Art provides joy and clarity for Ardys Woodward, a sophomore art and social work double major. Yet for Woodward, art has also become an avenue for personal expression and far-reaching change.
“I love that anyone can make any type of art; that it’s valid and it’s unique,” Woodward said. “I find myself most attracted to artwork that changes my perception or opinion about something, or makes me feel something in a new way.”Her majors may seem disconnected at first, but art and social work can be combined in innovative ways. For example, Woodward sees art as a form of therapy and self-expression.
“I hope that I can make artwork that affects other people in some way,” Woodward said. “And it’s a way for me to honestly express myself.”
Woodward’s medium of choice is two-dimensional drawing, but being at Goshen has given her the opportunity to expand her repertoire, hoping to have the opportunity to further explore multimedia artwork. This semester, she is taking a painting class that has allowed her to pursue projects outside what two-dimensional drawing has allowed her to do in the past.
“I am not working on anything big at the moment, mostly attempting to keep up with classes,” Woodward said.
However, she is looking forward to working on a mural at a friend’s house soon.
“[It] will be really fun to be able to do something different with painting,” she said.
Keeping up with classes is an understatement when it comes to Woodward’s schedule – she is also a member of the women’s soccer team and plays in the orchestra, among other activities.
“I hope that, even with everything going on, I have time to create and explore my own artwork and ideas,” Woodward said. “I have enjoyed art for as long as I can remember, so it’s amazing to have the opportunity to study my passion at this level and I hope I can continue to grow in my expression and share my art with others.”
