About Olivia Perdue
In any sort of artistic endeavor that I pursue, I typically focus on lighthearted themes, but they can also be relative to love, loss, grief, nostalgia, culture, and so on. Culture is a huge motivator for my artwork, and while my artistic style and genre can be a bit all over the place, I have been focusing more recently on Appalachian inspired work. In particular, I am in the process of documenting my journey toward improving my watercolor skills by painting West Virginia wildflowers and posting them on social media. I have also written culture-and environment-inspired poems and explored more Appalachian music creators, such as Tyler Childers. I enjoy staying close to my roots, and I feel that my artwork often reflects that. In terms of how I approach my art, I am driven more toward personal fulfillment, which can involve living in the moment, collaboration, and taking the time to feel every emotion that arises. Furthermore, I plan to continue to immerse myself in more of the region’s culture as well as use it as motivation and inspiration.
Biography
I am a musician, poet, and occasional doodler from Beckley, WV, and while I am a student at Marshall University pursuing a marketing degree (and minor in psychology), I’ve certainly made a habit of taking one music course each semester. For me, not only is music a passion, but it is also a necessity that stems largely from my roots. In particular, I live in a beautiful state with a rich culture and history that music is vital to. From family reunion hymns to backwoods folk and bluegrass to Bill Withers R&B/Soul, as a culture, we thrive on it. It’s what keeps us alive, much like other creative outlets and forms of art like embroidery, quilting, painting, etc. In short, it is difficult for me to put into words what music means to me, but it’s the raw emotion and shared connection that keeps me coming back again and again. I play a few instruments myself, such as the trumpet, guitar, and piano, but I also sing, which I feel is the embodiment of raw emotion. Words can have such meaning, and I love to explore their use in both songwriting and poetry. In addition, I have won awards such as best featured soloist in marching band and have attended my fair share of honor bands, but what I am most proud of is being a member of Marshall’s contemporary a cappella ensemble: 3rd Avenue, in which I have both performed solos and arranged music for. Aside from arranging, though, my favorite experience with this ensemble has been recording a music video with some of my closest and incredibly talented friends. Furthermore, because I love music so much, my motivations are geared more toward personal fulfillment, which can involve being present, collaborating with others, and having fun much of the time. With regard to my studies, however, I have worked with several creatives such as: Dr. Briana Nannen and Ian Hagarty; the latter of which, mentored my Summer 2023 research project involving art marketing.
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Other Creative Skills
Drawing
Literature: Poetry
