All About Me

Welcome readers of Accessible Art History's blog. I figured, as a part of this new venture, it would be a good idea to tell you a little bit about myself and why I chose to create Accessible Art History. 

My name is Analisa and I am from the United States, the Pacific Northwest to be exact. In a

way, I stumbled upon art history. In high school, I was required to have a fine arts credit to graduate. I have almost zero artistic talent, but my school offered an art history course. Knowing that was my only option, I signed up. Who knew it would change my life? History has always been one of my favorite subjects, but when I was in art history class, I felt like my heart was at home. 

I took AP Art History the next year and after I graduated from high school, I enrolled in the University of Washington. Unlike a lot of college freshman, I knew my major from the get go. I signed up for as many classes as I could and found my passion: medieval art. 

Once I had narrowed down my focus down, I chose to pursue the honors track. I worked with an adviser to write two honors papers: one on reliquaries from the Holy Land and one on the use of dirt as a relic in early medieval Europe. By a stroke of luck, my adviser was leading the annual Art History in Rome program and I was accepted to study there.

Seeing the art that I had spent 6 years studying in person was a life changing experience. Rome is an incredible city that allows a visitor to experience the full breadth of art history without leaving the city limits. I am so thankful for the time that I spent there and I can't wait for the day that I get to go back!

After I graduated, I actually went away from art history for a while. The economy was in bad shape and I was worried that I wasn't going to be able to make any money pursuing my dreams. So, I worked in a few different industries, including café and retail management, but none of my jobs left me satisfied.

It took a trip to Israel in 2017 to show me that art history and education where were I was meant to be. Finally, in 2019, the tools and time that I needed to pursue this dream appeared. That's when Accessible Art History was born. 

I considered myself fortunate to have found my passion so early in life. And, I consider myself even more fortunate to share it with you!