“Linaje” is part of López’s series “Nos Vemos Un Día,” an exploration of memory, time and the transformative power of human connection. It is one of three pieces López is exhibiting in the Department of Art and Design’s Annual Undergraduate Juried Exhibition.
“I went from being this person who would go out and be bouncing everywhere to spending all my time in the art building,” she said.
Brinley offered perspective that helped her get back to herself.
“He called me a groundhog,” López said. “He said I needed to get my head out of my little hole and go outside and talk to people again.”
López said she’ll carry that lesson with her after graduation. Art can be a solitary field, and although she loves her work, she is determined to find balance in life and not just paint 24 hours a day, just one of many ways her time at UD has helped her grow.
“Without the encouragement of the faculty members and fellow peers I have met here, I wouldn’t have ever had the courage to experiment, put myself out there and ultimately have a voice with my work,” she said.
The Blue Hen difference
Coming to UD was primarily a financial choice for López, but now that she is finishing her degree, she knows it was the right choice for many reasons.
“I’m happy that I did so much here, like meeting people outside my major,” she said. “I’m so glad I chose UD because there are so many different people with so many life experiences and directions they want to take.”
She has been an ambassador for UD’s Decision Days, and when she talks to prospective and incoming students, she remembers what she learned from Brinley about getting out and experiencing as much as possible.
“It’s easy to make friends in your department, but you don’t know who is going to be your friend for the next four years,” she said. “So that’s what I tell anybody. Make friends, talk to people, go to events.”
López received honorable mention for the 2025 Lynn Herrick Sharp Award, given to three fine arts students each year in collaboration with The Delaware Contemporary art center.
López, fellow honorable mention recipient Allison Miller and award recipient Angelina McFall will participate in the Lynn Herrick Sharp Award Exhibition at The Delaware Contemporary May 2-June 1, 2025.
Her work is also on view at the Annual Undergraduate Juried Exhibition, “Revealed,” through April 24 in Taylor Hall Gallery.
