SCHOLARSHIPS AT CCA
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT:
Zoë
Ozma, a third-year student in Community Arts, came to CCA from Seattle. Having grown up surrounded by a community of doers and makers, art school was always in the plans. But, like so many talented students, Zoë needed scholarships to help those plans come to fruition. In addition to other aid, Zoë receives the Reuben and Muriel Savin Foundation Scholarship, which was established by CCA board member gene savin and his wife, susan enzle, to honor Mr. Savin’s parents and support exceptional students who are working in community arts.
What drew you to the arts and CCA? I never considered not going to art school. An arts education exposes the bones of things. It gives you the tools to engage with both tactile processes of making and layers of theory, which together help you form an intimate relationship with your surroundings. This is something very special that artists do, and then give to the world. For me, the extraordinary thing about CCA is the focus on interdisciplinary work and on the contextual implications of art making. As a Community Arts major, I am able to see these connections play out across various programs. For example, I can take what I learn about plant dyes from sasha duerr and apply it to book arts classes with nance o’banion. There is also room for experimentation with various media, for
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philanthropy
instance collaborations with writers. CCA has given me the tools and resources to create a learning experience tailored to my interests and plans.
How have scholarships impacted your time at CCA? At the most basic of levels, receiving a scholarship means I am able to attend CCA. But it is also precious because it’s tangible proof of a thoughtful donor’s interest in and support of emerging artists like me. My scholarships have not only granted me access to higher education, they have made me feel recognized and supported. They are a crucial part of an economy of generosity. To give gifts to strangers is a wonderful art indeed. I hope others with the means to do so follow the Savins’ example of helping young people.
What will you take with you from CCA? CCA has given me an opening into Oakland’s secret and fertile artistic communities, which have exposed me to theories and histories that are now central to my thinking in art and life. It’s introduced me to some of my closest friends and collaborators. My time here has forever altered the way I think about and make art.