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Driven to be an Artist
Ja'lisa Yates '19 featured in Virginia Beach Public Library’s Meet the Artist Show
University News | February 4, 2021
Explore the digital works of freelance artist and Virginia Wesleyan alumna Ja’lisa Yates ’19 in the Virginia Beach Public Library’s recent Art Exhibit and Meet the Artist Show. The virtual exhibit also includes an in-depth Question and Answer session with the artist.
Inspired by her imagination and dream-like fantasy, Yates’ skillful work highlights the diversity of human faces as she creates monochromatic portrait paintings with Photoshop and then brings them to life through a process of layering different brush strokes and textures.
The exhibit features work from three of her series: the VWU Senior Art Exhibit (2019), her Personal Works (2019-2020), and her Photo/Portrait Studies (2018-2020).
Yates’ selection for this honor comes as no surprise to her professors at Virginia Wesleyan.
Professor of Art Sharon Swift says that Yates is the only art major to win an Art Department Award for two years in a row at VWU. As a junior, she won the award for "Outstanding Leadership & Professionalism in Art" for her leadership of the Art Club. And, as a senior, she won the "Senior Thesis Outstanding Visual Art Award" for her capstone project.
“In my 20 years at Wesleyan,” said Swift, “I’ve never encountered a student quite like Ja'lisa—so active in the community and professional in her approach to her artwork, while still an undergraduate. She is motivated, I would say driven, to be an artist. Not many students have that degree of passion, drive, work ethic and follow through to learn new techniques and produce work far beyond the parameters of an assignment.”
During her junior year at VWU, Yates applied, and was accepted, to exhibit one of her works in a Public Arts Commission Project in the Five Points Neighborhood of Norfolk. Her commitment to public art also resulted in two murals on display in the community: one in Norfolk’s Neon District and another in Virginia Beach’s Vibe District.
Professor of Art John Rudel served as teacher, mentor and advisor to Yates throughout her four years at Virginia Wesleyan.
“Ja'lisa was truly an outstanding student,” noted Rudel. “From very early on she assumed leadership roles in the Art Club, and as a teaching assistant. She was an ‘early adopter’ and leader in developing our virtual reality group, and she really did teach me a great deal.”
Rudel says that, as a student, Yates was ambitious about pursuing public art projects and was always eager to lead significant community service projects.
“Ja’lisa was a foundation of the art community for her entire time at VWU. It is terrific to see her continuing her work with this exhibition. She is destined for great things.”
Explore more of Yates' work on her website.