Meet Pauline Padrul | Public Health Graduate Student, Social Worker, Artist, Tech and Digital Health enthusiast

We had the good fortune of connecting with Pauline Padrul and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Pauline, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
The most important value for me is “opportunity”. As a social worker, this is especially relevant as social workers strive to “level the playing field” with respect to equity and access. This also plays out in healthcare where opportunity is often thwarted by inequality, racism and exclusion to the extent that healthcare has become inequitable. Opportunity also involves choice, whether to pursue opportunity or not and in public service, we want to position people to understand the benefit of the opportunity. Sometimes opportunity can knock, but folks still either can’t or don’t want to hear it.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My artwork is mostly digital, graphic design and collage, compiled of various graphics, photographs, drawings, text and other media. What sets my artwork apart is its mystery, weirdness and unique rendering of various themes such as love, adventure, solidarity and empowerment. Because I don’t limit myself to a specific medium, I’m able to explore various styles and creative ways to illustrate or depict a certain aesthetic or message. I arrived at this space through life-long interest and exposure to art through my very artistic and creative family. When the Covid pandemic hit, I found myself struggling to deal with the fear, isolation and anxiety and fell back on arts and crafts to cope. This evolved into digital art, from making images on my phone to creating more elaborate designs on a larger screen. I believe it is important to remember our creativity and our ability to re-invent ourselves in ways that help us adapt and find meaning in life. Through my artwork, I believe people can project their own story or meaning to help them develop their own narrative, in whatever way that makes sense.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Living in the Bay Area, there is no shortage of activity, culture or scenic inspiration. The problem is more about deciding WHAT to do! A trip to Berkeley should include a tour of the University of California Campus along with the various departments, museums and campus happenings. The Lawrence Hall of Science is a great place to learn about Berkeley’s tradition of scientific rigor and research. At the same time, the art exhibitions at the Bay Area Museum and Pacific Film Archive showcases the artistic tradition Berkeley’s commitment to the arts and humanities. Additional recommendations are The Golden Gate Bridge, The Ferry Building or simply taking a walk through the various San Francisco neighborhoods. to soak in the city’s diversity and architecture. Additional recommendations are “The Painted Ladies” near Alamo Square Park, Dolores Park, The Mission and Castro neighborhoods, and The University of San Francisco main campus: all of these reveal the unique history of San Francisco.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Shoutout to all those that have inspired me along my journey and have become part of my global family. There are too many people to list and each interaction has impacted me in different ways. However, the most important shoutout is to my son, who son inspires me to be a better person and parent, especially one that condones cookies for breakfast.

Website: artpartee.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pauline_padrul/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pauline-padrul-lcsw

Twitter: https://twitter.com/paulinepadrul?lang=en

Image Credits
Images by Pauline Padrul