One Man’s Trash Is Ciaran Freeman’s Masterpiece
This student artist upcycles discarded materials at the prestigious Artist in Residence Program at Recology SF. Ciaran is just one example of the experiential learning, internships, and community contributions made possible by the Day of Giving.
What makes a man an artist? His thoughts, emotions, or the brush strokes that carry his dreams? For student artist Ciaran Freeman ’18, his sense of identity defines his pathway and artistry.
People’s perceptions of Ciaran are varied: the man who was accepted by the Recology Artist in Residence Program and put up an excellent exhibition in San Francisco last week; the senior a breath away from graduation; an Assistant Residence Director at Santa Clara University. Ciaran himself deems these titles and achievements only points on a trajectory toward his true identity: an artist. He remarked, “Though I am a man with many hats, I just want people to see my art as what it is.”
Ciaran heard about Recology through an SCU Art Department speaker series event in the de Saisset Museum, which relayed valuable professional information as well as internship opportunities to fit student needs and personalities. The prestigious Recology Artist in Residence program is aimed at fostering artists who are innovative in their use of recycled materials and their commitment to sustainable culture; it was one of the earliest art educational programs that encouraged artists to forge greatness out of recycled materials. From the 1990s to the present day, over 120 professional artists and 30 students have completed the program.
“I am really grateful for all the opportunities SCU has prepared me for,” Ciaran says. In the Jesuit tradition, one is called to pursue the asymptotic knowledge of truth and solve daily conflicts from within. Ciaran credits the sense of wonder lying at the core of Jesuit beliefs for encouraging his path of continuously challenging and discovering his own identity.
“The College of Arts and Sciences definitely provided me all the bridges toward the opportunities and gave me the tools to establish the time, space, and aspirations that initiated my creative spark,” he says. “I found our Jesuit values astoundingly useful!”