Yearlong Audition: AFO studio classes begin to take toll on Andrew Kearns

Mechelle Hankerson
Executive Editor

In his first week of classes, freshman Andrew Kearns Space Research professor, Jack Wax made it clear to the aspiring graphic designer that he couldnt be an artist unless he could be confused.
If thats all it takes to be considered an artist, Kearns is well on his way after his first few weeks in the VCUarts program.
Its been up and down for the freshman studying art foundations from Salem, Va. He received a job in the graphic design departments media lab but cut his finger and had to wear a bandage on his hand in the first week. His finger is still healing and he said it makes some tasks, like typing, difficult.
“(Ive had) a little bit of a rough start,” Kearns admitted.

His drawing class, his biggest fear before classes started, turned out to be manageable (so far) with the help of his professor, Robert Foster, but there are still about 10 more weeks until the class ends.
“I dont want to do art, I want to study graphic design,” Kearns said.
Before Kearns moved to Richmond to begin in the AFO program, he knew his required foundations classes werent going to be his favorite thing to do for a year. He said hes trying to power through, but its not easy.
“I kind of feel like no matter how hard I try to have a good attitude with these projects, theyre still going to be fine arts projects that I dont have the skill level to do and that Im not really going to enjoy,” he said.
His first assignment in his Space Research class was to create a free-standing structure that was taller than him but took up less floor space than he does. The structure had to be made out of baling wire, which is generally pliable and easy to use but with an injured hand, Kearns had a hard time creating his structure.
“It was not fun,” he said. “I just felt stupid, I didnt really know what to do, there wasnt any instruction, it was just kind of do it but there wasnt anything specifically to do…it wasnt structured enough for me.”
In high school, Kearns was involved with his schools theater department and spent his junior year (his last year in American high school, as he spent his senior year as an exchange student in Rouen, France) as a designer for his schools yearbook.
He was taken by the designing of the publication and decided to pursue graphic design at VCU. Besides his experience with the yearbook though, Kearns didnt do much besides performance art prior to this year.
“Im trying to stay positive about it by thinking, This is what will get me to next year,” he said.
The art foundations website says that the four freshman studio classes are meant to benefit all students, regardless of what major they choose to pursue.
“The exciting first year provides an intellectually rigorous, studio-based experience in the fundamental issues of art and design,” the website says. “The program exposes students to a vast forum of ideas and concepts preparing them for a wide range of disciplines.”
In addition to his Drawing Studio and Space Research classes, Kearns will have to take Time Studio and Surface Research next semester.
“Its kind of like any other major where you have to take gen-eds first. You have to do the basics first, it just sucks that our basics are a lot more … intense and time-consuming,” Kearns conceded.

Kearns has a strong social support system, but he said most of his friends agree with him about the foundations classes. Even when he seeks advice from upperclassmen, he said he found most of them agree that the foundation classes aren’t fun for anyone.

He said he and some of his friends came to the conclusion that the four foundations classes were “like a necessary evil.”
“After the first week of classes I wasnt loving any of it so I was like ‘Am I going to be able to do this? Am I going to the right place?” Kearns said. “But having the project class for graphic design… (is) whats keeping me going through the program.”
In the AFO program, students take two project classes over the course of their first year (one in each semester). Project classes focus on the majors offered in VCUarts and are meant to give students an idea of what to expect once they get into their majors.
Kearns has two more class meetings left before his graphic design project class is over. Next semester, Kearns plans to be enrolled in a photography and film project class.

Even though academically, Kearns is having a rough start, he said his first weekend in Richmond with the rest of the VCU community in town went surprisingly well. He moved in a week earlier than other freshman to complete a condensed orientation since he missed normal orientation programs while he was finishing his trip in France.
Kearns and his friends were invited to a party, where he met upperclassmen who he said were willing to help him through his freshman year by offering to introduce him to new places and events in the area.
In the meantime, the countdown to the end of Kearns graphic design project class has started. After that, hell have to find new motivation for sticking it out through his year of foundations classes.
“Im trying to stay positive about it,” he said. “This is what will get me to next year.”