Paulina Hernandez has been studying at BC since 2004; she has an AA in Animations and Graphics, and is trying to earn a second degree in Education. Her passion is art, with anime being her strongest approach.
She first found her passion for art when she was around four years old. When visiting her father’s office in Mexico, she would entertain herself by borrowing markers and drawing caricatures like Mickey Mouse and the Little Mermaid.
What was once a source of entertainment soon became a source of survival and ambition. Hernandez was diagnosed with Leukemia at the age of two, going through chemotherapy did not allow her to grow up like any other child would, and so she found the courage to keep on living by designing caricatures.
Ever since she was a girl, Hernandez wanted to take Art classes but hardly any schools in Mexico offer art classes, and it was not until she moved to the United States that she was able to learn more about art.
Today, Hernandez dreams of working with Disney or Pixar and becoming an Arts teacher with the hope of motivating young children to excel in art and make their dreams come true regardless of the challenges along the way.
Here is an exclusive interview with Hernandez.
1. Who/what inspires you to do your best in art?
My dad was the first one to inspire me because when he was young, he wanted to be a cartoonist but in Mexico the only cartoon art you can do is decorating commercial trucks, so when he told that I had the chance of making this dream come true, I decided to take advantage of my skills and the opportunity of being here in this country, where art is a very important part of life.
The second person who inspired me was my first arts teacher here in the United States, Helen Palmer. In addition, Ron Taplin, Kathy Colasurdo and Sayumi Irei have been my advisors and mentors here at BC and thanks to their support and their mentoring, I’ve been able to find scholarships and help to continue my education. I am very grateful for them and they are very important in my life.
2. How many years have you been into art?
I’ve been focusing in art since I was four years old, since I could ever hold a pencil. I was diagnosed with Leukemia when I was about two years old and focusing on art made me distract myself from all the chemotherapies and things like that.
3. You already have an AA in Animations and Graphics, what other main goals do you have?
If I could I would love to become an Art teacher and not just for my own sake but to inspire young children to become more involved in art. I want to help students understand that art is a cultural experience, that there are many cultures expressed in art and that it is important to accept other ways of art as an expression about life
4. Have you received any recognition for your work?
In 2004 I won a BCC Reads Scholarship, my entrance was a painting based on a book “When the Emperor was Devine.” In middle school I was also awarded with a few art pins.
