2024 RSA Winner Sam Javellana Hill on Committing to Learning New Skills
- Bay Area Women in Publishing
- Jun 19
- 2 min read
In college, I studied traditional woodblock printing and poetry, disciplines I never imagined would lead me to publishing. However, my experience in analog printing has given me unique skills for my current job. In turn, my job, which is primarily digital, has taught me a variety of tools that I use in my fine art practice. I currently work as a Prepress Operator at VIZ, collaborating with designers and editors to assemble books and prepare them for print. I’m also an artist-in-residence at Kala Art Institute; I’m currently working on a series of monotype woodblock prints.
I consider both my fine art printmaking and my prepress work serious career paths. I am pursuing them in tandem, so when I applied for the Robin Seaman Award, I was committed to using the funds for something that would benefit both my careers.
I used the funds to take a color theory course at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. A skill that I am trying to cultivate in my prepress work is the ability to color correct book covers. The process involves the perception of minute variations in color and the ability to mentally and visually translate those changes to a printed format. I had a basic understanding—I can tell when a cover is too warm or cool, if it needs a touch more cyan—but the ways in which colors affect each other were beyond me.
This class taught me the science behind color. Now, I understand why some colors tire out the rods and cones in our eyes, affecting a viewer’s ability to read text. I also have the language to talk about color and more accurately express the color qualities I see. In my fine art practice, I’m now able to build more complex color palettes and execute more experimental color choices.
My manager was reluctant to let me cultivate color correction skills. However, after receiving the Robin Seaman Award and completing my course, I felt confident in advocating for myself.
Now, a portion of my time is dedicated to shadowing my mentor, who has committed to teaching me. I’ve wanted to invest in my technical knowledge since I started working at VIZ two years ago and finally, in the past few months, I’m advancing in my career.
When I told coworkers about the award, they reached out to offer congratulations and technical knowledge. Expressing my commitment to learning new skills gave me opportunities to build a support system within my company.
Receiving this award gave me the confidence to challenge myself and the skills to advance my career. It also earned me recognition from my coworkers and helped me build mentor relationships. I am extremely grateful for the changes in my career that the Robin Seaman Award has afforded me.
About the author:
Sam Javellana Hill works as a Prepress Operator at VIZ Media. They hold a B.A. in Studio Art and Creative Writing from Wesleyan University. Sam continues to work in fine art, serving as an artist-in-residence at Kala Art Institute for Fall 2024.
