Compiled by Alyssa Long

Artistic talent flourishes at UC Santa Barbara, and it is certainly not limited to the Art Department. The following Student Spotlight videos, produced by Writing Program students, feature three UCSB artists who express their academic interests and personalities through their creative endeavors. For more Humanities and Fine Arts video content, please subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Bela Lafferty, a UC Santa Barbara student majoring in sociology and minoring in art and Portuguese, explains how she expresses herself through environmentally-conscious creative projects. Video produced by Fabiola Esqueda.

Sylvia Friend, a UC Santa Barbara film and media studies major and Black studies minor, describes the musical, social, and political themes that influence her paintings. Video produced by Tatiana Karme.

Sophia Rowen, a fourth-year student at UC Santa Barbara double-majoring in psychology and art history, shares her creative inspiration for her jewelry business: Art for Your Ears. Inspired by the cultural artwork from her art history classes, Sophia crafts colorful, one-of-a-kind earrings out of clay. Video produced by Justine Betti.