Loren Cermak's Study Abroad to Florence, Italy

Hello, I'm Loren Cermak! 

I am a 22 year-old college student studying Studio Art, Graphic Design, and Art History at San Jose State University.  At the age of two, I started my first art classes and at four years old, I won my first art contest at school.   This success and natural ability led me to compete in many art competitions and opportunities – I  designed the Los Angeles Public Library Bookmark for children at 11 years old.  However, I kept my abilities to myself, whether it be through singing, creative writing or drawing, these hobbies were something I did after school or just in my free time because I simply enjoyed it.   Fast forward to my first professional art teacher in high school, who really encouraged me to evolve as an artist.  Hey, this is not just a hobby anymore.

In March of this year, after years of hard work, self-discovery, and a bit of courage, I realized my dream of living abroad.  I was awarded from the California State University system (CSU) and San Jose State University the opportunity to study abroad from August 2019 to July 2020 in Florence, Italy at the Accademia di Belle Arti (for reference, this school happens to be attached to the gallery where Michelangelo‘s David resides) and the Scuola del Nudo.  Can you believe it?! - little me from California studying in the same halls where Michelangelo created masterpieces!

I will be joining other chosen students from different campuses in the state to expand on studio art topics and art history topics in Italy.  Apart from my studies, I will also be following a course of study, workshop, and internship at the Uffizi’s restoration laboratory at the Fortezza da Basso.  It sounds like a lot of work, but I am up to the challenge.   

The courses abroad will count towards my three degrees and will be topics and experiences that most people only dream of.   

Currently I have signed up for classes - of which some are: art restoration; fresco technique; Uffizi Museum studies**; art history classes that include field trips around Florence, and to Rome, Bologna, and Vinci; anatomy (for artists); figure modeling and painting; various mediums in painting; various topics in printmaking; drawing; and photography. 

**The Uffizi Museum studies course will be an inside look at curatorial, restoration, and museum operations, with behind the scenes access to the Uffizi’s private collections. 

To prepare for this possible future in Italy, I have already taken Italian, Spanish, and French, which should help me to communicate with people from around the world.  The Uffizi Museum studies course is taught in Italian and all classes at the Scuola del Nudo are taught in Italian. 

Costs of the program:

Tuition for the entire academic year is $12,092.

SJSU estimates from its previous years of running the program that additional costs of the program pertaining to school supplies, mandatory school trips, transportation, flights, housing, and food, is $15,800. 

I have saved up a few thousand dollars for this trip by working while attending school, and I am selling my car to offset costs.  I was just awarded a $1,000 scholarship and I am searching for more award opportunities.  In the meantime, I could really use your help.  

With all things said, your donation whether its $10, $25, $100 or more, would be more than just financial aid – it would be an investment and a realization in my dreams, education, goals, self-discovery and future. 

You can view my portfolio, CV, contact, and learn more about me at my website https://lorenmarie.myportfolio.com/. 

If you would instead like your donation to be a commissioned artwork email an inquiry to my social medias or visit my contact page on my website.

You can follow my journey abroad through my facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/lorenmarie.artist/ , where I will be blogging, posting links to youtube videos, current work and available works, or my Instagram @_lorenmarie https://www.instagram.com/_lorenmarie/.