Kolton Sizer, painting a successful life after graduation

Kolt Sizer, ’19 BFA Fine Arts, has not stopped pushing towards success after graduation. Sizer is currently teaching drawing and painting classes at the South Bend Museum of Art and was accepted into graduate school with a full scholarship from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. Sizer recently finished up his undergrade degree at IU South Bend, and his presence will be missed by the Fine Arts department, as well as the School of the Arts.

“I was one of the co-founders and the president of the Fine Arts Club at IU South Bend, and we raised $25,000 for the Northern Indiana Food Bank as one of our biggest accomplishments together. Now, I am working at the South Bend Museum of Art teaching classes. It’s a non-profit organization, providing art lessons to the community, something I really want to do” Sizer explains. “I have received a full-ride scholarship offer from Bowling Green State University, which is still blowing my mind. I visited the campus, met the professors and everything just clicked for me. I am extremely excited to start this chapter of my life. That wouldn’t have been possible without IU South Bend and the amazing support from the faculty and staff of the School of the Arts” Sizer says.

Sizer will begin the next step in his academic journey this fall, as he works towards his MFA in painting and drawing.

Sizer is determined to teach and help the community once he graduates from Bowling Green.

Before IU South Bend, Sizer received his associate degree at Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) and then began working at a tattoo parlor in Mishawaka shortly after.

“I decided that I didn’t want to continue to be a tattoo artist. I was not that great at what I was doing, and the passion was missing from my work. I had only done a couple dozen tattoos, and mostly working on fake skin or grapefruit. I didn’t feel confident in my art skills as a tattoo artist” Sizer recalls. This led Sizer to look into the Fine Arts department at IU South Bend. He first took fundamental 2-D drawing to see what the program was like. The Fine Arts department welcomed Sizer to the program, and that passion that was missing was reborn. Sizer’s passion has led him to teaching others the joy of art.

Sizer has been working at the South Bend Museum of Art since 2016. Because of his commitment and work ethic, the museum is allowing him to oversee and teach some classes. This also includes a pop-up drawing class that he mentors. “I would love to have a studio practice. Part of the graduate program I applied to, I get teaching experience through and, I am sure, some collegiate level teaching or nonprofit work. I would love to start a nonprofit someday. In the South Bend area, we only have one or two” Sizer recalls.

South Bend Museum of Art is the biggest art nonprofit in the area, and next would be in St. Joseph, Michigan at the Box Factory of Arts.

As his graduation from IU South Bend drew near, Sizer began looking at graduate school, and applied to five universities. “If I were to start my career in this area of Indiana, I would like to eventually try starting another nonprofit where more people can exhibit works. I’d like to try and expand that. Honestly, just try to connect the community more. There are so many great artists in the South Bend area” Sizer explains.

At IU South Bend, fine arts students are required to take art classes outside of their concentration, making them well-rounded in more than one area of art. Sizer used this to his own advantage, becoming established in painting and drawing, sculpture and printmaking.

“One of my favorite things about the program at IU South Bend is you have to work interdisciplinary. So, I am a painting and drawing major. However, I still was able to minor in

By: Madison Ward

sculpture because I fell in love with that area too. I also did printmaking classes. I feel like I am pretty well-rounded in a few fields, which is something that has helped build my confidence for what’s next in my journey” Sizer says. IU South Bend excels in creating opportunities for their students. The fine arts program has art shows, solo exhibitions, and provides resources for residencies. While attending the University, Sizer was able to have one art show a year. With the help of the faculty, he did two residencies, one at the South Bend Museum of Art and another at Paul Artspace in St. Louis, MO.

In offering so many opportunities, this also allows the student to build rapport with the faculty. The smaller class sizes at IU South Bend provides much more interaction than you would get at a bigger college. Sizer used this to his advantage and built a strong relationship with professors such as Ron Monsma, associate professor of fine arts, and William Tourtillotte, lecturer in fine arts. “Working with Ron Monsma was great. He is the type of professor who pushes you, so hard, that he is a pain in your butt. He pushes you really hard and sometimes you just feel like you are not getting it, but he does a really good job at allowing you to learn from your mistakes and guiding you towards your goals. He really helps you grow as a person and an artist” Sizer recalls. Tourtillotte also played a pivotal role in the process of getting Sizer where he wanted to be as an artist. “Bill has given me so much contact information. He really has gone out of the way to help students, especially me. He is always introducing us to different artists as connections in the community. Because with art, a lot of it is who you know and putting yourself out there to talk to new people. That’s how you learn a lot from art” Sizer says.

All the help from the staff and faculty at IU South Bend, and the strong work ethic and talents of Sizer have helped him make those connections within the art community. IU South Bend helped Sizer understand how much the art community can do for one another.

Sizer is very grateful to all that he has accomplished with the help of IU South Bend and their faculty. He has left his mark on the program, the school and the community. It’s no surprise to say that the entire community of South Bend will be rooting for him while he is attending Bowling Green, with the hope he will bring his many talents and expertise back to this community when he finishes graduate school. Sizer could be beneficial to the community and to young aspiring artists. Overall, Sizer just wants art students to do what they do best–make art.