For most artists, the pursuit of a career is not about the money; it is about expressing their feelings in a creative way.
That is true for Christina Tate as well.
“I love art and its expression,” said Christina, a junior art-studio major from Texarkana, Texas, at Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia. “I think art is important in that it defies all language barriers.”
For Christina, her ultimate dream would be to become an independent artist.
“It’s difficult to be independent,” said Christina, who loves to figure draw and use acrylics, “but I wish I could paint whatever I wanted and have people buy it.”
After four years of art in high school and the promise of a scholarship to SAU, Christina made the decision to become an art major.
“I chose SAU because of its small size and the low faculty to student ratio,” said Christina. “The professors are helpful, and there are always a lot of activities happening on campus.”
The daughter of Nancy Tate, an English teacher, Christina modestly admits that she does not have a natural talent.
“I really worked for what I can do,” said Christina, who is a 2003 graduate of Pleasant Grove High School.
After graduation, Christina plans to attend graduate school and pursue a master’s degree in art conservation.
With the wide variety of art and graphic design classes in the Department of Art and Design that she has taken, Christina feels that she is well prepared for the next step in her life.
“In all of our art classes, we have intense critiques,” she said. “They are constructive and they really help you.”
While Christina might not become a millionaire as she pursues her dream of working with art, she can be assured by the fact that she is doing what she loves.
