Driven by her own healing experience, the bold and intelligent 20-year old Clara MacPherson is a vibrant presence in AAU’s studio art program. She is determined to channel her talents into helping children, an aspiration that began outside the classroom while working as a nanny and doing art with a young girl who has autism.
MacPherson’s application to AAU was based purely on chance. “We looked up and saw the AAU sign,” MacPherson recalls, describing her chance encounter at Malá Strana during a family vacation that has since shaped her future.
MacPherson’s interest in art therapy developed through her own struggles, having undergone two hip surgeries in 2020. “After such a long time of being in horrible agony,” she says, “it wasn’t until the art therapist came to see me that I was finally calm.”
Her brief testimony highlights how passions can translate into meaningful careers. Her experience has had a lasting impact, motivating her to pursue art therapy as a career.
After obtaining her Bachelor of Arts in June, MacPherson plans to pursue a master’s degree in psychology, ultimately working toward the necessary certifications to work as an art therapist in hospitals across Europe.
MacPherson’s artwork can be found on her Instagram page, and she hopes her story inspires others who feel like all is lost.
