New Studio Practice (NSP) senior Kevin Wrencher found freedom to explore himself, and his art, through the newly created NSP major, “I just wanted to make work I felt strongly about, New Studio Practice allowed me to do this,” added Wrencher.
The NSP major allows students to explore multiple fine arts disciplines while adding an increased emphasis on professional preparation and practice. Students can focus on various disciplines, including: drawing, painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture.
It is this ability to explore fine art in its various forms that drew Wrencher in, “I was a Communication Design major at MIAD, but kept finding myself wandering into the third floor fine arts hallway, I had one foot in fine arts and another in design; my mind was torn between the two disciplines,” said Wrencher.
Wrencher was heavily involved in the arts after taking an accelerated visual arts course in high school. He developed an interest in design and advertising, which is what initially led him to MIAD, “When I came for a tour of MIAD, I was extremely excited about the work that was displayed on walls.”
He was especially excited about the book cover designs created by illustration majors, adding, “what really made me choose MIAD was those book covers!”
It was after the sudden death of his mother during his sophomore year at MIAD that he decided to change his major to NSP, “After her death I really wanted a way to express myself and my grief. This led me to invest my last few years at MIAD in the NSP major and talking about my complicated past with my mom,” said Wrencher.
Wrencher’s work has been recognized outside of MIAD’s walls as one of the National Young Arts Winners inVisual Arts. This allowed him to spend a week in Miami during winter break, where he met amazing young artists from around the country, and some professional ones too.
Wrencher was also chosen as one of four artists who were awarded a 10-week solo show at Walker’s Point Center for the Arts in fall 2014. The show, ‘The Story of A Shadow Boy,’ was on view in the summer of 2015.
“I displayed a sample of my newest completed works that were created towards the end of my junior year at MIAD. It explored self-identity and self-realization using mixed media of intaglio and fabric, displayed as a large mural painting that caked the walls of the gallery,” said Wrencher.
In addition, Wrencher assisted Milwaukee artist Reggie Baylor in designing his newest coloring book last spring, and he is currently a design intern at a Milwaukee advertising agency.
Wrencher is in the process of starting a multicultural club here at MIAD, “The club will be designed to give a voice to underrepresented students of color and individuals who come from culturally rich backgrounds,” he added.
After MIAD, Wrencher hopes to attend graduate school, or possibly pursue a career in advertising and design in his hometown of Chicago.
For more information about MIAD’s NSP major, click here.
