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My goal is to inspire others to make healthy changes to better daily lives.
How would you describe your work? I would best describe my work as the story of my weight loss journey and my contempt towards the fast food industry. Before attending the University of Iowa I lost 125 pounds. I was very heavy and very unhealthy. I am utilizing this opportunity while I am a student to make work that depicts my journey, how I felt, what I gave up and I gained, and the like. My goal is to inspire others to make healthy changes to better daily lives. Who/what have been your primary influences? I was influenced by my need to change my unhealthy lifestyle. How has your work changed during your time at the University? I have been able to better hone my drawing skills to make a short graphic novel. I also have been able to bridge my gap between drawing and graphic design. Which piece/research/work are you most proud of? I am most proud of an image I created. It is a self-portrait of who I was and eventually where I will be physically. It is an image of a fit person emerging out of a fat body. Can you briefly describe your working process? For graphic design and drawing I begin the same. I start with a series of little, ugly thumbnail sketches, dozens of them. I say ugly because they are quick. I only sketch long enough to get the ideas out. Next I review the thumbnails and discard the really ugly ones. Of the ones I keep, I sketch them better and take my time. I like to build them up, reinforcing the original though before I either take it to the computer or redraw it on good paper.
