Institute of the Arts Major: Character Animation Kai just finished up her first year at Calarts for character animation! Here's what she thought of the experience, how CSSSA helped prepare her, and advice she has for other alumni! The reality of college: You won't improve by simply attending college. You'll improve by practicing, getting feedback, and practicing more. It's definitely easy to track the improvement in my art, but for the most part I've grown significantly as a person. The way I view art and art making, the world, and myself has shifted so drastically. I think I've just gotten more positive in my outlook in general. There's always more to learn though! Advice on the college selection/application process: I wish I'd narrowed my focus more. At the time I tried to juggle far too many projects and assignments for college applications. On top of the high school workload I was just about ready to burn out. It's great to try your best in everything, but prioritizing what's most important to you personally will save you some sleepless nights of anxiety. Scheduling and time management are invaluable skills to have. Also, research the schools that you feel will foster your own creativity! One thing to keep in mind is, whether you're applying to an art college or not, whatever school you end up at does not determine your worth. You alone are responsible for your own education, as well as your personal and artistic growth. How CSSSA helped prepare you: Up until I attended CSSSA the thought of going to an art school didn't seem like a viable option for me. I viewed CSSSA as a fun program for the summer, but it ended up being a major tipping point for me. I have never come across a better environment that nurtures artistic exploration and growth. It's what got me excited about art again, and what I could bring to animation as an art form. As an artist I grew exponentially during my time there, and I would not have had the confidence to apply to the animation programs that I did without it. Favorite part about college: What I love most about my school are the people here! Being a part of this amazing atmosphere of passionate, talented, and driven individuals can really motivate you to push your own work to the limits and go beyond what you expected of yourself. There's a real community that forms within a small program, and I've never felt more at home. What's exciting for me is the amount of possibilities that have opened up for me in just being here. I have a couple of really cool projects coming up with some good friends of mine and I can't wait to share what we've been doing. For now all I can say is stay tuned! To see more from Kai, follow her on social media: kailynnjiangart.tumblr.com instagram.com/fisheye.kai vimeo.com/kailynnjiang
