Artists are often understood through their work rather than who they are. The finished piece becomes the public-facing version of the self, while the artist behind it remains unseen.
Between these two selves exists an alter ego, where identity can be exaggerated, softened, or stripped back entirely. Fashion becomes one of the most visible ways artists negotiate that shift.
Frankie Richter, a third-year studio art major, works across sculpture, painting, printmaking, and tattooing. “Clothing is simply another medium for me,” she states over text. “Makeup too! And boy oh boy do I wear a lot of jewelry. I love to sparkle and jingle and be eccentric and fun.” Her body becomes an extension of the studio. She describes herself as a “living canvas,” saying, “I get to be the artist and the art.”
Inspired by “music, nature, garbage, tattoos, historical art, politics,” Richter’s style expands alongside her creative world. While her artistic and everyday selves are connected, “the version of myself who creates is a little less timid and more outspoken.”
Similarly, Annie Carlson, a third-year studio art major focusing on sculpture and painting, sees her artist persona as an extension rather than a disguise. “It lets me express feelings I have in a visual way that is cathartic,” she says. Her love of collage mirrors her wardrobe: “Thrifting feels similar to collage to me because I am taking clothes from different places and putting them together in a new way that feels like me.”
In contrast, studio art professor Michael Boonstra rejects the idea of an alter ego. “What you see is what you get,” he explains, describing his consistent uniform of jeans and flannels. For him, fashion removes distraction and supports the work.
Together, these perspectives show that the artist’s alter ego is fluid, but always shaped by fashion. As Richter reflects, “I get to explore sides of myself that I otherwise wouldn’t know if I wasn’t creating, and that has massively changed who I am and how I present myself.” In that space, identity expands. “I love who I am when I’m creating. I love being an artist.”
