From COVID Lockdown to NYC... Kate Driscoll's Postgrad Story!
Thank you all so much for following along in our journey and for your support on last week’s newsletter with Harmony Heslop. This week, we are talking with another Class of 2020 grad, who had an unusual start to her post-Sewanee life. We are so excited to chat with Kate Driscoll today!
Did you have any internships during your time at Sewanee? If so, what were they?
“Between the summer of my sophomore year and junior year, I interned at the Palmer Museum of Art at Penn State, near where I am from.
“For the next summer, I was torn between doing an art history-type of gallery internship and something different. I ended up interning at Tibi, a women’s clothing brand, in public relations.”
What made you decide to major in Art History?
“When I toured Sewanee I basically knew I wanted to study art history. I took AP art history in high school. I knew I had my heart set on art from the get-go. I'm a planner, and I already loved the subject, so it was easy to declare. I started taking classes my first semester at Sewanee and it did not take me long to decide that is what I wanted to study."
What was your favorite art history course you took at Sewanee?
“Definitely Pop Art with Dr. Thompson. It introduced me to a whole new world of art history. It really challenged my idea of what was included in the Art Historical realm. It was nice to see something that wasn’t Renaissance or Impressionist.
“I loved learning about ready-mades and the way that art in that era was so impacted by industry in the U.S and across the world. It's interesting to see the lasting effects of the pop art era all over New York, from street art to sculpture.”
Where did you go after graduating? What’s your story postgrad?
“My post-grad story is definitely different than what I was expecting since COVID hit towards the end of my senior year.
“I knew I wanted to work in the fashion realm, so I took a position at Hampden, a women's clothing store in Charleston, where I started as a personal stylist. Eventually, I worked in the buying office, and then on the marketing team, where I took more of a copyright and social media role. At that point, I learned that writing through a marketing lens was more of what I liked!
“Then I left in April of this year and moved to New York. I started a job at Cara Cara, a women's contemporary clothing brand, where I currently work. At Cara Cara, I focus on advertising and media marketing. It's so funny, the company is fairly small, and there are 3 former Art History majors in my office. It's really interesting to see how many art history majors go into fashion. I think it's because you really learn how to describe what you're seeing, and how people are affected by what they see. I feel like fashion, and more importantly, style is a reflection of how people interpret art and design in many ways. It's also so reflective of the period and mood of the moment. The industry is often affected by works of art, and vice versa.
“I also feel like fashion is so reflective of the period and the mood of the time. Fashion can be portrayed in works of art and then moved into the industry.”
If you had to give one piece of advice to your college self, what would it be?
“Probably, as it pertains to majors, I’d be a little bit more intuitive in what exactly you are studying. If you’re studying something you love, you can find a way to translate that into something post-grad.
“I would also be thinking in the back of my mind about different skills I want to hone in on. Everyone is on their own track, so do what feels best for you. Follow your own course. Everyone is going to do a track that fits best for them.”
What’s your favorite museum/ gallery/ exhibit/ work of art you’ve seen recently?
“I saw The Ambassadors by Hans Holbein in London this summer at the National Gallery. My favorite part is the vivid detail of the fur one of the ambassadors is wearing in the portrait. It has such a visceral effect. It was always one of my favorites from Dr. Clark’s Flemish Art Class.”
How has your art history major helped you in your daily life?
“I really think it made me a more descriptive person, in work and in life! One of my strong suits is certainly writing, and the way that I can be extremely descriptive with words has certainly helped me in my work thus far. I definitely realized that writing is such a crucial skill. Looking back, I feel like Art History really challenged me in the best way.”
Thank you so much, Kate Driscoll for sharing post-Sewanee experiences. It is always a pleasure to chat with you! Don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like to hear more about Kate. Be on the lookout for our newsletter next week with Grace West (C’14).
–Sewanee Art History Department