My name is Henry AlecZander Blackwell, I am a student at San Jose State University (SJSU) majoring in BFA, with a concentration in Digital Media Art. Prior to attending SJSU, I had minimal experience with digital media, though it always piqued my interest.
All of my work since attending I've created digitally, with various programs such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Premiere, Microsoft Visual Code and Adobe Lightroom. In my early years at San Jose State, I thought I would only utilize Photoshop and similar programs to edit photos that I had taken.
As I progressed in my studies, my curriculum evolved past that, from editing photos that others had taken to learning how to use a DSLR camera and taking proper photos of my own.
I then expanded my knowledge to video editing and even programming and its usage in digital media.
Each piece I create has evolved my artistic style and capability. I haven’t settled on a single preferred medium as I have found enjoyment in all I have done and am eager to continue to learn even more.
The endless possibilities of the digital art form has kept me interested in art and the many forms it comes in. With the numerous options at hand, putting in time to understand any is extremely rewarding. This has also led to my plethora of motifs in my work. Each medium lends itself to different themes and I wanted to explore each one.
Art is meant to be fun. It allows for experimentation with anything. Many of my pieces are exactly that: pushing the boundaries of my current knowledge with a medium that I only recently learned of.
Though I primarily make my art as self-exploration, art can have a very serious side to it and I addressed a few with my pieces. Mental health and inequality are two examples of the many problems around the world that art can bring attention to in a way that is accessible and understandable.
DMA provides an avenue of knowledge and the freedom to explore the many facets of art. I am eager to expand my knowledge and include many new works into my portfolio that showcases my progression. This is the reason I am applying for the DMA program. The program will be able to provide me with the path to my goals. There is so much more knowledge I want to acquire and the DMA program is a top-tier avenue to gain that.
The professors and peers have been in the field for an extensive amount of time and can pass down priceless advice.
5 years from now, I see myself still being a student of the arts. Art will always be teaching me.
There are endless methods and mediums to explore and I can see myself creating artwork I’ve only dreamed of.
In 10 years, I will still be learning about the many assets of art, but hopefully will have entered an art exhibition to showcase my pieces for others to appreciate.
The thought that people could come from around the world to one place just to see my art, is terrifyingly beautiful. I eagerly await the day I'll be able to look back at my old work and see how far I have come.