My interest in collage as a form of expression and historical reflection began while I was working as a student employee for Georgetown University's American Studies program. Tasked with creating a flyer for an information session, I considered, perhaps too intently, what, exactly, American Studies is. I imagined symbols - diverse and multiple referents that recalled the music, characters, writing, geography, corporations, government agencies, ideology, currency, sports, media, and images of and from the lives of famous and nameless Americans. Using popular American iconography, I created dozens of digital drawings that, when combined, show the breadth and diversity of the field of American Studies and invite the viewer to reflect on the mimetic nature of American culture.  

 

Since creating the first flyer using these images, I have reinterpreted my drawings again and again. As an alumna, the program hired me as a freelance graphic designer to modify and expand upon my previous work for the program's 50th anniversary celebration in 2019. I created artwork for the official website, social media promotions, paper invitations, and program stationery.