Healing Through Art

How One USD Alumni Family Leaned into the Liberal Arts to Embrace a Path of Artistic Expression

Their spacious San Diego home is an artist’s playground with sprawling compositions adorning the walls, a life-sized chess board in the front room and a vast painting studio in the garage housing stacks of mind-blowingly colorful canvases of famous faces. 

The artist is University of San Diego communication studies graduate Erik Wahl ‘93. His muse is his wife and fellow USD interdisciplinary humanities graduate Tasha Moffitt Wahl ‘94. The two of them almost move in sync with similar blonde hair, colorful outfits, and a love for art, imagination and family, which is shown in the portraits on their living room shelves and their work out in the world. 

They met on the USD campus while acting in a play together. A year older than Tasha, Erik had planned to graduate that semester and move back to his hometown of Seattle. Their encounter changed the trajectory of their lives. 

“We didn't know what we were going to do, but we knew we wanted to do it together,” says Erik.

Read the full article on page 5 of the Arts & Sciences magazine (Fall 2024 issue)

The USD College of Arts and Sciences released its second annual Arts & Sciences magazine this fall. In the pages of this magazine, you will discover exciting new programs and initiatives, meaningful and impactful stories, and inspiring student, faculty and alumni spotlights.

— USD News Center