Grace Tompkins
undergraduate student at The University of Florida - Artist
About
Hey! I'm Grace. I'm currently a senior at UF getting a bachelor's degree in Fine Art. My area of focus I in photography, and my research practice is photographic as well.Being exposed to art early on in my life, it has become the way I communicate with the world. My Work is centered on photography, and its ability to convey reality. I hope to use my skills to create a platform for others to be represented and have a place to share their stories.
Constructing the Photographic Archive
Present
Principal Investigator - Department
Dr. Craig Smith - Art and Art History
My research considers the visual archive as a representative tool. I am interested in the photographic as evidence and truth, and what that means in today's society. I will be photographing, and interviewing individuals within a small-town community, to create a decisive representation of its experiences as a whole.
Scope of Research
I will be documenting Lake City Florida, a small town in North Florida. My Goal is to interview and photograph the residents there to form my archive. In Addition, the other component of my Project is to research local archives across Florida. I hope to gain an understanding of how the photographic archive supports communities across the country, in the past and the future.
Some Questions Guiding my Research
What is the Primary Function of the Photographic Archive?
How does the Photographic Archive inform future generations?
How can the Photographic Archive act as method for representation?
Coursework
Major - Special Distinctions
Fine Arts - University Scholars Program
Relevent Coursework
ART2826C Culture of the Image
ART3892 Art and Theory
PGY3820C Photography Digital
ART3807C Book Arts
ART3807C Experimental Photo
CV
Experiences Overview
Education
Florida Gateway College January 2020 – December 2022
Associate of Arts Degree
University of Florida January 2023 – May 2025
Bachelor’s in Fine Art
Work Experience
Grace Trinity Photo Founded in 2017
Founder and Owner
References
August Sander. (2025). Retrieved from Getty Museum: https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/person/103KG6Madison County Collection. (n.d.). Retrieved from Florida Memory: https://www.floridamemory.com/find?advanced[0][joiner]=and&advanced[0][element_id]=100&advanced[0][type]=contains&advanced[0][terms]=Madison&layout=1State Archives of Florida. (2025). Retrieved from Division of Library and Information Services : https://dos.fl.gov/library-archives/archives/The Family of Man. (2025). Retrieved from Museum of Modern Art: https://www.moma.org/calendar/exhibitions/2429
Let's Connect!
My Email
[email protected]My Fine art Website + Portfolio