Connected to artistic lineage

 Interdisciplinary artist and painter, and ADF Fellow, Isabel Haro '24 was nervous about spending a summer at the Art Students League of New York. Her experience was revelatory. 

By Isabel Haro '24
ADF Guest Blogger

Isabel Haro ’24, a resident of Dudley Community concentrating in Art, Film, and Visual Studies with a secondary in Music, was awarded an OFA Artist Development Fellowship to create a series of abstract paintings exploring spiritual thought in the Buddhist tradition, while also taking courses at the Art Students League, studying sumi-e painting, and conducting research at the Rubin Museum of Art. Her painting thesis for the AFVS department investigates love and intimate relationships through the Buddhist lens. Haro works as a Ho Family student guide at the Harvard Art Museums and a studio arts proctor for the Harvard First-Year Arts Program. She previously worked as a research partner at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study with New Renaissance Artist Elizabeth A. Baker. Haro is also a musician and composer, and her most recent piece will be premiered by the collective Lovemusic in a concert organized by the Harvard Group for New Music.

I was extremely nervous the first time I walked into the Art Students League of New York. I struggle a lot with insecurity when it comes to art. I want, more than anything in the world, to be a strong artist – to make work that is visually impactful and emotionally meaningful. Walking into an institution filled with aspiring artists was intimidating, especially since I have not had a lot of formal training before. 

I was deeply grateful to quickly find that there was no reason for me to be scared. When I walked into class, my teachers and monitors welcomed me warmly, explained how the class worked, and immediately offered their wisdom on how to improve my work. My classmates introduced themselves to me and expressed their excitement that I was joining their community. What I appreciated most, however, was that there was a sense in the air that we were all there to learn – we weren’t competing, we weren’t isolated from each other, and we weren’t even making art, really, most of the time. We were learning and practicing, experimenting with new ideas and methods, and getting to know our materials. I felt free to ask questions and make mistakes, supported by the community, and inspired by the work around me. 

I chose the Art Students League as my place of study for the summer for several reasons – one of them being that, by disposition, I care a lot about history and artistic lineage. The feeling of being connected with a greater history of artists that aimed for the same things I desire is hugely motivating for me, and the League is a place where several iconic artists studied, and several iconic teachers have taught. It has also always been important to me to have a strong bond with my teachers – I feel that, because of my nature, I learn and grow most when I have guidance, rather than on my own. I’ve always been profoundly grateful for the generous and devoted teachers that have believed in me and helped me work towards fulfilling my potential. These feelings of connection and mentorship are what I was seeking when I embarked on my Artist Development Fellowship. 

And thankfully, after a summer at the League, I have several more teachers to add to my gratitude list. I feel more connected than ever before to the history of artists that have come before me, having gotten to learn with teachers that studied under artists like Hans Hofmann and Tony Smith. I grew immensely in so many areas of artistic expression, some of which I had never even practiced before. I learned to be disciplined, intelligent, and humble in how I approach art. 

My experience at the League was invaluable. I feel equipped with an endless amount of new tools as I prepare to finish my thesis and apply to grad school, and most importantly, I feel inspired to keep moving forward.