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My People
My People
Painted and embroidered silk textiles
04/2020
Silk, embroidery thread, acrylic and fabric paint
Individual panels: 22"x 22"; Full quad: 50" x 50"
My senior piece is an overall reflection of the main focuses of my time at Dreyfoos. I wanted to create something that was quintessentially ‘Mia’, something that any one of my peers or teachers could recognize as mine as a final goodbye to my fellow classmates of 2020.
The main inspiration behind the format of my piece is my collection of printed and patterned bandanas that I have ritually worn over the past four years. I loved the simplicity of their material and format, always a 22” x 22” square of silk or cotton, with an entire piece of art contained within it.
After much experimentation with fashion, sculpture, and different design pieces, I felt that the symbolism I had to represent on these textiles was portraiture, something that I have always used to express myself through printmaking and drawing. I also chose to use color that expresses my inner color palette, colors that have run through so much of my work.
The process for making each square began with referencing old drawings, photos of friends, and a color index to paint the figures. I chose to focus on the facial features instead of a bust to emphasize each expression as much as I could, the emotion that lays behind each person as they interact in distant glances and silent conversation. Using pearlescent and bright thread, I created different marks and movement within the face with a sewing machine. The repeated and variated linework creates a whole pattern unto itself, and was meant to add personality and character to each individual.
Over the humming of the sewing machine, I found myself reflecting and recollecting all of the different faces that passed through my mind during my time at Dreyfoos. Under the imposed solitude, I wanted to redirect all of the bittersweet emotions that I was feeling into melancholic expressions. This was my way of finding stability in my own feelings and memories during such a volatile time, and how I was able to give myself closure to a community of people who I kept so close to my heart.
Dear Class of 2020 ...
Dear Class of 2020 ...
(This is going to be super long, so strap in)
The first thing I have to say is thank you. Thank you for giving me a whole building where I could exhale and feel like I could do anything and not be judged for it.
It was this year more than any other where I felt like our senior visual class had really come together and accepted everyone for who they were. It was under these circumstances where I really felt like I flourished in my artistic practice, my applications, and growing as a person. It felt like I had a whole team of people rooting for me to succeed, and I don’t think I could have worked through the year without the department.
Ms. Ramos, you’re still the most badass person in the department. Our awkward and dumb jokes in the Sculpture room are what kept me sane and grounded this year. Thank you for always having my back and being one of the first people at Dreyfoos to actually see me and respect me as another artist. I’ll never forget your cool eyeliner and awesome music taste.
Mr. Armetta, your endless support and advice during Junior year in Painting II was really where it all began. On rough days at school, I could always escape to your room to just read a book or be on my own for a bit. I hope to one day be as kind to every living thing as you are, travel via floating meditation, and to rule the Earth with funny jokes and Soylent.
Ms. Jahn, you basically became my surrogate mom since freshman year 2D Design. You trusted me and gave me the space to work on huge prints in junior year, and always had kind words for me whenever we talked about cute pictures of your daughter, Coconut La Croix, or literally anything else I would talk to my mom about. Turquoise glasses, nose studs, and clogs will forever remind me of you.
LVR, though I never had you as a teacher until senior year, you were always someone who I trusted and highly valued their opinion. You’ve led me to so many opportunities, and helped me through some of the most important applications I had to complete this year. You’ve also shown me what organization really means, and continue to inspire me to put 100% into everything I do.
Ms. G, thank you for coming to almost all of my art shows over the course of my high school career! Even though I never had you as a teacher, you still offered me extremely excited support at the SVA show in New York, the Mary Fisher show at the Armory, the YoungArts shows in Miami, and now virtually for my senior piece. Thank you for always being a friend and someone to talk to.
Mr. Carson, an extension of the VA Department, thank you for always listening to me and filling out the hundreds of forms I always asked you to. You've always had my back and supported me in anything I was applying for.
To all of my amazing friends, thank you for being there for me. You were all somehow a part of my happiest memories during Bak and Dreyfoos, and I couldn’t have asked for a better group of people to grow up with. I look up to all of you as strong, kind, and extremely funny individuals, and will always look back to this time of our lives with a smile. I can’t wait for all of our futures to start, and I will always be cheering you on from Boston.
To truly anyone else who had an art class with me, anyone who went out of their way to be kind to me or help me out, thank you. Hundreds of kind interactions with so many people in this department have defined the past four years as some of the best in my life.
I have nothing but gratitude and love for the Class of 2020 and all of the staff in the Visual Arts Department. Thank you for being a part of me growing up and getting ready to leave my home in Florida.
Sincerely,
Mia Palomba
#thegirls
Going to see Cage the Elephant after turning 17!
