Ali Thiam
B.F.A. in Art, with a concentration in Painting; Minor in Geology; Honors
Hometown: Fuquay-Varina, N.C.
Graduation Year: 2028
Tell us a little about yourself! How did you first get interested in art?
My younger self honestly would not have predicted that I’d be pursuing a career in visual art, because I always used to think I had no skill or potential in the area, but that changed around 2021, in my junior year of high school, when my positive experience in art class inspired me to take my work more seriously. I began to realize my interest in various types of surrealistic and non-representational work and had lots of fun exploring experimental imagery and new mediums. With some time invested in my work, I noticed a lot of personal improvement, which gave me the motivation and self-assurance to pursue it in higher education.
What kind of career do you hope to have?
Honestly, I’m still considering what specific career goal I want to pursue most, but I do have some ideas. In community college, I had a positive experience taking introductory geology, and my interest in the subject was piqued. I was also informed of the fact that there are opportunities out there for people with a background in visual arts and geology (as there are in other scientific fields like biology), so I’d be ecstatic to obtain a career where I could explore those two fields, combining artistic expression and scientific research. I’ve also thought about my place in public art; I’d love to produce murals and create personalized works for others that bring them joy and fascination.
What is your favorite thing about the College of Arts + Architecture?
One thing I’ve enjoyed about being part of the College of Arts + Architecture and taking studio courses is the strong sense of community built through our activities. For me, studio courses are never uninteresting because I greatly enjoy seeing and learning about other students’ work, which presents a unique opportunity to learn about others through their creative projects. I also love sharing my work and hearing feedback on how others connect with it, often in ways I don’t initially consider. It is a truly unique experience that I’m so grateful to be getting as a student of this major.
Do you participate in any community activities or work in the Charlotte arts/design community?
I am a part of the Niner Times newspaper, where I work as the Assistant Design Editor. I took on this position this past summer, and I absolutely love working there; getting to help direct design concepts, create page layouts and graphics, and collaborate with the rest of the staff are some things that I enjoy about the position. I also love getting to work with other students, who create lots of our media, and I specifically have the pleasure of working with student illustrators and designers, as well as with the talented Design Editor, Ava Weaver, without whom I couldn’t have been successful.
Do you have any scholarships?
I am infinitely grateful for the scholarships, grants, etc. that I have received during my time in higher education that have made it possible for me to be here today, one of which is the Roderick MacKillop Memorial Painting Merit Scholarship that I received for this current semester, a scholarship offered specifically to students in the painting concentration.
Over the past few years, especially, painting has become one of my favorite and most compatible mediums, and I’m honestly so glad that the painting concentration exists here at Charlotte, allowing me to explore it more deeply. I am honored to have received this scholarship to continue my progress in this concentration, as well as to honor the legacy of artist and painting professor Roderick MacKillop, whose contributions have made it possible for me to pursue this education today.
When you are not in class, studying, or working, what do you like to do for fun?
Outside of classes and work, I enjoy various activities, including learning and practicing foreign languages (mostly Spanish and Korean!), singing, creating personal art projects, reading (mostly articles, suspense/dark fiction), catching up on TV shows (in a variety of genres, but mostly dramas and thriller series), and more! I’m also a proud member of Codachrome A Cappella at UNC Charlotte!