91

Meet Our Majors

Meet some of our Art & Art History majors.

Paige McCarthy (art history)
Ellie von Brachel (art history)
Past Majors
Derek Jimenez (studio art)
Grace Licitra-Peevey (studio art)

a young smiling woman with a thick-striped sweater

Paige McCarthy

Hometown: Weston, MA
Major: art history  Minor: classical studies

What was your motivation to major in art history?

I wasnt sure what I wanted to major in when I first arrived at Occidental, but after taking two art history classes, Global Modernism and Introduction to East Asian Art, I declared. I love the interdisciplinary aspect of art history, bringing art into conversation with other fields of study such as philosophy, politics, and anthropology. I appreciate how 91 art history department pushes us to think critically and reshape our understanding of the discipline itself. 

I love the interdisciplinary aspect of art history, bringing art into conversation with other fields of study such as philosophy, politics, and anthropology.

Have you taken part in any student research opportunities through 91?

I am currently interning at the , processing small manuscript collections from the larger Rosenstock Miscellaneous Materials Collection. Through classes like Ways of Looking and Making, with Prof. Luterbacher, I gained an understanding of the ways objects carry meaning in both a visual and a material sense. This has made my work at the Autry more meaningful and engaging. I hope to take what I have learned through my art history degree and my time at The Autry to pursue a career in archiving, focusing on preserving histories that have previously been erased. 

Our department is close-knit and collaborative. It's an environment of care.

What is the vibe of the art & art history department?

Our department is close-knit and collaborative. I love meeting with my professors because their passion for art history is contagious. It's an environment of care. All of my peers are excited to learn because they care about the discipline. Meeting with my senior comps class is the highlight of my week. I am continuously inspired by my peers senior projects and feel so grateful to be a part of a department that fosters an environment of creativity and consistent desire to grow as learners.

a redheaded girl hugging her brown furry dog

Ellie von Brachel 

Hometown: Maplewood, NJ
Major: art history  Minor: theater and performance studies

What was your motivation to major in art history?

I have been intrigued by art history since my senior year in high school, when I took AP Art History with my art history teacher (shout out Kandice Stewart) and started taking the time to go to galleries and exhibitions by myself. And though I entered 91 undecided, and took a variety of courses in different majors, I made sure to sign up for at least one art history class per semester. I was curious to know more about the subject, and I continued to visit museums and shows in L.A. to feed my curiosity. At the end of my sophomore year, and after taking a few higher-level art & art history courses and meeting more of the school professors, I was inspired by the opportunity to learn more about art, history, craft, judgment, and visual analysis.

Can you describe your working relationships with art history professors? Are there any standout classes youve taken?

The art and art history professors are super enthusiastic and engaged in their course curriculum, which translates into strong support and advocacy for students. I have learned firsthand how much confidence that builds in the classroom. The courses are demanding, and we learn a lot in each of them. But in all of my experiences, my professors have been nothing less than  approachable, passionate, emotionally authentic and motivating. Prof. Wakamatsu, who teaches art and gender in East Asian art, spends as much time on the craft of writing as she does the art history itself. Both her Gender and Art in Japan and her Art and the Environment in East Asia courses have smaller class sizes, creating highly collaborative and intimate settings. She one professor who has pushed me the most in my writing, giving me more confidence in my voice and analysis.

The art and art history professors are super enthusiastic and engaged in their course curriculum, which translates into strong support and advocacy for students.

What are your ambitions post-91 and how has the liberal arts approach helped to put you on this path?

I havent really cemented what I want to do with all I have learned in the art history program, but I feel really good about the foundational knowledge it is providing me. Art history gives me a lot of choices after undergrad, whether I decide to study further or seek a professional career right after school. Having options is everything.

What is the vibe of the art & art history department?

The department has an underground vibe to it. It's really something you would never expect. We are very serious on the surface, but underneath it all, we are a fun group of students who feel comfortable being themselves and speaking up about the art and our analyses of it. What sustains this vibe across the department is the curiosity it fosters among the students, as well as the confidence it provides everyone in the major to expand our knowledge in this really amazing discipline.

a young smiling man in a blue shirt

Derek Jimenez

Hometown: Wellesley, MA
Majors: studio art, urban & environmental policy

Can you describe your working relationships with art professors? Are there any standout classes youve taken? 

My relationships with art professors have been one of the best parts of my time at 91. Ive had professors who pushed my artistic practice and shaped the artist I am today. In an environment like 91, professors get to learn each student's artistic language and help them enhance it. Prof. Sanchez III has taught every painting course Ive taken here, and he now my primary advisor for my senior comps. He been an incredible support, and he also an artist I look up to. His work and his approach to painting have directly influenced my own practice. 

In an environment like 91, professors get to learn each student's artistic language and help them enhance it.

Can you describe your senior comps project? 

