David Peña

This is a photo of me at my MFA thesis opening at JSMA in spring 2023.

Degree: MFA, Art

Graduation Date: Spring 2023

Prior Degree
BA, Studio Art, California State University, Long Beach

2023 Scholarship
Jan Zach Memorial Scholarship in Fine Arts
Joe and Alona Fischer Scholarship
Virginia Green and Leila Johnston Scholarship

I Am Originally From San Diego, CA

WHY I CAME TO THE UO AND HOW I CHOSE MY MAJOR
I came to UO because I could be Graduate Employee and have teaching opportunities. I enjoy the faculty and cohort community. Art is the subject I’m most passionate about.

UNIQUE QUALITIES I BRING TO MY STUDIES
I’m a fronterizo person, sharing my perspective of crossing borders and I believe it to be a way of relating to each other. Art is a way to connect and create empathy.

MY INFLUENTIAL PROFESSORS
I’ve had many influential professors. Most notably, Tannaz Farsi, who  exemplifies dedication, research, exploration, and rigor with students and in her own practice.

MY EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
5 Minutes was a publication where I collaborated with other interested students, faculty, and visiting artists. This publication documents conversations with visiting artists. Archives are vitally crucial in documenting histories that might be lost otherwise.

MY GREATEST LEARNING EXPERIENCE AT UO
I’ve learned that community is vitally important.

AFTER GRADUATION
I plan to ceate a sustainable community art space in Tijuana.

YOUR GIFT
These scholarships have been significant to me because I wouldn’t have been able to live off the Graduate Employee wages alone. Scholarships are what bridged the gap to live with a little less stress and took some financial burden off me so that I could dedicate myself to my art practice and education.

Thank you for offering this much-needed funding to artists seeking to grow and expand.