The artistic pursuits of Annika Wyatt ’26 had admittedly humble beginnings.
“My mom is a graphic designer, but I was never pushed too much one way or another,” she says. “But when I was around 8 years old, I found her old supplies and got super into drawing. At the time, I would draw for hours while watching TV.”
As she grew, Wyatt delved deeper into the exploration of her identity as an artist. Now, her work has evolved into a more distinct expression of her own creative vision and interests.
“Over my years as an art student, I've done basically every type of art, but my favorite is fashion illustration art in ink,” she says. “A lot of my work is inspired by the colors and patterns from various insects. I love to look at insects' small world and transfer it into something fantastical, yet possible in our reality.”
Annika Wyatt '26 draws a lot of inspiration from the colors and patterns of various insects for her art.
As Wyatt’s passion for art grew, so too did her desire to pursue it as a field of study. Her first visit to Trinity University helped to confirm this idea, thanks in part to her discovery of the Baker Duncan Art Scholarship.
“My family had set up a tour of the art building so I could see the facilities. During that tour, Dr. Kate Ritson casually mentioned the scholarship and it immediately piqued my interest,” Wyatt says.
The highly competitive, merit-based, and renewable scholarship awards up to $10,000 to incoming first-year students who are interested in pursuing a major in studio art. Wyatt immediately utilized its advantages when she arrived at Trinity.
“As a first-year, it can be quite difficult to get into art classes due to their popularity. But when I emailed professors asking to join their courses mentioning the scholarship, they would very quickly let me in. Many professors even noted they save spots for those students,” she says.
Furthermore, the financial aspect of the scholarship has allowed Wyatt to freely pursue her craft.
“Unlike most classes on campus, art classes have significant studio and supply fees, so the scholarship has allowed me to rest easy knowing that I'll have the money to cover all my costs,” she says.
Although her style hasn’t changed much since she began her collegiate career, Wyatt notes that her artistic execution has been greatly refined.
“At Trinity, I've been pushed to develop my technical skills and get out of my comfort zone. Art classes are hard, but my art and understanding of light, space, and anatomy have improved rapidly,” she says.
Wyatt has every intention to continue her pursuits upon graduation. For her, a career as an independent artist is a very realistic goal.
“Right now, I'm working as a graphic designer for TU Press, and in the future, I hope to continue in that line of work. To me, graphic design feels stable, so I want to use it as a leverage point and slowly grow my personal artwork as a side business until it's sustainable enough that I can commit to it full time,” she says.
As Wyatt reflects on her artistic journey and the opportunities that have shaped her path, she encourages any future Trinity artists who might benefit from the Baker Duncan program to believe in themselves and practice perseverance.
“It's easy to doubt your artwork and think that you aren't good enough, or your portfolio isn't cohesive enough, but apply anyways,” she says. “If art is your passion, lean into it, and don't let self-imposed judgment stop you from pursuing your dreams!”
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