Scarlett and I met in Foundations of 2D Design, where I had the pleasure of being able to see her work and her technical skills develop as the semester continued. In combination with her artistic skills, Scarlett’s experience working at a gallery in Shanghai advanced her ability to think outside the box and navigate professional spaces. I was always excited for her post graduate plans because of her astute contributions to our work meetings, as well as her aesthetic sense and distinct personal style. This interview provides a great insight to her undergraduate and professional path and provides good advice for those interested in the art world.
SeoJin Ahn: Introduction please!
Scarlett Wang: Hi, I'm Scarlett! I graduated from Pomona in May 2022 as an Art and Cognitive Science double major. Since then, I’ve been working at Fulcrum Arts, a non-profit art organization in Pasadena, while also doing freelance illustration and UX design on the side.
SA: What is your role at your current workplace?
SW: Fulcrum Arts is an organization that supports artists at the intersection of art, science, and social change. We explore these topics through performances, lectures, publications, and residencies, while also being a fiscal sponsor for smaller art organizations. As a Digital Media + Marketing Assistant, I compile and edit media assets and documentation of our programs, create digital content, and engage with our audience through online platforms. I also help out in producing some of these events and updating financial records for the organizations we sponsor.
SA: How did you get into this work?
SW: I reached out to many of my art professors as I was looking for curatorial opportunities in LA last Spring. I was very lucky to be introduced to the organization through (former) Professor Sandeep Mukherjee, who put me in touch with the director. With my background in art and science, I was immediately fascinated by how Fulcrum Arts centers the union of the two areas and generates meaningful conversations and programs around them. I joined as an intern last July and was offered a full-time position very soon after.
SA: How did your experiences at Pomona help you in your new role?
SW: Some of the greatest assets I took with me from Pomona are always staying curious and taking initiative in learning, creating, and connecting with people. As an intern, I was very proactive in learning about the organization, its practices, and the different ways I could contribute to the programs beyond the tasks that were assigned to me. For example, as I am interested in graphic and UX design, I took a lot of initiative in communicating and collaborating with the graphic designer and web developer during the development of the festival website and implemented the design into our social media content and mobile guide, which eventually led to my full-time role. Pomona’s rigorous curriculum and interdisciplinary approach also equipped me with the language and knowledge to engage with the wide range of artworks we present that are heavily based on academic and scientific research. It’s been so exciting seeing artists who explore topics such as space exploration and colonialism, ocean memory and human history, environmental and social justice, etc. in their own unique practices. I feel like I am constantly absorbing new information and learning more about people and the world.
SA: Is there anything about working in the art world that has been surprising to you?
SW: It’s been eye-opening to see the breadth of creative practices out there and how endeavors in art and science inspire and motivate each other. It was also really refreshing to work with non-traditional art spaces, such as the Mount Wilson Observatory. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised to find out how interconnected the art world is. Since our organization have a regional focus on Greater Los Angeles, I was able to collaborate with the Pitzer College Art Galleries and see familiar names on our program such as Salim Moore, Assistant Curator at the Benton Museum.
SA: Is there any advice you would like to give current students?
SW: My advice would be to experiment and take lots of risks in your art practices and look to seemingly unrelated areas for inspiration! If you are looking for a job in the art industry, I think it’s important to stay open-minded and confident in what you have to offer. A lot of institutions value experience, which makes it hard to get an interview in the first place, but that isn’t a reflection of your skills and abilities, so don’t be discouraged by rejections! Reaching out to professors and alumni and utilizing the resources at Pomona has also helped me immensely in branching out and learning about the wonderful opportunities out there that I otherwise would not have known of.