Student Stories: Tiffani Thompson

We recently had the pleasure of catching up with the exceptional Tiffani Thompson, who is about to enter her final year in our MFA program in Photography & Image-Making. It was a wonderful opportunity to discuss her artistic journey and hear how PCA has contributed to her growth as an artist.

In our conversation, Tiffani shared insights into her creative process and the evolution of her artistic voice. She highlighted how the supportive and dynamic environment at PCA has played a crucial role in her development. The collaborative projects, access to cutting-edge technology, and guidance from experienced faculty have all contributed to her artistic growth.

“I have been an artist for as long as I can remember – painting, drawing, and holding a camera in my hands. My parents prioritized  fostering their children’s creativity from the start, and I thank them every day for this gift they gave me. I became more experimental in mediums as I entered my teenage years – at the same time that my mental health really declined. I found that my art practice was an escape, and eventually became a language to share what I cannot say with words – either I am too shy or it’s emotionally/physically painful. Struggles with my mental health and chronic illness made me dwell on the smaller moments of life that I enjoy and find solace in. Because of this, I often chose to capture, reflect, and recreate these moments in my own work.

I am an empath, so my emotions are what drives me as a person as well as creatively. It is directly influential on my body of work, with each piece having a deep connection to the different moments or people in my life: either how I connected to that time period or how my connection to it has shifted with time. I enjoy seeing how I conceptualize the ideas and how my work reflects these emotions that I feel so deeply. Within my artistic practice, I work to approach these feelings that I convey with tenderness, as it’s how I aspire to approach my life.

I chose to continue my practice as an MFA Photography & Image Making student because I had a desire to return to a cohort of like-minded creatives and challenge my practice to grow further. Currently, I am working on more installation-styled artworks and focusing on interweaving my film photography with the cyanotype process, experimenting with new techniques and materials.”

To see more of Tiffani’s work, check out her Instagram!