Today: Mar 28, 2024

Student Artist, Iris Cruz: flute playing and cosplay design

Max Bickley – General Assignment Reporter

With every individual, there is a certain level of talent or skill in a particular field of interest to that person. However, it is the exploration and use of that talent which enriches life and sometimes brings attention to a given skill. One student, who not only indulges in a musical art, but also a crafting art is Iris Cruz, senior, is a flautist of nearly eight years, and also takes part in making and doing cosplay.

Cruz began flute playing early in her childhood with the typical recorder classes in elementary school.

“I technically started with a recorder in second grade and got pretty good,” said Cruz, “ When it was time to pick a middle school I chose to go to an arts school, and then chose to transition to flute and haven’t strayed from it yet.”

With Cruz spending so long playing and practicing with the flute, she has had many moments of great triumph and tribulation.

“Completing any musical goals is always going to be the most enjoyable,” said Cruz, “Whether it’s playing a concert or learning a song you didn’t think you could play it gives you an indescribable feeling. However, failing is always the hardest; not hitting a note, not getting through an audition, it all can wear you down.”

Cruz has a second passion which she relentlessly works on: cosplay. Cosplay is the creating and/or, donning of a particular character’s outfit from a given media and acting and performing like that character at conventions. Cruz however, has not been practicing cosplay long, but has made it a consistent habit.

“I just recently started cosplaying in 2013 at CTcon in Hartford,” said Cruz, “ I decided randomly a week before with a No-Face costume I made from things I already had and made a mask”.

Since then, Cruz has gone on to make cosplay outfits for series such as “Naruto,” video games like “League of Legends”, and many more. However, while some may feel the most enjoyable aspect of this art is being able to portray the character in question, Cruz finds that simply completing the costume is enough.

“The most enjoyable aspect is the feeling of completing your costume and finally getting to the convention,” said Cruz. “ It’s all about your con friends and the new people you meet.”

However, while this is a serious creative art which entails hours if not days and weeks of work, Cruz finds that there is also a level of adversity and judgement to the area.

Judgement is always the most difficult,” said Cruz, “because no matter how hard you work on a cosplay or how much money you put into it you can always receive negative feedback and it can really chip away at your confidence.”

Though this is often the case found within the cosplaying community, and often there are criticism thrown at those who partake, Cruz stands firm against this and comments that many people don’t realize the work put into an outfit for cosplay.

“I think people don’t realize how much time and money goes into these costumes,” said Cruz. “When you’re judging someone for cosplaying just think about how much solo creativity goes into making what a movie crew does for months for a film.”

Photo Credit: Iris Cruz

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