Quinevere Gehman ’25 and Willow Gehman ‘26 have always had creative aspirations—even when they didn’t know where those aspirations would take them.
The twin sisters point to the encouragement they got from their parents as early milestones in their artistic journeys. Willow learned to sew from their mom, who taught her to cut up old socks and make them into stuffed animals. When Quin expressed interest in digital drawing and watercolor, their dad bought her a Wacom tablet.
Quin later learned she wanted a creative career that provided stability, eventually landing on graphic design. As Willow considered her own path, she knew she wanted a job that wasn’t a typical “9 to 5.” Thinking back to her time spent sewing in her mother’s room, she considered a career in fashion.
“I was thinking, ‘What do I already know that I can make a job out of that I'll actually be passionate about?’” Willow said. “I have grounds for finding [fashion design] interesting. It’s a hobby where I know enough to get into a school and start working with it, but I could also expand on that. There's room to grow.”
The Gehman twins and their family pose for a photo while visiting Moore.
After high school, the Gehman sisters ended up at Bucks County Community College, near their hometown of Warrington, PA. When it came time to transfer to another school, one of Willow’s professors told her about Moore College of Art & Design’s rich history of textile design and support for women in the arts. As she and Quin started to learn more about the College, it became clear it could be a fit for both of them.
“We don’t just need to learn foundations—we want a place that’ll get us internships and jobs. We want connections and networking,” Quin said. “We liked the idea, compared to other schools, that [Moore] provides $1,000 toward internships. Out of all the schools, it seemed like they understood that yes, you’re artists, but you need jobs after that.”
Quin, now a Graphic Design major, and Willow, who majors in Fashion Design, described their transfer process in 2023 as a smooth one. They credit Moore’s Transfer Admissions Counselor, Sierra Conniff, with helping them make their move so seamless.
“I love working with students like Willow and Quin because they really leaned into the process of transferring as a collaborative process,” Conniff said. “I think if I had one piece of advice for future transfer students, it would be to engage early and often with your transfer counselor. I’m here to help!”
Quin and Willow quickly integrated themselves into student life at Moore. They share a dorm with two other transfer students who resonate with their experiences and value the guidance they receive from their professors.
At the 2023 Halloween costume contest, the twins won overall best costume for their take on Furina and Navia from the video game Genshin Impact. Willow made their costumes for the competition, using it as an opportunity to introduce herself to Moore’s Fashion Design resources during her first semester.
Willow and Quin Gehman in their winning Halloween costumes.
But how did they know Moore was the right place for them? They say a bowl of pronoun pins they saw at a Moore campus event reminded them of their hometown best friend, who identifies as transgender.
“It feels like a place for people where they can finally breathe. It’s just a welcoming place for people of minority identities, especially in the gender minority,” Willow said. “That’s really a strong thing that this place cares about—making people feel accepted for who they are, because that’s going to come into someone’s art.”
Looking back, Willow and Quin know that having each other made transferring to Moore a better experience. They encourage other new students to make friends by joining clubs, spending time in common spaces, and getting out of their comfort zone.
“If you don’t have a community, make your own club!” they said. “The rest will come naturally.”
Moore College of Art & Design is the only independent art and design college in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Interested in transferring to Moore? Schedule an appointment to talk to Transfer Admissions Counselor Sierra Conniff or contact Moore’s Admissions Office at enroll@moore.edu or 215.965.4015.
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Photos courtesy of Quinevere Gehman '25 and Willow Gehman '26.