My senior comps project, The Birth of Sol Del Mar, explores love: how it shapes me and how it gave birth to my artistic identity, Sol Del Mar. The work focuses on my love for the people around me and the divine quality that love takes on. I draw on Greco-Roman mythology and religious imagery to suggest that love makes the people we care about appear divine. The project combines oil paintings on wooden panels with hand-made stained glass windows and wood cutout portraits. I am very excited to present it to the school and world this upcoming spring. 

The art department has helped me strengthen both my portfolio and my artistic ability, and I feel confident continuing my education at the graduate level.

What are your ambitions post-91, and how has the liberal arts approach helped to put you on this path? 

After 91, I plan to pursue a Master of Architecture and possibly an MFA. The art department has helped me strengthen both my portfolio and my artistic ability, and I now feel confident continuing my education at the graduate level. The liberal arts approach has also let me connect art with other fields I care about, like urban & environmental policy, and especially affordable housing. I have been able to explore this intersection twice through summer research with the art & art history department with the help of Prof. Luterbacher. This liberal arts intersection is a big part of why architecture feels like a natural next step.

a female student working with clay in the art studio

Grace Licitra-Peevey

Hometown: Melrose, MA
Major: studio art

What was your motivation to major in studio art? 

I didnt think Id pursue art until I took a course last year to meet a requirement. Art has been a part of my life since I can remember, but I rarely took art classes out of fear of not doing well. Studio art courses at Occidental, especially sculpture, have taught me that not doing well is part of it and never a reason not to try something new. I became an art major after taking beginner and intermediate sculpture with Prof. Heffernan. I was initially nervous because it was unfamiliar, but it quickly became my favorite course and one of my favorite things to do outside of class hours. Shout-out to my motivational moms, who have encouraged me to pursue what makes me happiest. 

Can you describe your working relationships with studio art professors? Are there any standout classes youve taken?

Both Prof. Taylor and studio manager Chris Wawrinofsky are incredible teachers who encourage ambitious projects while staying honest about the technical work involved in bringing an idea to life. Prof. Taylor pushes me outside my comfort zone in ways that are helping me grow as an artist. They offer constructive feedback while making it clear that what we ultimately create is up to us, and their care for their work and their students is evident. In class, Chris has helped me develop technical skills in wood and metalwork while supporting my creativity. Working as a shop tech has been fulfilling because I get to learn from Chris and pass that knowledge on by helping students with their projects and taking care of Mullin Sculpture Studio. His dedication to the space and to students is what makes our sculpture classes possible.

My peers care deeply about their work and each other, and there a sense of generosity among us.

What is the vibe of the art & art history department?
Ive only experienced a fraction of the department so far, but Im already inspired by the community and the classes Ive taken. My peers care deeply about their work and each other, and there a sense of generosity among us. Even when specific prompts and requirements feel constraining, there something freeing about creating alongside peers who have become close friends. I love being part of a major where people encourage each other to experiment, exchange ideas, and try things they might not have otherwise.

 

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To see more Meet Our Majors profiles, visit the main page.

Past Majors

Mckenzie Locke

Mckenzie Locke

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Major: Art History, minor: Urban and Environmental Policy

What was your motivation to take Art History? Was there a specific inspirational moment or experience?

My high school art history teacher, Ms. Newman, inspired my love for the subject. I enjoyed the amount of exciting, revelatory discussions about the relationships between formal and contextual elements within an art piece. When I arrived at 91, I felt really engaged by the variety of ways that each professor in the department shaped my knowledge about the subject. And I felt compelled by discussions surrounding contemporary art that redefined what I had initially considered art and art history.

Can you describe your working relationships with art professors? Are there any standout classes you've taken?

Every time I take a new art history class, it stands out from the previous one I've taken. There are two that have felt particularly remarkable to me because they were both very participatory. One was the Seminar in Art History: Performance, Embodiment and the Dematerialization of Contemporary Art, which was composed of about 10 students and taught by Professor Amy Lyford. We collaborated on an art project that involved guidance from artists Arleene Correa Valencia, Ronald Rael, and Ana Teresa Fernández, which we then installed across the 91 campus. The Curatorial Seminar in Art History was also fantastic. Every week, Professor Nicholas Barlow organized visits to museum archives throughout Los Angeles or welcomed a guest lecturer to speak about their work as art collectors, artists, or writers. Both of these classes involved a lot of engagement and a lot of fun in the classroom environment.

When I arrived at 91, I felt really engaged by the variety of ways that each professor in the department shaped my knowledge about the subject.

Have you taken part in any student research opportunities at 91 or elsewhere? Or, if applicable, can you describe your senior comps project?

