Student Spotlight: John Wilcox, B.F.A. Sculpture

John Wilcox came to UAA on a national student exchange program intending only to spend a semester in Alaska. Six years later he will graduate from UAA with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in sculpture.

Growing up, John was surrounded by the arts. Having a father as a musician and a mother as a jeweler, he was destined to fall in the middle. John attended a magnet school of focused learning in South Carolina with an emphasis in art and theatre. After graduating from high school he enrolled in the College of Charleston majoring in theatre and Japanese. In 2003, he spent six months studying ceramics and philosophy in Japan.

"I wanted to see as many unique places as possible and experience as much of the culture as I could," he said.

Returning from Japan, he went back to the College of Charleston, this time with an emphasis in art. He was given the opportunity to travel to Alaska and attend UAA through the national student exchange program. "Alaska at the time was this unknown place, isolated and as far away and different from South Carolina," said John. "I was looking for an adventure."

John felt after surviving an Alaska winter he couldn't leave without experiencing its summer. He went commercial fishing in Prince William Sound that summer. "For the first time I felt I was in a place where no one set foot; a place so beautiful," he said.

It was no surprise that John decided to extend UAA's term in the national student exchange program. John quickly became involved with UAA's campus life. He was a resident advisor (RA), involved heavily in Student Government as its government relations director. He led an advocacy team to Juneau, participated in the Art Student Association Club and immersed himself in the art department. In 2005, John helped establish Alaska's first local collegiate fraternity, Phi Omicron Delta.

"I really feel in love with this place. It's super easy to get involved. There are lots of opportunities for personal and professional development," he said.

John decided to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree thinking it would better prepare him to be a successful artist. "Getting a B.F.A. is like getting a minor in a little bit of everything. You learn not only how to create a product, but how to present it, market it and price it."

John is currently working on an exhibit that is turning out to be a lot harder than he expected. He explains how some exhibits can take up to an entire semester to complete. "I'm exploring techniques I've never incorporated in previous pieces. It's difficult, frustrating and at times, uncomfortable," he says.

John is excited many of his pieces have been shown throughout Anchorage and in the Student Union's art gallery. "I'm starting to get recognized and hearing people say, 'That's John Wilcox's piece,' and as an artist that's very rewarding."

As a student at UAA, John believes he has been given the opportunity to move forward. "UAA has provided me with invaluable experiences, not only on a personal level, but on a professional level."

John will graduate May 2011, and is excited to start a new adventure. His plans are to travel by foot down the entire coast of South America. He wants to dive into another culture and be exposed to new experiences.

"I was called to Alaska six years ago and now I'm being called to go somewhere else. The memories I've made at UAA will never be replaced."