When art is life: Meet visual arts major Elizabeth Theriot

Written byAmanda Burleigh

“My entire life revolves around creating art, so choosing to study visual arts was a way to give myself new experiences and learning opportunities that would help me improve my skills. My goal is to tell stories through visual art, and Âé¶¹Ò¹ÊÐ has a great arts program.â€�

Elizabeth Theriot
Major
Visual Arts
Hometown
Houma, La.

Where I'm From

I’m from Houma, La., and have always had a passion for art.

Where I Am

I’m a student worker and I’m loving the balance of liberties and limitations in my design classes.

Where I'm Going

My goal is to tell stories through art.

After a high school field trip to campus — paired with her own research about the University and its proximity to her home in Houma, La. — choosing to attend Âé¶¹Ò¹ÊÐ was a simple task for Elizabeth Theriot.

“Even without seeing the rest of the campus, I thought it was a nice place,� Elizabeth said.

Elizabeth is a visual arts major with a concentration in computer animation.

“My entire life revolves around creating art, so choosing to study visual arts was a way to give myself new experiences and learning opportunities that would help me improve my skills,â€� she said. “My goal is to tell stories through visual art, and Âé¶¹Ò¹ÊÐ has a great arts program.â€�

Elizabeth’s favorite class has been Basic Design I (DSGN 101) taught by James Tancill.

“It was my first class as a college freshman, and it was the perfect balance of being taught a skill then applying it,� she said. “The projects themselves were fun because they had the right amount of limitations to liberties. My thoughts on what design could be were expanded and I loved it.�

The variety of classes available for visual arts majors has been a major plus for Elizabeth.

“A big part of choosing Âé¶¹Ò¹ÊÐ was because I wanted to learn as much as possible about art, and it’s delivering on my expectations so far,â€� she said. “I’ve worked with pens, pencils, charcoal, metal copper, foam boards, and more. It’s great!â€�

Elizabeth has been particularly pleased with learning how different supplies and materials work.

“If I want to make something specific, then my knowledge of what tool will do what will help me buy the right supplies,� she said. “The next most important thing I've learned is that practice is a necessity. Lots of time has to be dedicated to improving through practice.