MCA Stories: Grace Siler
Grace Siler
BFA in Illustration, 2020
What do you hope to focus on in your career?
I have a job offer in Brooklyn and was going to start this summer, although that may be delayed a few months now. For the meantime I will be spending some time at home in New Mexico. In my career, I want to continue developing my business and designing fabric for men’s and women’s accessories. I’d love to go beyond just accessories and start selling clothing items. I made a collection of five outfits for Memphis Fashion Week with my fabric designs, so that makes me want to offer clothing even more. Right now I sell online but want to be in local shops and eventually larger stores.
What was a memorable experience you had at MCA?
One of my favorite memories was having crawfish boils. Not being from this area, it’s something I had never eaten before but loved it. It was nice to hang out with students and teachers in a casual setting too. MCA also did a great job getting really interesting professional artists to come in and speak. They were people working in our fields and we could learn a lot from them.
What does MCA mean to you?
MCA is like a second home to me. I love how many people around Memphis and out of state I have met through them. MCA was a place where I was really able to explore my interests and develop them. As a student, you had a lot of one on one time with professors and everyone knew each other’s name. It was where I really discovered what I enjoyed doing and made some amazing friendships.
What do you think MCA’s legacy will be?
I think it means we’re part of Memphis’s history. This school started in the James Lee House and then moved into Rust Hall, another really beautiful building, which is just awesome in itself. Both of those places have historical meaning to Memphis, and it’s because of MCA that made them so. So many people in the community are connected to MCA that it really means a lot to a lot of people. I think MCA will be remembered as a great art outlet with a unique connection to the community that not many other schools have.
