Angela Auriti was born to be an artist. In elementary school, she hit notes on her trombone. In her teenage years, she brought blank canvases and other objects to life with paint. In her freshman year at Brooklyn College, she studied film. Between then and now, she switched her major to art. Whether she’s in the studio or the classroom, the Ceramics Club president uses her expertise and talents to support others on their creative journeys. She aspires to teach children the healing power of art and is taking the first step toward achieving her dream by applying to Brooklyn College’s Art Teacher M.A. program. When off campus, she plays video games with friends, binges on Netflix shows, and works at a health food store in her home borough of Staten Island. Why did you choose your art major? I’ve always been creative. I started playing the trombone in the fourth grade (I still play). I did a painting project for my high school English class, and after that I was painting everything—the walls, light switches, trash cans, and gifts for family and friends. Then I came to Brooklyn College as a film major, which was great. But when I took an art class as an elective, I loved it so much that I switched my major. And now you’re the Ceramics Club president! It all started when I registered for a ceramics class. I asked my professor, for a friend, if non-ceramics students could use the studio, and she told me that there used to be a Ceramics Club. It stopped during COVID because it couldn’t be on Zoom. I worked with the former club director to get it up and running again, which is how I became president. What has that experience been like? It was a lot at first. When I re-started the club, I went to the Involvement Fair to get members. I had just found out about it, so I single-handedly created flyers the night before. I ended up getting signatures from 120 people who wanted to join. I love bringing people together, teaching them, and then seeing what they go on to do. In the studio, I get the best of both worlds. How would you describe Brooklyn College’s arts community? It’s very open. Students get a lot of support from the Art Department. The staff and faculty all work hard to make sure that the students are happy and that the art studio is safe and fun. My faculty adviser, Eto Otitigbe, and the Art Department chair, Mona Hadler, are huge supporters of the School of Media, Visual, and Performing Arts. What are your goals for after you graduate? I’d love to complete the Art Teacher master’s program Brooklyn College. Art can be therapeutic, so it helps a lot of kids. Besides teaching, I hope to open my own ceramics studio where people can stop by and create.
