Joining Creative Passions

With financial support from RISD, Xiomara Españais pursuing a future in publishing.

Xiomara España 20 GD grew up in an immigrant household in Los Angeles and is thankful for her Mexican and Argentinian heritage, which enriched her life with multiple languages, cuisines and cultural influences. Her father was a photographer before becoming a producer and filmmaker, and it was he who introduced her to the visual language of images. He gave her a camera when she was eleven years old, and from there she began to build her creative practice through a range of art classes. “I discovered graphic design and found that my love for language and words could be applied to image,” she explains.

Recipient of the Malcolm Grear Endowed Scholarship

“I knew I wanted to study graphic design in college. I did my research and found that if I wanted to get the best education in graphic design, I needed to attend RISD,” recalls España. “RISD not only has made me a better designer technically, but it also has changed the way I think and look at the world. It is as if I was in the dark before, but now every logo and every book can captivate me for hours. I am mesmerized by all the little details and now immersed in RISD’s community that lives and breathes design—sometimes quite literally.”

España also pursues her passion for publishing and her interest in intersectional feminism outside of the classroom. She serves as president of the RISD Feminist club, which just published its first zine, an endeavor they hope will become an annual publication. It has been added to the Fleet Library in RISD’s growing zine archive.

España is grateful to receive the Malcolm Grear EndowedScholarship, which makes attending RISD possible for her.“RISD tuition is expensive, and studying across the countryis an added cost. The scholarship lessens the daily stress Iwould otherwise feel.”

The scholarship, awarded by my department for my achievements, has decreased the financial burden I have placed upon myself and my family.

With financial support freeing her to focus on developingher creative practice, she concentrates in Literary Arts andStudies to supplement her major in Graphic Design. “Toreally push myself as a creator—and specifically as a creatorof books—I need to be reading and writing constantly,” shesays. “I am studying creative writing because it is importantto know how to articulate and write about one’s work andform educated opinions.”