Mary Elizabeth Vance graduated in 2014 with a BA in Religion and the Arts, and an emphasis in the Visual Arts. While studying at Belmont she was able to spend a considerable amount of time studying abroad, including a summer in Israel, Turkey, and Greece and a semester at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. These opportunities have contributed to her pursuit of developing a global perspective – as well as deepened her love of adventure and human diversity.
International tavel and the arts are perhaps Mary Elizabeth’s two greatest passions. The study of art is one inextricably intertwined with human culture; art is not only a powerful means of communicating across linguistic and cultural barriers, but has historically provided sociological and anthropological insight into human culture since prehistoric times. Mary Elizabeth has been involved in the arts since childhood, and intends to use her craft in the future as a means of enabling cross-cultural understanding.
Iceland has been a source of inspiration to Mary Elizabeth, and travelling here specifically is the fulfillment of a long-held dream. After completing the artist residency program at SIM, her work will be exhibited and open to the community of Reykjavik. This opportunity to further refine and practice her craft will serve as a precursor to graduate study in Fine Art, most likely in an international setting.