photo COURTEsy of Charlie Guterman ’22
Charlie Guterman ’22 has a knack for creating. A multimedia artist and poet, she finds inspiration in every corner of the universe, from an environmental studies class to a berry she picked from a tree. Since coming to campus in 2018, she has engaged with multiple publications and independent projects, fully taking advantage of the resources that Hamilton offers for students to explore their own artistic talents.
The Spectator
sat down with Guterman this past Sunday to catch up on what has been keeping her hands and mind busy this semester.
The Spectator
: What kind of creative medium(s) are you most passionate about?
Charlie Guterman:
My absolute favorite medium to work with is charcoal. I love the texture and the physicality of it. I’ve also been doing more stuff in 3-D and I’ve been pulling random, non-traditional art materials that I find, like metal and berries, because I like that challenge as well. I also do poetry — I’ve done it since I was pretty little. I love the intersections of written art and visual art and the rhythms and patterns you can find within the overlap of those.
S: Which piece of work are you most proud of making since coming to Hamilton?
CG:
I had this project last spring where I created a multimedia display that investigated concussions and how to best visualize them. I made works in pen, charcoal, and oil paint, as well as an audio piece which was really interesting and challenging for me. I loved the interdisciplinary nature of the project.
S: Where on campus have you taken your talents?
CG:
I started working in the visual communications office this semester, doing graphics for them- — and that’s been a learning process, continuing to grow in my use of Photoshop and Illustrator. I’m on the e-board of Red Weather, I’m the artistic director for Circle Mag, and I often submit my work to those publications as well. And of course I always love making art for my friends!
S: Do you have any projects going on right now?
CG:
I have stuff in the works! I’m hopefully going to make some art about physics — specifically about light — with my friend Zach (Jones ’22). We are going to be talking about the dichotomy between physics and art, and the artificial separation between them that is often fabricated in the academic world. We’ll be using light, which is both a particle and a wave, as a metaphor for the ways physics can be both beautiful and scientific.
S: How has Hamilton supported you in your creative endeavors?
CG:
I’m a big believer in utilizing these grants and foundations that very generously support independent projects of students here at Hamilton. So I was funded last semester for my concussion project through the Kirkland Endowment, which is a fund specifically for female students that funds anything from scientific research to creative, artistic work. I’m applying for a few more grants this semester.
S:Are there projects in the future that you’d like to pursue?
CG:
Hopefully over winter break, I’ll be going to Arizona with a geoscience trip, then staying and doing my own research. I want to talk about time and ownership of land specifically, and I’ll create art and potentially write about that in conjunction with geological research. So we’ll see if that works out!
S: Any classes that have really helped you grow as a creator?
CG:
Last year, I took Interpreting the American Environment, which at surface level definitely is not an art or poetry course; it was essentially an environmental history of the United States. I liked how that course made me think in a really interdisciplinary sense and I ended up generating a lot of poetry and art in response to that course. I’ve loved my drawing and painting courses from a more technical point where I can really hone my skills.
S: What’s your dream job when you graduate?
CG:
So this is something I’ve been really excited about! A lot of National Parks in the United States offer “artist in residencies,” where you get a stipend to live in the park, creating art about the environment, the people you meet, or history. I love that it’s project based because I find that my brain operates in a very project-based way. And I love the independence to pursue a creative vein that I’m passionate about at that time.
S: Do you have any advice for student artists who want to pursue their own creative projects at Hamilton?
CG:
Truly we as a collective body aren’t aware of the resources that are available to us. There are so many funds and grants — like the Smallen Memorial Fund or the Kirkland Endowment — that can really aid you in an independent study as a creative artist.
