University of Redlands
BIO
Maeve Wiencek was born and raised in Sherwood, Oregon, where she graduated from Sherwood High School in 2018. She now attends the University of Redlands, where she is currently finishing a bachelor’s degree in Studio Art with concentrations in graphic design and photography as well as a minor in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.
Throughout her time in college, Maeve competed as a member of the lacrosse team and held various leadership positions in her sorority, Alpha Xi Omicron. She worked as a college student assistant for an on-campus summer art camp for high school students, creating a welcoming, productive community in the setting of an intensive one-week workshop. Additionally, Maeve participated in designing promotional graphics for the University of Redlands Theatre Arts Department as a graphic design intern in spring 2021.
Beyond campus, Maeve fulfilled several internship positions, including working as a Graphic Design Intern for SCW Fitness Education as well as an Assistant and Photography Intern for Teresa Flowers, an internationally recognized freelance photographer based in Portland, Oregon.
As she enters life after college, Maeve hopes to continue pursuing her artistic and career goal of helping others, making the world a better place one contribution at a time.
DESCRIPTION OF WORK
My senior project represents the beginning of my journey towards effecting positive change by using my combined skills in graphic design and photography to advocate for reproductive rights. More specifically, the project supports the work of Whole Woman’s Health, a feminist healthcare management company, in destigmatizing abortion and expanding reproductive rights through the channels of a zine, two original advertisements for a conservative periodical, and three social media posts. These pieces utilize metaphorical and abstract photography supported by thoughtful design to highlight the stories of individuals impacted by reproductive rights and advocate for greater access to abortion for all people in places that are typically opposed to these services.
ARTIST STATEMENT
People. This simple word can elicit a wide range of responses. Some may find the idea of being surrounded by other human beings to be daunting or intimidating. Meanwhile, others may thrive off their presence. For me, people are the unifying factor in my artistic practice. With each piece that I create, I find myself starting with people, whether it be consciously or unconsciously. I want to know how people will respond to my work. I want to uncover how to communicate best with them. I want to discover what impacts their lives. But, most importantly, I want to distinguish how my art can help them. It is this desire to improve the lives of others as well as the world that unifies and drives my artistic practice. As such, my designs center around the audience’s needs and desires. I seek to not only make designs that are accessible, but also socially beneficial. Whether it be explicit or not, I believe my work addresses larger issues within our world and provides support, comfort, empathy, and a voice to those who need it.
Yet, I also recognize that these battles are ongoing, and change is constant. Through my practice, I am constantly seeking self-improvement and encouraging growth in those around me. I believe in an openness to explore new ideas, opportunities, and approaches. As humans, we are constantly growing and pivoting in new directions, which means that we never know for certain what the future holds. By embracing this concept, my overall body of work can be observed changing and growing over time. However, this concept can also be seen in each individual piece as I never truly consider them finished. As such, I open my work up to the change that comes with time and the potential for future improvement. This idea of future improvement reveals the overall unifying factors in my artistic practice. The desire to help people as well as an openness to change and growth, both personally and societally, drives all my work. Through my art, I am seeking betterment for myself and others.
