Bryce Walker

Art

An outstanding photographer, Bryce is an example of one of UC Santa Cruz's talented, dedicated student artists. In his senior year, the hard work that he has put in over the last two years has culminated in his being named a 2009 Irwin Scholar, the most prestigious art award for UCSC students.

"I was speechless when I got the scholarship," Bryce says. "I was living in a dream for about a week. It was also incredibly motivating. I felt that what I've been putting my heart and soul into for years was finally all coming together."

The Irwin Scholarship is a faculty-awarded recognition in which the winners receive a $2,500 scholarship and a chance to show their work in an exhibition at the Mary Porter Sesnon Gallery on campus. Bryce's exhibit, shown in the background of this photo, is a documentary-style study of his family now that both he and his brother have left home for college (his brother is a freshman at UC Berkeley). He uses medium format film, which produces a large negative (24 by 24 inches) with more detail. "The work is portraiture, but through a raw observational standpoint, like from the point of view of a ghost walking through the house," Bryce says.

Bryce has found much to inspire him in the Art Department. "The art world is shifting to focus more on the social impact of the work, and UCSC is on the forefront of this movement," Bryce says. "The faculty is also very attuned to the students -- they really want to cultivate the students and contribute to their success. At the same time, they challenge us to think about what impact our work is having on the world. It's not just about making pretty pictures.

"The major is rigorous – it's very hard to get an A in the Art Department," Bryce says. "I'm working on campus sometimes 14, 16 hours a day, but I don't even notice it because I love it."

Bryce was born in Seattle but grew up in Concord, California. After graduating from high school, he decided to attend Diablo Valley College, even though he was accepted to UCSC and UC Santa Barbara. "I wasn't ready mentally or financially to tackle the university environment right away," Bryce says. "The media tell us to go straight into a four-year school, but I think it's important for anyone going into a university to have a good idea of who you are, how you can balance out your obligations, etc."

When it came time to transfer, "UCSC was an easy choice for me," says Bryce. "I had been in the area and thought it was beautiful. I also like the UCSC mentality. At other universities, it's all about image and the front that you put on. Santa Cruz students are real, genuine. They have their heads on straight."

Bryce's graduation will be an important milestone for his family, since he and his brother will represent the first generation in their family to graduate from a four-year university. After graduation, he plans to live at home for a year or two and work while developing his portfolio, and then apply for a Master of Fine Arts program on the East Coast. "Fine arts schools want experienced students aged about 25 to 30," says Bryce, who is 22 now.

Looking back on his two years at UCSC, Bryce remarks on how the experience has matured him: "I've grown immensely," he says. "College is great – it gives you the opportunity to make so many connections and friends and develop your ideas and sense of self. Now I feel motivated and ready to tackle the world."