Jada Zevenbergen is a senior Studio Art, Psychology and Gender, Women, Sexuality Studies major from Shakopee, Minnesota. She has been very involved in the Studio Art and Theater department during her time here at Gustavus. Jada met with us to talk about her experiences.
Why did you come to Gustavus?
I really liked the landscape, and then just kind of taking a tour here it just felt very like home, it just felt very communal and close.
What has your experience been like here at Gustavus so far?
It’s been pretty good. I feel like I have a lot of different experiences depending on where I am, like in psychology, it’s very like one thing after another, like very planned out. Whereas, in Studio Arts it’s very much like choose your own path. Which is awesome!
What are you most proud of from your time at Gustavus?
I work in the costume shop, and I do a lot of wardrobe crew, so I think doing a lot of wardrobe crew stuff like quick-changes for “Fewer Emergencies” I was able to go on stage a little bit to do a quick-change on stage, I never though in a million years that I would do that!
Regarding the visual arts, what has been one of the best experiences? What has been the most memorable experience that you’ve had as an artist here?
I think just the community, the professors, the students are just amazing here and like anytime I walk into the building or into the studio it’s just so warm and welcoming. I’d say one of my most memorable experiences would be picking out a junior studio, just talking to Kris and figuring out that we can just pick anyone and just so much freedom and who you’re comfortable with and you can choose your one path.
Do you feel that as an artist you had enough opportunities to explore that path?
Yes, I feel like the Day Course with Kristen Lowe was definitely a class that really helped me get me out of my comfort zone a little bit. And since then I’ve felt a lot more comfortable working with things like, different materials and other things, which is kind of what I’m known for.