Major: Illustration, ’22

Artist Statement: “Hi! I’m Catherine Wray, I’m from Brooklyn, NY, and I’m an illustration student. I’m a lifelong fan of the animation of Hayao Miyazaki and in many ways my artistic expression is an extension of the texture of the emotions conveyed by his work. The simple, comforting pastoral scenes that fill movies like My Neighbor Totoro and Howl’s Moving Castle strike a chord with a sense of inner peace that I gravitate toward in a world filled with stress. I seek to lend that calmness to others through my art, through images which are filled with gentle happiness.”