Out of this world at the pep rally #space
When we dressed up as Pitbulls #meetmeatthemotel
Jumping for joy that we were all going to college! #yay
Post-pep rally in the sculpture room #tears
Senior portrait & photo taken after school of the first day of freshman year #bebemia
DEAR CLASS OF 2021,
DEAR CLASS OF 2021,
Dear Class of 2021,
The past year for me has been one of the strangest years of my life. I learned more about myself and what kind of person I want to be than I ever have in such a short period of time. I wouldn’t say I changed, but I’ve definitely reached a new level of self-awareness and comfort with who I am and what my place is in the world.
The rumors are true, this will be one of the most gruelling times of your life, full of uncertainty, frustration, stress, and pressure to succeed. But it will also be one of the most beautiful, where you’ll be able to watch you and your friends blossom into the people you were meant be.
This letter is kind of long, but if there is one main thing that you can take away, it’s that screw people/acceptance rates/statistics that say you CAN’T do something. Instead of throwing away motivation to apply to something because the world is telling you that it’s impossible, DO IT ANYWAYS. What do you have to lose? Specifically in applying to schools, these huge institutions have to accept somebody, so why can't it be you?
Personally, my GPA, ACT scores, and other things that are supposed to “matter” were pretty much all at odds with my chances of getting into a lot of the places I was applying. I wasn’t in the top 10%, I didn’t score a 36, and didn’t have 1000 hrs of community service. It's your voice, your perspective, and your passions that make you stand out.
In regards to the rough times, here’s my advice:
Start to P-L-A-N and find some method of organizing yourself.
Personally, I created my own version of a bullet-journal and mapped out long-term goals, monthly deadlines I had to meet, things I had to do that week, and lists of things I had to do in a single day.
Focus on your path and your own goals
Everyone always has something going on in senior year, and everyone is going to have different goals. What I mean by this is that not everyone will be in the same stage of researching universities, writing essays, and applying to programs as you are.
The most important thing is to keep the end goal in mind, and not to worry about what other people are doing.
Form positive and strong relationships with teachers/guidance counselors
Keep good relationships with your old teachers from junior year and your new ones in senior year.
Filling them in on different scholarships/programs that you’re applying for also keeps you accountable for goals and helps to make you stand out to them among the hundreds of students they know (Mr. Carson can be super useful and helpful only if you want him to be; send emails and make the time to visit during lunch- he will almost always give priority to seniors)
And my advice to stay happy and motivated:
Do everything that you CAN
Big circle around “CAN”, in the free time that you do have on weekends and after school, always find ways to be social and relax.
Whether this means standing around and talking about your day in the parking lot after school, going thrifting, going to random open mic nights, or drive-thru trips to Wendy’s. #4for4
Find whatever it is you like to do, and do it when you can. Just saying yes to hanging out with friends usually led to some of my favorite memories from this year.
Always, always put in 100%
As cliche as it sounds, I put my all into this year. The way I see things, you can only do your best and hope that it pays off.
If you put in your heart and soul into an application/art project, then regardless of whether or not you get into the school, receive the award, or get the scholarship, you know that this was your best and you couldn’t have done any better.
For anyone applying to YoungArts/Visual Arts-based competitions:
Have a clear, strong, voice and message that makes your work better
In this particular application, half of the battle is having good work that can stand on its own.
But, what makes YA different from other organizations like Scholastics is that the other half is having strong writing to back up your work.
Your writing should always make your pieces more impactful and easier to understand.
Give them a reason to care about you and your work
Try to find themes in your work that you can relate to your personal life, why you are compelled to make this work.
Your work doesn’t necessarily have to be super personal/deep, but you still have to give them a reason to be interested in it, to want to see more from you.
For anyone applying to QuestBridge:
“QuestBridge is a national nonprofit that connects the nation's most exceptional students from low-income backgrounds with leading institutions of higher education and further life opportunities.”
I strongly encourage anyone and everyone to apply to QB, if this sounds like something you could qualify for. They look for students who come from low/middle-ish income backgrounds who have a strong combination of academic and extracurricular achievements. They match them to a top-tier school from anywhere around the country AND make it super affordable.
I was able to receive 100% of my financial need met for 5 years for the Dual Degree Program at Tufts University, and there would be zero chance for me to actually attend without being accepted as a Regular Decision QuestBridge Scholar.
I know this was a lot, but senior year is a lot. The best way to not drown in deadlines, due dates, and pressure is to do your best, try to stay organized, and don’t lose sight of the end goal. Everything else will fall into place, and you have to do your best to just take things as they come. Don’t be a stranger to your friends, and be open to making new ones.
I have super high hopes for the class of 2021, and I sincerely hope that you all have a fun and exciting last year at Dreyfoos.
Good luck and you’re going to do great,
Mia Palomba
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