Julz Quiroz, queen of vintage-styled hats and red lipstick, has been dipping her fingers into many categories of art since fifth grade. “I go through art phases,” said the crafty R.A. of Yoder 4 North. “I don’t always have a favorite; it just depends on what I’m feeling at the time.”
For Quiroz, any kind of art is a way of expression, whether it is poetry, fashion, painting or even doodling. “I have to be doing something while I’m in class,” she said. She displays her left arm, which is covered in a detailed design of a flower, turned into a henna tattoo. “I like drawing on people,” she added.People are not only a drawing pad for Quiroz, but also an inspiration. “Some of my better pieces have been inspired by people,” she said. One of her favorite works was created in John Blosser’s painting class. “It was inspired by a poem that was written by my friend about wearing masks. There was one line in it that stuck with me.”
And from it came a mixed media creation. It contains a mask, glass, plaster, ink, acrylic paint and other materials intricately placed onto a Styrofoam board. The painting represents the masks that we all wear. “We kind of live in a superficial world with lack of intention,” she explains. “Like when we have interactions with people we ask how they’re doing and they just say ‘good’ because no one really wants to know the truth.”
Quiroz came to Goshen College and declared herself an art and psychology double major, but four years turned out not to be enough time to fit in the rigorous courses of both majors. She singled her studies down to just psychology, but her love for art stays as strong as ever. You can take the girl out of the art classes, but you can’t take the art out of the girl.
