Twin sisters Giselle and Jessica Perez have been inseparable for their entire lives. Among their many likenesses, the two attend Miami Dade College’s (MDC) Kendall Campus where they are both majoring in art and art education.
This summer, the 22-year-olds will embark on another like journey, as both recently were awarded scholarships to attend two-week summer sessions at the prestigious Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina.
“Ever since I was very young I knew I wanted to study art because I was motivated by the friendly competition I had with my sister,” said Jessica, who along with Giselle, enjoys a range of visual art forms and crafts, including sculpture, ceramics, metalsmithing, jewelry making and drawing.
“When I heard that I won the scholarship I was truly excited, as it is my chance to explore a different place and step out of my comfort zone,” Giselle said.
The $3,000 scholarships, provided to the campus’ Arts and Philosophy Department by an anonymous donor, pay for registration fees, tuition, housing, transportation, meals, and supplies. The Penland courses cover a range of art forms and mixedmedia, including books, paper weaving, clay, drawing, painting, glass, iron, metals and photography.
The sisters enrolled at MDC’s Kendall Campus for its extensive selection of art classes. They expect to graduate in the spring of 2015 and go on to earn their bachelor’s degrees from art schools.
“Jessica and Giselle truly are a shining example of our student body. I can’t think of any other students who are more deserving of the Penland scholarship,” said Yomarie Silva-O’Neal, Kendall Campus 3- D and sculpture professor. “We are all really excited for them and can’t wait to see the impact that this opportunity will have on their work and their studies.”
For information, contact Dr. Amy Lund at alund@mdc.edu or 305-237-2661.
