From a young age, Margherita Hill faced significant life challenges while growing up in rural West Michigan. Living in a single-parent household with her two siblings, Hill became a primary caregiver for her mother, who battled cancer for many years, alongside her older sister.
“I’m not sure how I balanced that and went to school,” Hill recalled. “But it’s all we knew. It was our normal.”
After her mother’s passing during her initial year in high school, Hill turned to art as a refuge for her sorrow and healing.
“For me, painting and drawing were the way out,” she shared. “It was something that I started doing just for myself.”
Hill joined an early college program during her high school years, giving her two years at a community college. There, she thrived in a more challenging academic setting, supported by art professors who inspired her to consider an artistic career path.
During this time, she connected with a professor from the Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design at the University of Michigan, which eventually led to her enrollment there.
This weekend, Hill celebrates her graduation from Stamps with a degree in art and design. Her college journey was enriched by two study-abroad experiences and a strong artistic community.
One pivotal experience took her to Siena, Italy, where she immersed herself in medieval and Renaissance art history and painting, completing four paintings in a six-week span while traveling to various cultural sites.
“I got a lot of practical painting experience,” Hill noted.
Another significant opportunity was in Rome with Helicon Haus, the undergraduate history of art society where Hill served as social chair. She organized exhibitions, managed social media, and participated in student art shows.
Hill also contributed as an undergraduate research assistant to Irina Aristarkhova, an art and design professor, working on an archive related to subRosa, a cyberfeminist art collective, and held a position as a peer information consultant in the library.
Her art has consistently explored the theme of grief’s enduring impact. For the Path Forward BA senior show, Hill’s paintings focused on her bond with her sister and how their shared loss transformed their relationship.
“Not just about the loss of our mom, but about the way that we grieve together and the way that it altered our relationship,” Hill remarked.
Currently, Hill is developing a senior project that examines social welfare and food assistance programs, influenced by the aid that once supported her family.
Away from her studio work, Hill found enjoyment in the quieter side of Ann Arbor. She frequented indie films at local theaters, explored used bookstores, and spent time at the farmers market and coffee shops in Kerrytown.
Post-graduation, Hill plans to relocate to Chicago with a fellow Stamps student, aiming to work in art education or advocacy before pursuing a master’s degree in art administration or art history.
Reflecting on her time at U-M, Hill anticipates missing the studio space and the vibrant creative community.
“I’ve definitely become a better artist because I’m surrounded by all these really talented people,” she said.
