SEND MICHAEL CONNORS TO ART SCHOOL AT R.I.S.D.

Eleanor Roosevelt said, "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." After overcoming tremendous life obstacles, Utah-based Michael Connors (she/they) has been just been selected for one of the coveted first-year slots at the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design which only admits 7% of its applicant pool each year. With a daunting annual cost of $54,000, through a combination of scholarships, grants and personal savings, Michael is still short $9,188 necessary to start school in three weeks and I offered to create this fundraiser in hopes of making her dream come true.

In her artist's statement, she wrote, "My objective is to create art that can inspire myself and others to look past stereotypes and revel in the unique variety of color, texture, shape, size and dreams of each other; to grow and hone my skills in artmaking; to explore how a non-profit art organization can build awareness for supporting environmental sustainability, as well as acceptance of and appreciation for diversity in culture, situation, belief-system and lifestyle."

Michael's desire to be an artist grew gradually from a young age into the colossal force that it is now and, looking back, she thinks that the creativity spark was always in her. When she started high school, a teacher taught her practices which opened doors of what she could do and there, the fire was fully lit. She was an artist -- and the ideas just kept coming and getting bigger. She realized it was what she was meant to do.

She realizes that her wanting to be an artist goes beyond just wanting. She reveals, "It's just a part of me that demands to be seen, created and explored. I am sometimes haunted by the ideas in my head until they get out and they demand so much from me during that process but, alongside that, there is such joy, beauty and growth. What's so amazing about art is that it's everything -- the good and beautiful as well as the pain, horror and ugliness. Art is one of the greatest forces. It can dispel fear and ignorance and open eyes, minds and hearts -- expand limits, assumptions and stories -- spark creativity, connection and conversation -- inspire delight, despair, questions, and comfort and create actions, ideas and change for the better."

Of her work, she wrote, "My art focuses on growth and growing. I think failing and afterwords finding recognition and learning is such an important part of growth as well as one of the most vital, beautiful things we can do as individuals and as a society. All of my pieces have failed or changed dramatically at some point. I believe that embracing this falling apart is what brings my pieces together. My life has taught me that even the most beautiful and seemingly perfect people are flawed and imperfect in some way. Once the notice of perfection was broken, I was better able to enjoy the realness of people. Once I saw and appreciated that, my art could grow to a new level."

Joshua Graham, of the University of Utah Department of Art & Art History wrote of Michael in one of her letters of recommendation, "It was immediately clear to me that she took her art practice very seriously. This is particularly relevant because at the time I met her, she was only in the 9th grade. Even at this young age, it was obvious that Michael's artwork was not simply created to fulfill an arbitrary assignment, but was the direct result of a critical investigation happening in her home studio -- not unlike many professional artists."

Funds from this campaign will be used to close the gap between the funds she has currently amassed from every available source and the remaining funds necessary for tuition, housing, books and supplies.

In addition to direct contribution to this Go Fund Me campaign, she is also hoping to subsidize her remaining expenses through the sale of various award-winning pieces from her private gallery collection. The link for those is below, followed by the link for

her portfolio of work on which her admission to R.I.S.D was predicated.

Pieces for sale: https://photos.app.goo.gl/bwAM5ewLDUyMNvGJ7

Link for Portfolio: https://photos.app.goo.gl/7g2EzgAdp3vk5vE76