Hello! My name is Julie Cabacungan and I am a senior studying Economics and Media Studies at CU Boulder. I am originally from the west suburbs of Chicago, but I am currently living in Boulder for school. Ever since I can remember, I have always loved art and creating. As a kid, I loved going to The Art Institute of Chicago with my family and walking around to admire all of the work. I loved to draw, paint, create origami, take photos and more! I was lucky to have access to a computer growing up so I would often film and edit videos on iMovie to share with my friends and family. It wasn’t until high school that I began to take my art more seriously. In high school I was introduced to Ceramics, specifically wheelthrowing, which quickly became one of my passions. I took 3 years of ceramics, including summer classes, and helped mentor others in an after school wheelthrowing program. I participated in Empty Bowls fundraisers that helped to aid food insecurity within my town where I personally made around 70 bowls to donate. In college, I’ve started to gain an interest in film photography and the process behind the making. Art allows me to express myself in ways I feel words cannot. One of my favorite things about going to The Art Institute growing up was the silence. I felt that I could hear myself more and admired the idea that art could be whatever you wanted it to be. Art not only brings me peace and tranquility in the process of making it, but it allows me a safe space and freedom to express myself and my art however I please.