Chelsea Rook’s photography selected for Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art

When she graduated from Southgate Anderson High School in 2017, Chelsea Rook was unsure of her career path.

“I decided to attend HFC because it allowed me to explore different options and was affordable. HFC not only focused on in-class education, but provided opportunities for me to gain experience, such as the Annual Student Art Exhibition,” explained Rook, of Southgate, who studied fine arts and photography at HFC.

Photography has always been one of Rook’s interests. She is currently studying fine art photography at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit. She has entered some of her work in the 2020 Juried Undergraduate Exhibition at the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art in St. Joseph, MO. HFC art instructor Karen Larson-Voltz encouraged Rook to enter this exhibition.

“After meeting with her to get her advice on application process, I submitted my entries. A few weeks later, I was thrilled to get an email from the museum saying that my work had been accepted into the exhibition,” recalled Rook.

HFC introduced her to different artistic media

According to Rook, her education at HFC prepared her well for transferring to CCS.

“The studio art courses helped me build a strong foundation for working in various artistic mediums,” said Rook.

She is grateful to Larson-Voltz, who has had a positive impact on her life.

“Apart from being an excellent teacher, she cares about her students and does everything she can to help us succeed. I definitely would not be where I am today if it weren't for her,” said Rook.

Larson-Voltz is proud of her former student, too.

“Chelsea’s experience at HFC played a foundational role in shaping her development,” she said. “Her work shows her intellectual and technical growth. She developed essential tools that have fueled her trajectory toward her goal to be a successful studio practitioner. I am proud to say that Chelsea was took full advantage of the unique and remarkable offerings of HFC’s Art and Design program. Students like Chelsea make teaching a delight.”