Visual Ark
  • HomeSports News | SUPREME , Fullress , スニーカー発売日 抽選情報 ニュースを掲載!ナイキ ジョーダン ダンク シュプリーム SUPREME 等のファッション情報を配信! – パート 5
  • WorkSite
  • Duets
  • Spotlight
  • Hip-Hip
  • We Cover the WaterfrontSports News | Sneakers Nike
  • Search
  • Menu

hip – hip!

getting to know the graduates

Graduating Student: Leah Byck (S 22)

My process paper and grad exhibition captures a little bit of everything from the start of my program at VCFA. My paper is a journey through my semesters at VCFA and how I found, through my artwork and research, that  I was always doing intersectional work whether I saw it or not.

My grad exhibition shares my personal and communal journey with intersectional identity and multiple intersecting social justice movements that I, and my community, are part of. While the Covid-19 pandemic is not the main focus of my paper and exhibition, this has completely impacted my work and what I chose to make throughout my time at VCFA.

Who, or what is your work in conversation with?

My work is in conversation with artists like Kehinde Wiley who portray figures of marginalized people on a grand scale and as the main subjects. My work is also in conversation with artists that are making whiteness and white bodies strange, such as Mores McWreath.

As I use many mediums to share the intersectional social justice movements in my work, my work has gained insight from all of my artist mentors’ works as well. Each artist mentor of mine is pushing what it means to be marginalized and also centered in their work, which pushes both, my artwork and theirs on who is being talked about, represented, and celebrated in artwork.

How did VCFA change your approach to thinking about your studio practice and your community at home?

VCFA completely changed my thinking and approach to my studio practice because of our requirement to include research into our practice. Before my time at VCFA, I hadn’t done extensive research on topics, but after this program I have learned how important it is to have backup knowledge about a subject or idea one is making visual artwork about. I will continue to use this understanding after my time here at VCFA to continue doing research alongside my studio work.

My community at home continued to expand throughout my time at VCFA. It continues to get bigger as I’ve explored different mediums, and has become a safe space to share my ideas and work. I am grateful to VCFA for pushing my thoughts, my mediums, and for the chance to open my ideas up to what it means to be a visual artist.

Who were your Artist-Mentors?

LJ Roberts

Mildred Beltre

Ted Kerr

Yoshie Sakai

Performance: Burn The House

What was on your play list during your time at VCFA?

1st Semester Playlist:

WTF Do I Know, Gimme What I Want and Plastic Hearts – Miley Cyrus

The Less I Know The Better and Yes I’m Changing   – Tame Impala

If You’re Too Shy (Let me know) and Love Me – The 1975

Something to Believe in – The New Respects

2nd Semester Playlist:

Something Tells Me, I Was Wrong and Rose Leaves – BAILEN

LOST IN THE CITADEL and THATS WHAT I WANT – Lil Nas X

Godspeed – Frank Ocean

HUMBLE. – Kendrick Lamar

Where Are We Now – Mild Orange

3rd Semester Playlist:

Colors – Black Pumas

Wedding Singer – Modern Baseball

Jesus Christ 2005 God Bless America, The Sound and Give Yourself a Try – The 1975

The Wire and Little of Your Love – HAIM

When the Party’s Over, Happier Than Ever and NDA – Billie Eilish

4th Semester Playlist:

Music for a Sushi Restaurant, Treat People with Kindness and anything by – Harry Styles

Anything with the Beatles, Prince, Fleetwood Mac, Stand by Me – Ben E. King

Pillow – Jakübi

Too Good – Arlo Parks

Talk It Up, The Feeling and Kick It to Me – Sammy Rae and The Friends

(And SOOOOO many other amazing songs I can’t add because the list will never end)!

Burn The House Down, Start Over (June 1, 2022)

Who are your favorite protagonists in fiction?

Greg Heffley from Diary of a Wimpy Kid (These were the first books that made me love to read)

Blanca Rodriguez-Evangelista – Pose

Michonne Hawthorne, Maggie Greene and Tara Chambler – The Walking Dead

Sophia Burset, Poussey Washington and Nicky Nichols – Orange is The New Black

Kai Bartley – Grey’s Anatomy

What, or who, should you like to be – if not yourself?

I have always dreamed of being a bird or a monkey. To be able to soar in the air or swing through trees whenever I want would be a dream come true. Plus, then I would have free access to sports games, concerts, and artist talks. LOL!

What is your favorite bird?

I have so many! I adore chickens and their spirits (and bonus if they are running with pants on). Parrots are so queer, beautiful and colorful. I love hummingbirds, blue jays, and cardinals because of their vibrant and saturated colors, and their uniqueness. Birds are amazing!

Where do you live?

I currently live in New York (very close to NYC) but am hoping to live in other parts of the world before moving back into the NYC area.

Contact

Leah’s Instagram: @leahbyck4

Leah’s Website: https://leahbyck.wixsite.com/leahdrumsandstuff

Hooray!!!

VCFA Visual Art Website

WorkSite

About the Program

Duets

Faculty

Spotlight

Admissions

hip-hip!

Tution & Scholarships

We Cover the Waterfront

WorkSite – Alumnx: Andrea Taylor (S14) Alumnx: Andrea Taylor (S 14) Vancouver, BC, Canada Josephine Chase (S22) hip – hip…with graduating student: Josephine Chase (S 22)
Scroll to top

This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.

OKLearn more

Cookie and Privacy Settings

How we use cookies

We may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.

Click on the different category headings to find out more. You can also change some of your preferences. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer.

Essential Website Cookies

These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features.

Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, you cannot refuse them without impacting how our site functions. You can block or delete them by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website.

Other external services

We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.

Google Webfont Settings:

Google Map Settings:

Vimeo and Youtube video embeds: