Emerson Frost '25

Can you talk about what brought you to Maine College of Art & Design? Did you know what you wanted to study? If not, how did you decide?

An admissions counselor from the College visited my high school art class and handed out pamphlets for the Pre-College program. I enrolled in Pre-College and it was a wonderful experience. The tight-knit community was a perfect fit for me, and Maine is amazing.

Following Pre-College, I enrolled in the BFA program and initially thought I would major in illustration or animation. But when I arrived, I took a ceramics class and fell in love with it, so I was torn between ceramics and illustration. I ended up choosing illustration, but I’ve still been able to take ceramic classes on the side.

How has the community you’ve found influenced your work?

I have made a group of the closest friends I've ever had. I am roommates with three of them, and it's so great to get feedback from them, compare our work, and give each other ideas. Besides my friend group, the Illustration faculty and my peers are wonderful. That's something I love about the Illustration department—you don’t get forced into a niche. We are encouraged to explore what we want to create along with the mediums and subjects that inspire us. The professors are uplifting and offer helpful critiques and constructive suggestions.

How does Portland and Maine influence your work?

I have done a lot of work referencing seabirds, specifically, which is something I've always loved. But being here and on the ocean and getting to see more of those birds in their marine environment has had a huge impact on my art. I walk around a lot and get tons of inspiration from Portland. It’s such a wonderful, creative city.

What opportunities have you had at the College that you believe would not have been possible elsewhere?

I got an internship through Artists at Work with Maine Audubon. I am mostly focused on scientific illustration and so far, I’ve illustrated a series of five loon paintings (featured in the Merit Show), and eight pieces featuring bugs. I'm currently working on pieces depicting native plants. It’s been a dream to work with an organization that I've known and loved my whole life, and I never would have had that opportunity without Artists at Work here at the College.

I hope to continue working with Maine Audubon after my internship ends as it's been such a wonderful experience and has allowed me to get out and about more because of it.

Aside from my internship, I also took a class last semester where we partnered with Maine Coast Heritage Trust. Recently, they held a fundraiser and I was able to show my paintings. Because of that, I'm participating in an exhibition at a community center — which is wild! Again, it’s because of my class, and the partnership with an outside organization, that provided these chances to create connections and share my work. This year specifically, my junior year, I’ve found a lot more opportunities. It’s been wild.

If you could choose one word to describe your time at Maine College of Art & Design, what would it be?

I'll just say inspiring. Especially this year, I have felt really connected to my choice of major. I feel like I'm making decisions and work that I like. I feel like I have more of a space that I'm comfortable with instead of previously when I wasn’t always sure what I was doing or if I was doing the right thing. I felt like I was kind of floating around, and now things feel more clear.

How have scholarships and financial aid facilitated your experience at Maine College of Art & Design?

I definitely wouldn't have been able to study here without scholarships. I applied to five different schools and [MECA&D] gave me the biggest scholarship, which was a big factor in my coming here.