Jake Jarodsky

Statement of Intent

The art one makes is a responds to an individual’s life. My life has been spent with The Boy Scouts of America, playing sports, pursuing a never ending quest for knowledge, wanting to be an art teacher and life altering medical issues. At a young age when most kids were watching Saturday cartoons I was learning leadership skills in the wilderness with Boy Scouts. Through my high school years I played rugby and football as well was a teacher aid in the arts department. My junior year of high school I developed and bleeding called Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura. By the time I was 19 I had faced death, became an Eagle Scout, played in a state championship and traveled the outside the country visiting kids in hospitals as a motivational coach. Everything I did growing up I told myself, these actions were stepping stones to becoming artist. These events shaped my craft and develop the skills needed to stand confidently in front of a class room as an art teacher someday. As well, fuel my drive for mastering traditional techniques and developing into a deeper level of art. I am currently looking to push myself even further and take pride in being a lifelong learner.

In 2003, I enrolled at Elgin Community College. I was torn between becoming a sculptor or a potter so I just worked hard in both studios thinking a clear path would work it is self out in the long run. The hours spent in the studios and hard work ethics did not go unnoticed.  I was hired by Howard Russo Head of the fine arts 3-D visual arts department as a studio aid. Here is where I blossomed and was taught the ways of a studio artist. I learned everything from basic wheel throwing, and hand building technics. I also learned about clay mixing, glaze mixing, kiln firing and many other ceramics studio skills not taught to other students. I was also trained to work in the department such as, glass blowing/fusing, metals, wood and sculptor. Here I became well rounded and exposed to many different mediums. What I enjoyed most about working in the studios at ECC was the help I was able to give other students. It made me happy to be asked a question and have my opinion be taken seriously.  Knowing people needed me and I could help them was very rewarding.

The fall of 2006 I enrolled at Northern Illinois University to study ceramics with Yih-Wen Kuo and Ron Mazanowski. I choose NIU for my undergrad studies because of Professor Yih-Wen Kuo.  I had met Kuo at an art talk about his work that was showing in a local gallery. I was determined no matter where he was teaching at I would travel there and study under him. At NIU I was able to fine tune my skills as a ceramic artist. I learned proper clay and glaze calculation. I also learned what it takes to run a clay club and put together a solo show. I was challenged physically, as well mentally by Kuo. Everything I did was questioned in a way that even breathing became a question of why? Kuo taught me more than I could ever thank him for. He not only taught me about clay, but also opened my eyes to who I am.

After NIU I went back to Elgin Community College and worked as a gallery director’s assistant for Ed Krantz from 2009 – 2010. I wanted to stay active in the art community and knew working for Krantz would only further my understanding of the inner workings of a gallery, as well develop better vocabulary for discussion with the arts. At ECC my job was to interact with the general public about fine arts and discuss how important the arts are to contemporary society. I was able to teach people about form, balance, color theory and open their eyes to the visual world when they visited the gallery. I was also able to spend time assisting in curating shows for many professional artists such as Scott Fife and Ernest Mille. My job was also to preserve and protect many historical artifacts in the schools permanent collection. Some of these artifacts belonged to the Elgin Historical Society and are several hundreds of years old.

I believe good things come to those who work hard and are determined.  A good master’s program will give me the necessary tools to continue educating myself as well push me further as an artist. Talking with many artists I have found one of their biggest regrets in never getting there master’s degree. I do not want to be one of those people that have any regrets for not pursuing a dream.  I believe one must do what feels right, regardless of the outcome. The reason I say regardless of the outcome is because it is better to stand up for what you believe in and maybe fail, than not try at all. It is better to be truthful to one’s self, than live with lies and not pursue ones truth.

At graduate school I plan to push my craft further and explore deeper into the realm of what it means to be an artist. My aim is to utilize the studios I have available to me, make contacts with working professionals, educated the public and push myself as a developing artist. After graduate school I plan to continue on with my education and perusing my dreams. I may go for a seconded master’s degree and even a doctorates degree. My ultimate goal is to teach at the college level and pass on my love for the arts.

- Jake Jarodsky