“It has been a massive effort, but it has been worth it”, says a satisfied Pilar Matías Gallego , who last year finished her Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts at the Polytechnic University of València (UPV). The young Ibizan woman is clearer than ever that she wants to devote herself to painting and if there was any shadow of doubt it was dispelled as soon as she found out that she had come second in the list of the top fifteen most brilliant Fine Arts graduates in Spain, a list drawn up by the Spanish Society of Academic Excellence (Sedea). She heard the news in November 2020 and last March received the certificate accrediting her as one of the best Fine Arts students in the country. With an average mark of 8.6 on her academic record and an enviable CV for a 25-year-old, she “thought she had a chance” of appearing in the Sedea classification, but her surprise and joy upon finding out she had finished second were overwhelming.
To qualify for the recognition granted by this national organisation, the young woman from Ibiza had to present all her achievements supported by the corresponding documentation. She possesses quite a few because during her studies she was constantly doing workshops and getting involved in educational and social activities. “I took courses at the Institute of Education Sciences (ICE) and participated in the ‘Week [Emprende]. UPV Ideas'”, she explains. She also signed up for her university’s Learning and Service initiative, which allowed her to carry out academic projects linked to volunteering . “I gave occupational art workshops to homeless people in Sant Joan de Déu in Valencia and I participated in an exhibition with Pillows4life and the organisation Grupo Martes to raise funds for people recovering from different addictions”, says the young woman, who was also part of her faculty’s student delegation. Her entrepreneurial spirit is one of the qualities that Sedea especially valued in Matías who, in addition to studying, worked in the family business during the summer.
What motivated the Ibizan woman to apply for the Sedea ranking was to add achievements to her CV, making it easier to apply for scholarships and continue training. “ I would like to apply for a Fulbright scholarship to study a Masters in Fine Arts in the United States,” she explains. Another option she is considering is returning to the Faculty of Fine Arts of Sant Carles, at UPV, which, she points out, “is one of the best in Europe.”
Although Pilar Matías has loved painting since she was a child and dreamed of being an artist, her professional future, until she entered Fine Arts, seemed to be heading in a different direction. She studied the scientific baccalaureate in Ibiza, in Sa Real, and got very good marks.
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