Current Artist Minigrants
Spring 2024
Carly Ault
Realizing My Dad and I’s Relationship through Color Large Format Film
I’ve grown up surrounded by my Dad’s work, and only since coming to college have I realized the influence he has had on my creative process and drive to make something out of nothing. He is primarily a welder, and makes sculptures for fun, but also built my house and a dock for our river access. In the same way I am inspired by his work, I have realized that our creative projects have also become our main form of communication. By photographing my dad, his sculptural work, and built environment with the large format camera, I am able to both work alongside him and visually depict how I see him with my own physical practice.
Jesper Braley
Starting an Indie Animation Studio
By the end of this spring semester, I am planning on forming an indie animation studio with my friends. We plan on producing a full animated short by the end of this year, with our pre-production (script writing, character design, storyboarding, and visual development) finished and available for display before the end of the Spring 2024 semester. To assist with communication as well as provide a way to record voice clips for our characters, I am requesting a headset with an attached microphone. Additionally, the main program I use to animate and draw—Clip Studio Paint—requires an annual payment of $71.99. As we are going to produce our own musical score, I am also requesting a talkbox to give our soundtrack a more unique sound.
Alex Burijon
Guitar Purchase Proposal
A new guitar would be crucial both for my personal growth as an artist as well as for my journey with my DMP. Securing funding for a new guitar would not only enhance my ability to engage more fully in public performances and arts activities, but also enable me to effectively perform parts of my DMP in my final semester at UVa. This investment would significantly contribute to my academic and artistic development, and I am confident that it will enrich the broader arts community here.
Hunter Colson
External Hard Drive and Production Tools
I am applying for a minigrant to fund an external hard drive to store my growing portfolio of compositions. I am also applying for funds to purchase two items for my composition and production work. First, I would like to purchase a pedal to be used with my KeyLab Essential 61 mk3 MIDI. A pedal will allow me more options to experiment with when composing my music with my MIDI keyboard. I selected the Roland DP-10 because it has good ratings and comes highly recommended, particularly for the KeyLab keyboard that I have. Second, I would like to purchase an audio interface, which is used to mix music and will allow me to introduce synths and other effects into my compositions.
Zoe Edelman
Funding an Arts Trip to New York City
As a current student of Introduction to Cinematography II, I am planning to join my class on a trip to New York City. This trip is from March 28th to March 31st of 2024. While I have not been provided with an exact itinerary yet, the current plan is to drive up on the 28th and back on the 31st. On Friday the 29th we are going to go to the Whitney Biennial to view the new exhibitions, as well as meet some of the artists. On the 30th we have plans to meet more artists and go visit their studios and speak with them about their works. As part of this trip my class is staying at an Airbnb in New Jersey. I am requesting this minigrant to help support this trip by paying for my stay at the Airbnb and some additional fees to get in and out of the city.
Rachel Guo
Expanding Horizons: Bringing the Written Word to Film and Music
This semester, I’d like to apply the mini-grant for a project I’m working on a project that involves making book trailers for the stories I write. In essence, its combining music, writing, and filmmaking into a multi-media project that extends beyond the page. To do this, I would first like to purchase a baritone ukulele. I learned about it while diving into the world of stringed instruments, and the sonic quality and size fall between a standard guitar and a soprano or concert ukulele. In addition, I'm requesting a Zoom recorder and a Gimble for iPhone.
Mary Hall
Building an Actor’s Presence & Professionalism
As I continue to market myself as an actor and playwright, in addition to beginning to look at applying to MFA programs in the next year, I’m beginning to understand the importance of having all of my best work in a publicly available forum: a personal website.
Jolinna Li
Sound and Editing Equipment for Narrative Film Projects
For my cinematography class final project, I have written a script and will be directing and editing a 10 minute narrative short film this semester. The film is based on both the myth of Persephone and a Taiwanese folktale, retold in a feminist lens. In order to create film projects like this, I need to be able to store all of the footage and process up to 4k footage.
Emily Liu
Eclosion - Advanced Project in New Media
Through an independent study in New Media with Professor Cuatlacuatl, I am exploring new forms in New Media through technology, installation, and complete audience immersion. The culmination of this independent study will be an installation exhibition in Ruffin Hall either in mid April or early May. With the funding provided from this grant, I will be able to fully execute my concept into fruition without worrying about the expenses accrued during the creation process.
Grace Sellers
Adobe Creative Cloud Subscription
I am asking for $500 to pay for a two year subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud. This will allowme access to photo editing software such as Photoshop and Lightroom. I am currently enrolled in ARTS 2112 which covers digital photography. We are able to use Adobe Creative Cloud on the UVA computers in the digital photography studio at Ruffin Hall, however we do not have access to the Adobe Creative Cloud through personal computers. This means that we are limited to completing our work only at Ruffin Hall. With access to the Adobe Creative Cloud on my personal computer, I will be able to practice and improve my photo editing skills, and continue to do so after the semester has ended. The skills I will learn with Photoshop and Lightroom will be marketable towards many graphic design jobs, allowing me access to more career opportunities.
Amanda Yo
Funding a Personal Recording Device
I would like to request funding for my own Tascam recorder in order to record audition material on my own time. With my own recording device, I will be able to better evaluate my own playing for the purpose of auditioning, as well as my own improvement or with a chamber group. When I am playing my flute, my thoughts on how the piece was done differ from how others may receive it, or even when I listen back to the recording later on. Having a good quality recording device allows my improvement and perception of my playing to be well understood and well rounded.