In partnership with the Department of Art and Art History, UT Austin's Studio Art pre-college summer program Summer ST.ART is pleased to welcome its inaugural artist-in-residence for the summer of 2020. The ST.ART Artist in Residence Program exposes students to career possibilities through regular interactions with local artists, collectives, historians, curators and more. Collaborating with ST.ART Artist Residents, high school students gain insight into the process, style, methods and life of a wide range of arts careers. This summer, Austin-based artist and UT Austin alumna Xochi Solis (BFA in Studio Art, 2005) will join the Summer ST.ART program as the programming moves online, providing students with insight into her own practice and the pursuit of a career in the arts.
"At UT Austin, we want our ST.ART students to leave the ST.ART programs feeling prepared for the college admissions process and confident in their skills to create artworks that make a statement," said Summer ST.ART director Amelia Fleming. "Furthermore, we want to offer our students experiences that give them the tools to succeed in college and beyond."
In exchange for studio access to assist in the generation of new work, residents offer high school students insight into their process during the month-long residency program, including techniques for making, project development and business practices, among other actionable skills for every working artist.
Solis is an Austin native, a graduate of both Bowie High School and UT Austin. As a mixed media artist, her works include multilayered, collaged paintings constructed from paint, hand-dyed paper, vinyl, plastics, and images from found books and magazines. Solis considers the repeated act of layering a meditation on color, texture, and shape, all leading to a greater awareness of the visual intricacies found in her immediate environment, both natural and cultural. As an arts professional, Solis has woven herself into the fabric of Austin's creative community, serving in leadership roles among local organizations, including the Visual Arts Center, Boss Babes ATX and the Chulita Vinyl Club.
To learn more about Solis and the ST.ART residency program, please visit the ST.ART page for an interview with the artist. Summer ST.ART 2020 will be held online and high school students are invited to apply or register by July 1, 2020.