In 2022, Clara Engel knew that it was time for her to be closer to home and study something she was passionate about. This led her to Eastern Michigan University where she is now a graduating senior, student teacher and recently published artist in the fine arts magazine, Cellar Roots.
Before coming to EMU, Engel attended the University of Toledo. She was a part of the medical program on that campus, where she studied in medical labs. The work helped her realize her passion was elsewhere; both education and art were too strong to continue with her major.
So, she made the switch.
“I wanted to move close to home," Engel said. "So, I decided I would like to commute to Eastern. I was talking to some of my friends, and they said, ‘don’t you like art,’ and I thought about it. I wanted to see what happened, so I ended up switching colleges and becoming a part of the College of Education."
Switching majors was eye-opening for Engel, whose home is in Manchester, Michigan. She said she wanted to commit to something she was happy with, and she found that immediately in her new classes at Eastern.
Her love for the program and EMU community put her on the right track to finding that spark in creating her art, Engel said.
Now, her classes vary from studios to education classrooms and the faculty in her program empowered her to continue following her dream.
“I feel like looking at art from the perspectives of other people in the field and having successful artists as professors made it an easy switch for me," Engel said. "A light bulb went off and I was like ‘this is what I need to be doing.’ I feel very secure in this environment."
Engel said she was always interested in the arts but had moved into other things. As she got older, though, her friends influenced her to try the craft again.
Though her passion was there, the support from others was important to making the switch to Eastern, she said.
Being at EMU offered Engel a new perspective on how artists can be successful.
Her current focus is in two areas, oil painting and ceramics, though she explores all types of art. As a student teacher, she has the freedom to test different forms and mediums.
“Part of being an artist is experimenting all the time," Engel said. "I know a lot about the various types of mediums but for me as an artist, separate from my educational identity, I enjoy painting and ceramics."
She found out about the university's fine arts magazine, Cellar Roots, by word of mouth after hearing about different opportunities in her studio classes. Once she realized most of her friends were applying, she figured it was something she should do as well. The student-operated magazine's staff published the 51st edition of Cellar Roots in March.
The artwork she chose to submit involved several pieces that fueled pride in her own work. She said she knew she could submit them as a set. She wanted other people to see them and reflect on the art she created.
That work included a 2D piece titled "Mother Nature" that was created using watercolor and acrylic paint. The piece was created with assistance from one of her professors, Michael Reedy.
This piece was selected to be the cover of the Cellar Roots magazine for 2025.
“I created this in one of my classes and we were asked to match different pieces of the body or put multiple figures in a space," Engel said. "I go to work from the live model and once I began sketching, I was able to add my own touches."
She said she likes to represent nature in her artwork, and she uses references to help her properly express her message.
“Representing different flowers, leaves and plants in my artwork are my own little touches," Engel said. "I knew that I wanted that to be what bridged everything together."
The other piece she submitted is a set of ink drawings created through a technique called pointillism. The process involves using small but distinct dots of color or paint that when viewed from a distance blend together. It's also called stippling.
The focus Engel put in these pieces also involved plant life: the connection between nature and humans and the shared experiences they have.
“Our energies are very similar, and I like the way that human life interacts with plant life," Engel said. "I love the integration of the two, so I knew I wanted to represent both of those things together."
Her creative process typically begins with a sketch, Engel said. As she works with the medium, she makes changes. She said she enjoys having creative direction over her work and likes to keep what she’s creating new and fresh.
She worked on the pieces submitted for the magazine for about six hours at a time and it took three sessions to complete them.
For her last semester at EMU, Engel served as a student teacher. She said her time in the classroom allowed her to experiment and inspire a new generation of artists. She said she is invested in making her students better and shining a light on their talent.
“I really enjoy being in the classroom and it inspires me as an artist to see what the younger generations are thinking," Engel said. "I feel like my inspiration to teach was just based off the fact that I love shared knowledge. I love the idea of learning."
Engel wants her art to spark people’s curiosity and make them wonder. When she creates, she said, she hopes people can make that personal connection to her work and ask themselves what’s happening?
Engel plans to become an art educator and wants to help bring out the artistic side of her students. She said she learned many lessons from her own students that hopes to take those into her future classrooms.
"You have to adapt and think on your feet," Engel said. "When I create something and mess up, the purpose is to try again, not to stop everything. Things are going to come up in the classroom and that’s why it’s important to have the ability to adapt and change things as necessary."
The Eastern Michigan University Student Media team released the 51st edition of Cellar Roots in March. The team hosted a launch party for the magazine and an opening night reception for a gallery exhibit of the works included on April 3 at the Student Media Center. The exhibit was on display through the end of April.
Visit the Cellar Roots website for more information.
