Studio Art Major Megan Mitchell Arné Discusses Her Experiential Learning Travels

Studio art BFA student and travel extraordinaire Megan Mitchell Arné will speak at the April convocation for the Department of Art and Department of Design. During her time as a studio art BFA student, Arné has traveled to New York, Massachusetts, Ireland and Brazil for art-related studies. In Massachusetts, Arné spent time working at the Crane Paper Factory with two other art majors. They learned how to make paper by hand and experiment with the process to create several paper artworks. “All the opportunities I have had to travel have made the biggest impact on me,” Arné said. “As we always say in our art classes, ‘You can’t make art in a vacuum.’ My art has become much stronger as I have had opportunities to engage with the art world outside of Utah. The art department also brings in some amazing and impactful artists to speak at BYU. The chance I had to meet and discuss my art with some of them was life-changing.” Choosing to major in art was an easy choice for Arné. “I always loved making things. Arts and crafts kits were the only birthday presents I ever got growing up,” Arné said. “It made sense for me to apply for the art major because I knew I wanted art to be a big part of my life anyway.” One of Arné’s favorite things about the major is the excitement and energy that exists in the art program. Working in the BFA studios with other students creates an enriching environment where Arné said students often get distracted talking about new artists they found or plans for a show. Over the course of her time at BYU, Arné completed three solo exhibitions, including her final show, which she called a “springboard into the daunting task of continuing to make art after college.” Alongside her art major, Arné completed a minor in Portuguese. “It stretched me as a student and as a person,” Arné said. “I feel more fulfilled to have gained so much knowledge in another field outside of art.” Arné and her husband plan on doing more traveling after graduation in order to figure out where they want to pursue their careers in art and design. Arné’s journey includes working as an assistant to three professional artists in Berlin, Germany, in the spring, and then she plans to look for gallery representation on the East Coast. She also plans to pursue an MFA in the future. Q&A What did you want to be when you grew up? “I can honestly say that I wanted to be a painter when I grew up. Though I did entertain the ideas of being a forest ranger or a theme park designer.” Where do you find inspiration? “I am thinking about art all the time. I always notice color combinations that I like around me and take pictures of them for my paintings.” What was the hardest challenge you had to overcome at BYU? “Most likely the period of about eight months after getting into the BFA when all the art I made was really bad. I had to just stick it out until I made something decent.” What is your favorite snack? “I eat things like Greek yogurt and hummus in my classes, but I have a secret stash of frozen burritos in the mini fridge in my studio.”