New Ambassador 2025-2026
BFA Art + Art History
Hi! My name’s Acari Artimes-Alejo, and I’m a third-year BFA Art and BA Art History major here at the School of Art + Art History. Within artmaking, my heart lies with ceramics and sculpture, but I’m always trying to experiment with illustration as well as more ephemeral and transient mediums! I’m also interested in complicating notions of gender and sexuality throughout art history and examining Pre-Columbian art. I plan to pursue a Master of Fine Arts degree and aspire to someday teach while still creating! Otherwise, whenever I’m not making art or thinking about art, I like to tend to my plants and visit Gainesville’s trails and natural spaces.
I’m happy to answer any questions you might have, especially anything concerning the PaCE program through which I joined the School of Art + Art History!
You can reach out to me on Instagram @acarixy
Returning Ambassador 2025-2026
BFA Art
Hi hi! My name is Adrian Cadena (they/them), and I am a fourth-year Fine Arts major with a minor in Graphic Design and a focus in printmaking. I’m a transfer student from Carnegie Mellon University who originally grew up in Nashville, TN, but now lives in Florida. I’ve always had a love for art and am always trying to explore new mediums and aspects of the artistic process that interest me. I’m so excited to be a SA+AH ambassador this year :)
As a transfer student, college has felt like a wild ride at times! But when I transferred to UF, the people here, and more specifically the SA+AH community, have all been so welcoming and accommodating. As I explore the paths I want to pursue as an artist, I have grown confident in the fact that UF has my back and can aid in my growth and learning to achieve that future.
In my practice, I’m a lover of making art in multiples and tend to combine printmaking and book-making regularly. I also love stickers and have both a collection of my own designs and a collection from artists I’ve traded with (I’m always down for a sticker trade). With these aspects of my artistic practice, I have started to sell my art both online and at local fairs. I tend to keep my art a bit silly while still trying to be genuine in the messages I want to share, typically focusing on either my identity as a queer Latino or small aspects about the world that I’ve become enamored with.
Outside of academic classes, you can find me easily at Alagarto Printmaking Club meetings, Queer Cultivation Club meetings (QCP), and Gator Salsa nights! I also tend to wander around campus, cruising on my bike, taking a stroll, listening to an episode of a D&D podcast, or just enjoying the weather with some friends.
If you have any questions/are looking for advice/or just want to say hey, please reach out! You can find me at @boo.its.adrian on Instagram or email me at acadena@ufl.edu.
New Ambassador 2025-2026
BFA Art
I’m Lucy Edwards (they/them/she), and I’m a third-year BFA student pursuing a ceramics certificate on the side! I’ve been known to work with all kinds of mediums, but sculpture, ceramics, and printmaking are some of my favorites. I was born and raised in Orlando, so I have a huge passion for theme parks, and in fact, my ultimate goal is to work in theme park design. Besides that, I’m also a total nerd for haunted houses, horror movies, fashion dolls, anything drag-related, music, vintage fashion, and makeup.
I was admitted to UF through the PaCE program, which initially felt confusing, but ended up working out really well for me as an art major, as I was able to really focus on my studio courses. I’m also a first-generation college student, so I know how intimidating starting college can be. I want to make sure everyone feels comfortable at the School of Art and Art History, so feel free to shoot me any and all questions you have about PaCE or just college in general! I promise I don’t bite :)
Reach out to me on Instagram @e.ycul !
New Ambassador 2025-2026
BFA Art
Hey! I'm Sydney (she/her), and this is my third year in the BFA Art program. I'm also pursuing the Ceramics certificate and a Graphic Design minor! I came into freshman year thinking all I was ever going to do was photography, but the interdisciplinary nature of the program here at UF truly broadened my horizons. Now I've fallen in love with ceramics, printmaking, drawing, sculpture, and multimedia, and I continue to find new forms of creation through my studies in the SA+AH. But I still have that deep love of photography, and when I'm not using my camera for my art practice, I'm using it for my job as a concert photographer! I'm also the VP and Photography Editor of Tea Literary & Arts Magazine here at UF. If you have any questions at all or just want to introduce yourself, you can reach me at sp.hinton@ufl.edu or @sydsfilmpix on Instagram!