An Artist’s Journey Ends

By Gisselle Rueda, Skyline Reporter

ALPINE - Sul Ross senior, Tamara Carrasco, hosts a profound exhibition, reflecting on the difficult years she experienced as an art student.  

The climax of Carrasco’s collegiate art experience came March 30th at an exhibition of   ceramics created during her senior year at Sul Ross. Carrasco wanted her artwork to portray the characters’ experiences and feelings while granting viewers a sense of themselves.  

Carrasco said she has always been an artist at heart. She has always wanted to pursue an art career and dreamt of becoming a professional artist while she was in high school.  

Carrasco experienced many struggles that made her doubt her career path and creativity. The beginning of 2021 was a rough semester for her on account of her personal life.  

“I had left a toxic relationship of 2 years, and this person was consuming me, draining my energy,” Carrasco said. 

Carrasco said she had lost her love and passion for art during that time and  only created three pieces all semester, throwing away all the others. Carrasco considered dropping out of school, but art kept calling and she remained.  

After deciding to stay in school, Carrasco’s eyes were opened to the creativity of those around her. These people were her biggest inspirations. Some of Carrasco’s greatest influences, however, are her mother, who is also an artist, and her professor, Gregory Tegarden, who has supported her throughout her five-year evolution as an artist. 

As Tamara’s journey as an art student at Sul Ross comes to an end, she plans to take two years off from school and work at The Chinati Foundation, a globally recognized contemporary art museum located 30 minutes from Sul Ross, in Marfa, Texas. She also hopes to save money and apply for graduate school.