Sarah Lyzzaik

Fine Arts–Photography + Video Art
Class of 2011
Hometown: Milwaukee, WI

What's your favorite class and why?

I don't know if I can completely devote myself to one favorite class at this school, but if I had to choose one that has come pretty close, it would be Randy Brown's Photography 1 class.

I originally was going to be pursuing a BFA in painting, but chose instead to go after something very new and fresh to me; something that I had always had an interest in and knew I had the resources to explore.

Tell us about a favorite project you've worked on.

That would be the two large-scale drawings I did of my sisters. Both done in charcoal on Ania paper, the drawings are approximately 3 feet by 5 feet which is the largest scale I have ever drawn on before. It was fun and very challenging. They had a certain resonance, particularly the one done of my youngest sister, Hannah and my cat. It was personal in that I can see the baby sister I have grown up with and fought with as much as laughed with but at the same time, shockingly impersonal in that she is not even looking out at you as the viewer like the other drawing of Lylah, my other younger sister.

How has RMCAD prepared you for what you want to do when you graduate?

Well, as a fine artist, ultimately my dream is to be well known and have gallery shows on a regular basis. But as a realist, I want to make a name for myself as a wedding photographer to make money. If I had my way, I would continue being a studio artist and use the wedding business to live on. I plan on continuing my education and becoming an art professor. RMCAD does not have a very large photo department, but the people involved in that program are of a very fine quality and I think I will learn everything I'll need to make my dreams come true. RMCAD also has an excellent career program. VA (Hayman) is always around to help me fine-tune my resume and find internships. The people at RMCAD want their students to succeed.

How would you describe the students who attend RMCAD?

RMCAD students remind me of a big family. Unlike the petty clique wars in high school, for the most part in my experience, the people here are more interested in making good art and having a good time.

What do you like about living in Denver/Colorado?

I was born here, so I have always wanted to stay. But this state just has everything you need! I love that the weather here is in constant flux. Winter is also spring and summer! Of course the mountains are something I love to death. It's the perfect place to go camping and get inspired for art.

What kinds of things do you do when you're not attending classes?

Work. Work. And more work. I am a full-time student and also have a full-time job as a client service coordinator at a local pet hospital. I never seem to have much time for anything other than living, working and school. I try to do my own personal art to keep me sane, but sometimes my project get worked on over the course of a few months just to get them done.

Was there a moment when RMCAD changed from "a school" to "my school"?

That would have to be the day I found out that, as a freshman entering a student show expecting a placement in the Foundations category, I had won the first place award in the Fine Art category. That was the day I felt that this school was exactly where I needed to be. It was the place that would go the distance with me and recognize my potential to the fullest. And to further my thoughts on the school becoming more of a family, when I had won that award, I wasn't even the first person to know. A fellow classmate came up to me to congratulate me on winning and I had actually heard the news through him first. That's the great thing about a smaller campus—of course the student-teacher ratio—but also the way you can be familiar with almost everyone here.

What would you want a prospective student to know about RMCAD?

RMCAD will match anything you put into it. The harder you work here, the more you will get out of this school. The more you push yourself, the more rewards you'll start receiving from RMCAD.They make it so easy to succeed here, just don't waste your time. Enter every student show and competition. Apply to every scholarship. Network with any and all the visiting artists and please, please spend as much time in your Liberal Studies as your studios! Having a very high GPA will pay off in the end—trust me.