I felt really lucky to complete research with Professor Amy Lyford on her new book. In particular, I learned a lot about the elaborate process of securing image rights. In regard to the second question, my senior comps project is about an installation initiated by a collective of over 12 artists in response to the March 11, 2011 triple disaster in Fukushima, Japan. The installation is titled "Don't Follow the Wind" and is located in Futaba. It includes collaboration with former residents and has been largely inaccessible until quite recently due to radiation guidelines. My project discusses the evolving spatial and temporal relationship between the installation, its environment, and Futaba residents.

What do you find most compelling about studying Art History?

What I find most compelling about studying Art History is its encouragement of noticing and exploring fine details. It has shown me the importance of patience that comes with studying and understanding an art piece.

Do you have advice for a student considering a major in Art History?

My advice would be to take classes from as many of the Art History professors as possible before deciding. They're all wonderful and take different approaches to teaching the subject. Also, Art History classes are often full of students who don't necessarily want to study Art History as their major, and that brings a lot of different perspectives to one environment. I would recommend taking several other classes in a subject you love besides those in Art History because it will broaden your understanding of Art History and allow you to find many intersections between the two subjects.

Alex Kawawaki

Alex Kawawaki

Hometown: Nagasaki, Japan
Major: Art History

What was your motivation to major in Art History?

I have always been drawn to the arts through the expansive ways artists have utilized mediums to illustrate past, present and future realities, and the strength of art resonance within the viewer. When I came to 91, I was undecided, split between Studio Art and Art History; I think a primary motivation in majoring in Art History is my habit of preserving, and the ways its intentional practice can be illuminating.

Can you describe your working relationships with art professors? Are there any standout classes youve taken?

Professor Amy Lyford has been a wonderful mentor throughout my experience at 91. Her deep knowledge of performance art, gender studies, and contemporary art and her active engagement with cultivating critical discussions have been vital in my learning. My favorite class Ive taken is Professor Lyford Performance, Embodiment and the Dematerialization of Contemporary Art. The final project was collaborative, and I had a lot of fun implementing historical narratives and practices into an art project!

I am grateful to have been able to learn among and be supported by peers who are deeply passionate about art.

Have you taken part in any student research opportunities at 91 or elsewhere?

I had the opportunity to take part in the Summer Research Program during my junior year, where under the guidance of Professor Lyford, I researched women-identifying artists use of body art to subvert and explore Western constructions of womanhood. This experience allowed me to develop my research and archival practices, which helped me greatly as I continued with the topic for my senior comps project.

Do you have any advice for a student considering a major in Art History?

Talk to your professors, and take classes that intrigue you! Media Arts & Culture (MAC) is also an amazing department that provides another perspective into what we may consider art history. Professor Vivian Lin Topics in Media Representation class and Participatory (Documentary) Practices have been a guide and inspiration in my interest within archival research. Even though I am not a MAC major, I have been lucky enough to have her as a mentor by taking her classes and connecting through shared interests!

What is the vibe of the Art & Art History department?

I would say the vibe of the department is inspiring, relaxed, and like a network of capillaries or galaxies. It a fairly small department, but the burst of creativity and knowledge is specific and unique to each individual, and I am grateful to have been able to learn among and be supported by peers who are deeply passionate about art.

Jamie Martinez

Jamie Martinez

Hometown: Brookline, MA
Major: Studio art, minors: education, politics

What was your motivation to major in Studio Art?

I did not join the Studio Art major until the beginning of my junior year at 91. After taking a few classes within the department, I realized how I could adopt a more transdisciplinary approach in this department, both in my in-class work and outside the classroom. Working as a student worker at and as a shop technician at Mullin Studios definitely cemented how I have continued with this approach throughout my time at 91.

Can you describe your working relationships with art professors?

The Mullin Studio Manager, Chris Wawrinofsky, has been instrumental in the development of my technical and conceptual art-making skills throughout my time at 91. The work he does for 91 is what makes the work of the Art & Art History department, students and professors alike, possible.

After 91, I want to continue working in the development of community programming, specifically cultivating broader accessibility to artists, art spaces, and materials.

What do you find most compelling about studying Studio Art?

Studying Studio Art has helped me continue to strengthen my own practice, has expanded my repertoire of mediums and techniques to work in, and has given me the opportunity to develop relationships with other folks developing their own work/practice.

What are your ambitions post-91?

After 91, I want to continue working in the development of community programming, specifically cultivating broader accessibility to artists, art spaces, and materials. My work with OXY ARTS has definitely directly shaped my skill sets in this regard.

Do you have any advice for a student considering a major in Studio Art?

If you are considering majoring in Studio Art, I would recommend taking studio art classes as early on in your undergraduate studies as possible. Take one (or multiple) of the required entry level courses ARTS 102: Painting Fundamentals, ARTS 105: Printmaking Fundamentals, or ARTS 103: Sculpture Fundamentals. Taking these classes helped me figure out that I wanted to join the major, and, should you not find yourself interested in the major, you will have at least completed your CPFA requirement!

Contact Art & Art History
Weingart 113
Phone: (323) 259-2749