who. the beer-die table painter
major. biological engineering
hometown. los angeles, ca
dream job. biotechnology designer
"It began only as a hobby. I never actually thought that I would make money doing this.”
The sounds of music, ocean waves, and skateboards rolling along the pavement are amongst the most prominent to the regular passerby in Isla Vista, on a Saturday morning. But upon closer attention, the sound of a painter stroking her paintbrush back and forth along her most recent project, can also be heard. On the porch of a cozy, oceanside home on Del Playa, sits a student painter whose passion lies in painting beer-die tables for her fellow IslaVistans. What began as a hobby for this young student painter, soon became an alternative means of income. The salt infused wind blows the strands of her ponytail into her face, but she remains seemingly unbothered, as her hands grip the paintbrush steadily across her newest project, and she proudly shares her story.
At the beginning of the school year, Rebecca and her roommate discovered their shared passion for painting. A mutual friend reached out to them with a specific design that he wanted painted onto his beer-die table. Rebecca agreed to work on the project, thinking of nothing more than an easily-earned monetary compensation for a simple task. She was unaware however, that this first gig would not only spark her intense passion for art and creativity, but also open many doors for other financial opportunities at the hands of the student-community of Isla Vista.
After the success of her first project, which took nearly 6 hours, Rebecca was soon offered many other beer-die painting jobs by those who had seen her work and were thoroughly impressed by it. Rebecca noted her appreciation towards the tight-knit community of Isla Vista, as she continued to paint the table beneath her, keeping her eyes on the work and her fingers gripped around her paintbrush. She shared that it is only in Isla Vista, where your neighbors can walk by your front porch, admire your artwork, and inquire about your prices. Without this communal proximity, and appreciation for art and creativity, her business would be unable to thrive.
Although this work serves as a valuable financial opportunity for Rebecca, she views painting as a meditation, and an escape from the chaos of her everyday life. To her, there is no greater feeling than being paid to do something that you absolutely love to do, and and she urges everyone around her to find their passion and pursue it as well.
”Last, quarter my roommate and I started painting beer die tables around Isla Vista.. one of my friends asked if I could paint his table because he knew I was really into art.. that one turned out really well. So I decided this is a good and fun way for me to make some extra money.”
“I did a table that was this picture of the sunset, with the words 'Isla Vista'. At the end of the day we’d been painting for 5 or 6 hours, we literally started screaming into the streets like
‘yo someone come look at this table! It’s so cool!'
People literally come into the backyard and hyped us up because we were so proud of the project we had made.”
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"Isla Vista is like a small pocket where everyone knows each other. It’s like once you paint one person’s table, the word just spreads really quickly.”
It is often the case that college students are overlooked for their talents and capabilities, and rather pushed into a box of stereotypes. Unfortunately, Isla Vista sometimes serves as a cache for these stereotypes. It is therefore important to share and highlight the stories of the specific people in IV who break these norms, and devote themselves to various creativities.
Rebecca’s story is one that does just this, as it allows the average person to see the ways in which students in IV utilize the space around them, as well as their close community, to develop their passions and create something beautiful.
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Rebecca's concluding words were ones of pure assurance. When asked if she had learned anything from her recent pursuits she paused, and with a look of pure sincerity she replied, "Just try. You have no idea what you are capable of. Try to make your passion into something that is financially advantageous because there is absolutely nothing like being paid for something that you’re so passionate about.” And with a soft exhale and look of admiration, she finished the last stroke of her newest work.