Love of art leads local student to New Paltz

Adelia Roberts '15 in front of her paintings at her BFA exhibition in the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art
Adelia Roberts in front of her paintings at her BFA exhibition in the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art

Adelia Roberts ’15

Transfer Student, Orange County Community College
Hometown: Pine Bush, N.Y.
Major(s): Visual Arts Education/BFA, Painting
Student Teaching: Valley Central School District (Montgomery, N.Y.); Pine Bush Central School District (Pine Bush, N.Y.)
Military Veteran Dependent, U.S. Air Force/Air National Guard

How did you come to attend New Paltz?

I attended an Open House when I was in high school, but at the time I still wasn’t 100 percent sure what I wanted to do. I started off at Orange County Community College, and got my associate’s degree. I knew I wanted to go on to a four-year school and do something in art, but at the same time, it was a pivotal year in the education system where all these art programs were being dropped. I asked myself if I really wanted to go into this, knowing that I might not get a job, and I was kind of lost. But I knew that if I wanted to do art, I wanted to go to the school that had the best reputation, which was New Paltz. The school always helps students find jobs and prepares us well. Aaron (Knochel) posts things all the time on the art education Facebook page about jobs right here in New York.

Why is it important for K-12 students to have art in their curriculum?

I think there are elements of art education that are very beneficial to other types of learning. I always learned the most in my classes when I was physically involved. I was sick with a neurological disorder when I was younger, and it affected my brain chemistry and left me with un-diagnosable learning disabilities. I would cry when I had to read. But assignments where I could be physically involved – like doing a project with a poster board, or anything creative and out-of-the-box – made learning more interesting. So throughout my education, I’ve always found arts to be important. To not incorporate doing and making things into the classroom, and give the impression it’s not important, makes the learning experience less enjoyable for children.

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What has your experience as a transfer student been like?

I live a half hour away and sometimes I’m on campus from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. for studio classes, so I didn’t want to join clubs. In the art education program, you see the same people in all your classes, so I’ve created a community for myself. From there, it’s branched out. You meet people with similar interests.

I knew that if I wanted to do art, I wanted to go to the school that had the best reputation, which was New Paltz.

 

What did you get out of putting on a BFA show?

It’s a lot of hard work. It’s really important to constantly get feedback, because once you leave school, you won’t be getting that feedback on a daily basis anymore. You should find people you really trust to get opinions from, good or bad. That provides you with such good support. This experience has made me realize how many people here, as a community, really care about you. I was working on my thesis while also doing Saturday Arts Lab with middle and high school students, and I found that time management is key.

Adelia's work was featured as part of a special veterans' art exhibition at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt house in Hyde Park, N.Y.
Adelia, a military veteran dependent, displayed some of her artwork as part of a special veterans’ art exhibition at the Home of Franklin Delano Roosevelt National Historic Site in Hyde Park, N.Y.

Tell me about your exhibit at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt home.

I heard about it from the school. I’m a veteran dependent – my dad was in the Air Force and he’s currently in the Air National Guard. It was a really good opportunity, and I got to meet some really neat people. One of the women running it was an art educator, so I made some connections. Here at New Paltz, you’re always involved in setting up your work, but when you’re in a show, you just have to hand your work over and have them set it up, so it’s like letting your baby go. It was different than any show I’ve ever participated in.

 

This experience has made me realize how many people here, as a community, really care about you.

 

Who are your favorite professors?

I can’t say there’s only one, but I’ve really connected with all of my BFA painting professors, Amy Cheng and Robin Arnold, and my senior thesis adviser Carmen Lizardo. Amy and Robin have really been my strong supporters from the beginning. I can go to them at any time, for anything. After graduation I plan on going to Italy with my friend to celebrate, and I know that Amy travels a lot, so I e-mailed her for advice and she wrote me back that night. Some professors say, “If you ever need me for a reference, let me know,” and you get the feeling it’s just on an academic or professional level – but here, they really want to be a part of your personal life. They’ve been above and beyond supportive in situations that were out of my control, and I honestly couldn’t have been luckier to have them.