I’m Grayson and I’m a second-year B. Arch student at the University of Southern California. Growing up in the rural Arkansas Delta, a region stricken by turn-of-the-century turmoil and poverty, I developed a deep appreciation for the forgotten and lost: what is left behind. my childhood nostalgia: ingrained with images of gray steel mills forged across barren green fields, the crumbling red bricks of dilapidated commercial buildings in a once prosperous downtown, and the bright multicolored fluorescent signs of fast food establishments. Throughout my adolescence I despised my daily scenery, however, as I’ve grown, I have come to appreciate the uniqueness of my roots, fully embracing the visual themes of Americana and Southern gothic allure within my creative work. This passion was also developed with my extracurricular participation in high school, I worked on multiple community service projects in Downtown Blytheville, Arkansas using CAD software for architectural restoration and renovation projects on historic buildings, working with both local developers and the city.
I also love to collect vinyl records, sunbathe while listening to Jimmy Buffett, and drink Dr. Pepper.