Graduation Spotlight: Emily Legg, Visualization
Engineering was the original career path for Emily Legg at Texas A&M. After seeing the website for the Visualization program, Legg’s path took a new turn.
“I had never thought I was artsy enough for a degree like Visualization,” the College Station native said. “But it seemed like a great opportunity to pivot my career towards something I was more passionate about while taking advantage of my previous experience as an engineering student.”
Legg, whose pronouns are they/them, earned an undergraduate degree in Visualization in May 2018, and is set to earn a Master of Fine Arts degree Friday. Legg was honored as a distinguished student in the School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts’ Graduation Recognition Ceremony on Wednesday.
“The school’s faculty and staff have been great to me,” they said. “I didn’t need an award to feel appreciated, but it is nice to have my efforts recognized.”
This year brought several successes, including recognition for Legg’s team in the Summer Industry Course. “Serendipity,” a time-based media project, earned Best in Show overall for Viz-a-GoGo in April. Legg’s sculpture piece “Lycosidae” was featured in the Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council’s 35th annual Juried Exhibition.
Legg was accepted to submit work in a solo Master of Fine Arts Exhibition, a collection of artwork based on a theme. Legg’s theme was queer sexuality and parasitism. Legg presented a research paper titled “Shades of Being” at the 36th annual Conference of the Society for Literature, Science and the Arts at Arizona State in October, and also received a $750 grant for travel costs.
“Among other achievements, it has all been overwhelming,” Legg said. “I am really proud of the technical skills my Summer Industry Course team was able to express in our animated short “Serendipity,” and I have a soft spot for my piece “Cotesia Glomerata” for really solidifying my creative research into parasites.”
Legg credited professors that guided success in this field of study, including Dr. Susanneh Bieber, associate professor; Dr. Dan Humphrey, professor; Dr. Courtney Starrett, associate professor and graduate program director in Visualization; and Caleb Kicklighter, instructional assistant professor.
Bieber encouraged Legg to think about visualization as it pertains to art history, Legg said. Starrett helped to explore different ways of creating, and Humphrey became a mentor and guided new thought processes, Legg said. Kicklighter offered insightful instruction that helped propel achievements outside the classroom, Legg said.
Post-graduation, Legg hopes to work as a college professor in Visualization.
“I have confidence in my abilities,” Legg said. “I like the idea of being allowed to do my own artwork while also mentoring young artists. My dream is to simply work at a university that allows me time for my creative research.”
Photo: Emily Legg was honored with a Distinguished Student Award at the School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts’ Graduation Recognition Ceremony. Dr. Susanneh Bieber, right, presented the award to Legg. Photo by Laura McKenzie, Texas A&M University Division of Marketing and Communications.
