Where Are They Now? Past Scholarship Recipients
Each spring, Jordan River Arts Council (JRAC) hosts an annual exhibit featuring the work of high school students; the gallery space teems with the vivid creativity of the region’s up-and-coming imaginative minds. In tandem with this exhibiting experience, students can apply for one of five JRAC art scholarships to help support their secondary education art aspirations.
Recently, JRAC caught up with two previous student scholarship recipients—Annaliese Voci and Jay Fazio—to see where their art has taken them.
Charlevoix High School graduate Annaliese Voci received her scholarship in 2014, an award that made a big difference along her educational and artistic path.
“The scholarship definitely helped with my journey—both financially and creatively,” said Annaliese. “I hadn’t really thought I could get a scholarship for my art, so that was validating. The scholarship I received from JRAC gave me the opportunity to broaden my search for colleges I’d not considered.”
With encouragement from her community, Annaliese eased her anxiety about selecting an artistic medium. She discovered that she didn’t have to commit to just one medium—this educational experience was also about exploration.
“When I was young, I thought I was supposed to pick a type of art to do and do that art forever. Attending an art-focused school helped me realize there is so much to explore and learn,” added Annaliese.
For a time, Annaliese thought she wanted to be a fashion designer, but participation in her high school’s drama group introduced her to the art of theatrical design, which she studied, with an emphasis on costume design, while attending college in Chicago. One of Annaliese’s first professional jobs was a Wardrobe Dresser position at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, where she worked backstage and handled costume changes.
Currently, Annaliese works as a stylist at a theatrical costume rental company, putting together rental orders for shows like Spamalot, Romeo and Juliet, and The Music Man. She also freelances as a stitcher and Wardrobe Technician around Chicago.
“I’ve had the chance to work with so many talented performers and artists, and this kind of work has helped me come out of my shell, in addition to doing exciting work that is creative and challenging. I love working in theatrical costuming because I’m telling stories through my art.”
East Jordan High School graduate Jay Fazio was a scholarship recipient in 2022, and they also tell stories through their art as a set designer in training.
Jay tackles themes of gender, family dynamics, and hyperspecific feelings and scenarios in their art, exploring new mediums and approaches to artistic creation.
“I’m doing things now that I never would’ve considered while I was in high school,” said Jay. “I’ve started to make films and sculptures, and I’ve even experimented with drag and writing character monologues and other performance methods. School has encouraged me to open myself up to many new mediums.”
As a scholarship recipient, Jay felt honored to be recognized for their work: “I feel like it’s really easy to be skeptical when someone says, ‘I’m going to be an artist.’ So, people seeing my art and getting excited and wanting to see more of it in the world and to go so far as to support me financially is huge.”
Their current art practice requires much exploration and interpretation: lots of thinking and talking through ideas and brainstorming, researching, sketching, creating storyboards, attempting the work, and reevaluating when necessary. Jay spends a lot of their time collaborating with others on films, contributing their ideas for set design.
“My favorite thing about set design is that the environments and props tell a story. It’s all in the tiny details, and I love portraying energy through objects. Film is one of the most exhausting mediums I’ve ever worked in, but at the end of the day, all of the work is worth it because the product is always a fascinating story. It’s one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done.”
Jay hopes to establish a career in set or prop design, and has their sights set on an internship with the Detroit Theater for the summer of 2025, where they would create props for productions.
JRAC’s student exhibition and scholarship opportunities powerfully impacted Annaliese and Jay's lives, and we can’t wait to see what else their creativity brings to life.