Kapua Jinbo — Postbaccalaureate BFA in Art Practice

Kapua Jinbo has always been interested in creative pursuits. Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, she studied ceramics and hula but didn’t see the arts as a realistic option. Instead, she followed a path to the University of Portland, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2018. She came to PSU with an eye toward a graduate degree in social work but signed up for a textile arts class with Alison Heryer, just for fun.
 
“I always loved art, but I never thought it could be a full-time thing,” Kapua said. Taking Heryer’s class was the catalyst she needed to pursue her dreams. The course lit a fire, and she decided to enter the BFA in Art Practice program.
 
“The art program is such a healthy environment for students. It’s such a refreshing way of learning,” she said. “The program has provided me with a great technical background and a great foundation.” She likes that the flexible degree allows her to design an individual course of study based on her interests and goals.
 
“Textiles are my jam!” she said. “My dream is to be a costume designer for movies, television, and theater, surrounded by the artistic environment of that kind of production.” Kapua is getting real-world experience at PSU. She is currently the costume designer for a School of Music and Theater production of Noah Diaz’s Richard & Jane & Dick & Sally, a play centered around family, loss, and the hearing-impaired community.
 
Kapua likes that she can call herself an artist now. She sees herself getting involved with the black creative community wherever she goes after graduation. She is interested in building a creative community—like the one she experienced in the School of Art + Design—in the outside world.