For Nuala Gwilliam, art began before sunrise.

As a toddler newly moved from Massachusetts to Tucson, Gwilliam often woke up hours before the rest of her family. To keep her occupied, her parents left out crayons, paper and snacks beneath the kitchen table.

“I’d probably attribute the beginning of my ‘artistic career’ to when I was 3 or 4, dealing with jet lag,” Gwilliam said. “So, from a toddler scribbling at 5 a.m., to an awkward middle schooler making comics in the margins of my homework, to a high schooler flourishing in art club, to being here at the University of Arizona, art has always been in the forefront of my mind.”

Now, years later, she’s inspiring young artists to find their voice and is being honored as the College of Fine Arts Outstanding Senior during the May 17 CFA Spring Graduation Convocation in Centennial Hall at 2 p.m. After graduating with a BFA in Art & Visual Culture Education, Gwilliam will start a job teaching art at Catalina High Magnet School in August.

A record of academic excellence

In their nomination letter, School of Art Associate Professor Carissa DiCindio and Professor Ryan Shin described Gwilliam as “one of our strongest recent undergraduates in AVCE,” praising her exceptional academic record, leadership and commitment to youth arts education.

Academically, Gwilliam maintained a 4.0 GPA at the University of Arizona and earned Highest Academic Distinction in 2024 while repeatedly appearing on the Dean’s List with Distinction. Faculty noted her professionalism, thoughtful participation and ability to combine educational theory with practical classroom experience.

“She developed a solid understanding of the principles and procedures of art education and strengthened her instructional and classroom management skills through practical teaching experiences,” DiCindio and Shin wrote.

That experience has taken many forms. Gwilliam worked as a “Chugim” art instructor at the Tucson Jewish Community Center, where she taught weekly art classes for groups of 20 to 30 elementary school students. Her lessons centered around themes such as kindness, gratitude, creativity and persistence.

She also interned with Groundworks, a community arts nonprofit dedicated to creating safe and accessible creative spaces for youth. There, she facilitated public open studio hours, developed lesson plans, volunteered at exhibitions and events, and assisted with promotional design work.

Learning from a fellow School of Art graduate

One of the most influential experiences of Gwilliam’s undergraduate career has been her student teaching placement at Tucson Magnet High School under mentor teacher Elizabeth Denneau, herself a 2018 School of Art BFA graduate in AVCE.

For Gwilliam, the experience has offered a firsthand look at the kind of educator she hopes to become.

“Student teaching at Tucson High has been an amazing experience,” she said. “While studying how to teach is great, actually doing it is an entirely different rodeo.”

She described her students as creative, funny and inspiring, but emphasized the impact Denneau has had on her development as a teacher and artist.

“I truly couldn’t be having the experience I am without Elizabeth Denneau, my mentor teacher,” Gwilliam said. “Her experience as both an artist, and an educator of high school and college students has given me incredibly valuable perspective and insight. She’s truly helped me solidify the teacher I want to be, and I can’t thank her enough.”

The mentorship has also reinforced the strong connections between the School of Art and Tucson’s broader arts education community, with one generation of graduates helping guide the next.

Faculty members say Gwilliam’s teaching philosophy centers on making creativity accessible while encouraging self-expression and confidence.

“I really enjoy watching the cogs turn in someone’s head as they realize something new, or hone a new skill, or express something in a way they haven’t before,” she said. “Teaching art really feels like the pieces falling into place for me.”

Building community through art

Alongside her educational work, Gwilliam has also built a strong artistic practice of her own. Faculty selected several of her projects for exhibition, and this spring she participated in the 2026 BFA exhibition for 2D Studies with her mixed-media installation, “Intersection.”

Gwilliam, who did commission-based illustrative work all throughout high school and into college, is interested in design but also enjoys traditional art. “I’ve worked a lot in mixed media. I love finding new ways to communicate through materials as well as imagery,” she said.

“With my time in both the Illustration, Design & Animation track as well as Art Education, I’ve been able to meet artists with many different disciplines and talents,” she said. “I can’t credit the CFA enough for the impact it’s made on my artistic development, my perspectives on art education, and my personal life and community.”

Though her résumé is filled with accomplishments, some of Gwilliam’s favorite memories are rooted in quieter moments of connection.

She recalls a late night during her freshman year in sculpture class, when she and several classmates stayed in the studio working toward a deadline. Covered in paint and insulation foam dust, the exhausted group was suddenly offered leftover catered food from another campus event.

“I don’t think better words have ever been spoken to a group of hungry 18-year-olds covered in paint,” she said. It was the best food I’d had in weeks — little steak kebabs, brussel sprouts and dessert tarts. All woefully underdressed for the event, we filled our paper plates and laughed at how lucky we were.”

Moments like those helped define her undergraduate experience — one shaped by collaboration, mentorship and community. “I was making friends and art and eating good food and listening to great music, all at once,” she said.

Gwilliam credited Dr. DiCindio and Dr. Shin for playing “a big part in my development of my educational skills and passions.” But she also expressed gratitude to graduate instructors, including Hanan Khatoun, Trent Pachon, Drew Grella and Dylan Hawkinson, as well as faculty members Angie Zielinski and Cerese Vaden for encouraging her artistic growth and supporting her through challenges.

A new chapter at Catalina Magnet High School

After graduation, Gwilliam will begin a full-time position teaching art at Catalina Magnet High School, marking the beginning of her professional career as an educator in Tucson.

The opportunity represents a major milestone for Gwilliam, who hopes to continue building inclusive, community-centered art spaces for students while also developing her own creative practice.

“I see my graduation as the beginning of so many new potential opportunities,” she said.

Alongside teaching, Gwilliam plans to continue freelance illustration work, pursue graphic design studies and stay active in Tucson’s arts community through museum and nonprofit volunteer work.

“I have one life, and I intend to fill it with as much art as I can.”