This story is part of a series highlighting the university’s outstanding graduates crossing the stage on May 16.
A life in art was never a far-off dream for Arwen Addison. She grew up in a creative environment, shaped in part by her mother’s artistic influence and the example she set as Addison began to imagine what a life in the arts could look like.
“I actually found my fifth-grade yearbook, and under my picture I wrote that I wanted to be an artist,” she said. “There were times I explored other things, but I always came back to it.”
Now a senior in the Honors College at UT San Antonio, Addison is preparing to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts, double majoring in art and modern language studies in Japanese. Scholarship support has given her the time and freedom to deepen her practice, explore new mediums and begin building a professional future in the arts.
During her time at UT San Antonio, Addison has received multiple scholarship awards, including the Distinguished Presidential Scholarship and the James Avery Artisan Jewelry Scholarship, along with federal and state aid. That support eased the financial pressure of college and gave her more room to focus on her studies and creative work.
“My scholarships really helped ease the burden of pursuing a degree,” she said. “For most of my time in college, I was able to just be a full-time student. That gave me the time to focus on my studies and develop my craft.”
That time has opened space for experimentation across disciplines. At UT San Antonio, Addison has worked in drawing, digital design, sculpture, sewing, embroidery and printmaking. She also expanded into blacksmithing through a summer fellowship that took her to Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Maine in June 2025.
There, she spent two weeks in an intensive session and studied blacksmithing with artist Elizabeth Brim. After returning to campus, she shared reflections on the experience in a Residency Artist Talk with peers and faculty in the School of Art.
“I don’t really stick to one thing,” she said. “I like leaving myself open to different ways of creating.”
Her willingness to explore has already led to early opportunities beyond the classroom. In Fall 2025, Addison sold some of her printmaking work at local art shows, including First Friday at Brick at Blue Star Arts Complex and the Fire and Water Student Art Showcase.
That curiosity also informs the themes she returns to in her work. Addison often engages with womanhood, history and perspective, creating pieces that invite viewers to consider experiences beyond their own.
“Some of my pieces are meant to help people experience a perspective they may not have considered before,” she said. “I want them to think about someone else’s experience in a different way.”
Her studies in Japanese have also shaped the direction of her artistic life. Through that coursework, she has drawn inspiration from Japanese art, art history and women’s history in Japan. After graduation, she hopes to teach English in Japan while continuing to make art and build connections within creative communities.
Alongside her academic work, Addison is already gaining professional experience. She is currently assisting San Antonio artist Cristina Sosa Noriega on a public mural at Milam Park, applying what she has learned at UT San Antonio in a real-world setting.
After a professor helped introduce her to Noriega for an informational interview, Addison offered her assistance with the mural project and turned that conversation into hands-on experience.
“I’ve had so many experiences and interactions with professors and professionals through UT San Antonio,” she said. “That kind of exposure is really valuable, and it’s something you can’t fully get outside of a university environment.”
Last month, Addison supported her mother, Rachel Dory, who is a professional artist, at the 2026 UT San Antonio Fiesta Arts Fair, as she exhibits and sells her work.
As she prepares to graduate, Addison is stepping into that future with a stronger sense of confidence, shaped by years of artistic curiosity and the support that gave her time to grow.
“It’s not a secret that it can be difficult to create a living in the arts,” she said. “Art is subjective, and not everyone is going to respond to what you make. But there are people who will appreciate it. You have to find those communities, keep improving and keep going.”
