PXL 20220715 142305371 2I'm Ashton Will, an art teacher for The Consulting Arts and a senior at Randolph-Macon College  majoring in Studio Art and Asian Studies.

As part of my preparation for studying abroad in Japan, I applied for and received the Gilman Scholarship, which is a need-based scholarship provided by the U.S. Department of State. 

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I was selected as one of the recipients of the award, and one of the requirements for receiving the award is to create and fulfill a give-back project; mine has 2 parts: First, my senior art show will be centered around the art I create while in Japan, showcasing both classes I take and cultural aspects I incorporate into my art. The second part is this blog.

My goal is to upload substantial posts to this blog at least once weekly, acting as a record of activities in several capacities. Examples of blog topics may include art I've created, unique aspects of Japanese society and dialogue, my interactions with both local and study abroad students, places I visit and their cultural relevance, and pictures to accompany all of it. I want this to be a written archive; not only so my friends, family, and other supporters can keep up with me, but also to be used as a reference for future travel abroad students to see how I used my experience to further my academics and my career as an artist. Thus, here is my 日本の交換留学のブログ (nihon no koukenryuugaku no burogu, or Japan study abroad blog).
 
Published 7/31/22
 
Key words: Ashton Leigh Will visual artist graphic designer The Consulting Arts manga digital art comics comic book illustrator anime oil pencil charcoal Randolph-Macon College Ashland Virginia VA Kansai-Gaidai University Osaka Japan Kyoto Okinawa Gilman Scholarship Valutivity LLC