My name is Enrique Rodriguez, I’m a Visual Arts major with a concentration in Illustration. I’ve always been interested in art ever since I was a child. Starting out making crayon drawings of my favorite cartoon and video game characters, I’ve gone a long way since then. My passion for art extends far beyond just drawing, however; cosplay, prop-making, and video graphics have been part of my creative process for the last several years, and the progress shows greatly.
College started out rough. I wasn’t always a Visual Arts major, I initially came to Stockon as a Computer Science major. I figured that making a lot of money would be worth it, but I was very much wrong. I didn’t enjoy coding, or physics, or discrete math, it just wasn’t what stimulated my mind. Going to Visual Arts from Computer Science was a big jump, but it ultimately was the right decision for me as I was able to express myself how I wanted to, and it relieved me of all the stress Computer Science had. I was finally able to do something I enjoy, and make progressin my art.
Something I’ve always been worried about was how I’m going to make art a career? How can I find a way to make a living? I then realized that it’s not as complicated as I’ve made myself think it is. I’ve had the privilege of working at Dynamic Advertising and Design as an intern, making graphics for Resorts Casino, The Franklin Institute, and others. I believe that there is a place for my art in the business world, it may not be drawing fanart of video game characters or things I enjoy most, but it nonetheless is a way to express my capabilities in a free environment.
