Cecilia Skemp

Cecilia Skemp is a student currently pursuing a bachelors in theatre arts. They grew up in Wisconsin on the Mississippi and learned to love theatre through family and friends. Their passion for art and technology has lead to where they are today at Loyola University Chicago. They have worked on theatrical projects designing everything from lights to sound to costumes, alongside directing and stage management. Primarily, their technical work resides in costumes: working in the Loyola Costume Shop for four years and Opera Theatre of St. Louis’ Costume Crafts Shop for the 2024 and 2025 seasons.

I am Cecilia. In short, I make art. In long, I am a theatre artist and designer working primarily in costumes and lights. Directing and other departments have crossed my path but the majority of my work remains in the realm of costume and light. I love sketching. Rarely will I use the graphite and charcoal of different hardnesses. I grew up using the standard yellow school and mechanical pencils. Of course, that is where I am most skilled in sketching. However, I do not limit myself to just the standard pencil, there is always more to discover and do in art.

Always learning, always growing, I seek to expand my knowledge in everything I do. Historical research, niche techniques, and everyday artist practices. I am inspired by story and look for it everywhere. When I make art, theatrical or otherwise, I incorporate story wherever I can. You can tell a story with light, clothes, or simple lines on paper. People make connections and associations and will understand the story, often intuitively. Color is one of the most important parts of story to me; color has so much meaning historically and to each individual. There is both a universal language of color and a personal understanding beyond that language. I always approach color from the point of speaking a language that others understand while conveying my own personal color story. To make the story be understood is my goal.