One of the ideas that I find to be most damaging to the morale of a young or aspiring artist is that an inevitability in their life is becoming a "starving artist." It's expected that if a person has any semblance of a creative tendency, they must harness that into a "real" career or they must work at Starbucks and paint with dirt in their off time.
It can't be a surprise to anyone that I fell prey to this. When I started school, I was hoping to become a Disney Animator. As I compared myself to many of my classmates, though, I felt that I could never compete with them. Not even necessarily because of my artistic ability, but because of my attitude. They were ridiculously more confident than me, had wilder ideas, and zero qualms about going, "HEY, LOOK AT THIS THING I DID I'M SUPER PROUD OF IT AND YOU SHOULD BE IMPRESSED BECAUSE I'M THE BOMB."
There were other reasons I left art school (namely it was because, though I do love art, I missed learning about the rest of the world, if you were curious), but my change in major after I transferred was mainly a result of looking at the people around me and their "responsible" life decisions when it came to their career choices. They were studying to be engineers. Doctors. Businessmen*. Nurses. Teachers. And it scared me a little bit. Every time I would try to convince myself that I could do it, as long as I really try, that stereotype came ambling along through my thoughts, all, "lolololol Sarah, you wanna live in your Mom's basement forever?"
And I was one of the lucky ones. My family has really been incredibly supportive of me. I used to take my sketchbook to church all the time, and rather than be sneered at, people there would come up to me and encourage me to work toward making this gift God gave me as huge a part of my life as I can. My teachers in school were always pointing out that it was a talent that I should use, and helping me to learn more about it. I can think of countless specific instances and people who encouraged me, taught me, pointed me in the right direction, and celebrated with me in order to keep me on this path. And I wound up straying away from it because of me.
Unfortunately, though, I know of just as many people who have joked to me that they used to love to draw, but they weren't very good, so they quit. (Newsflash: Pretty much everyone sucks at everything when they're ten years old.) People who were told by family and teachers that they were terrible. People who are told that art is a waste of time. Whether these people may have ever considered a career in a creative field is another matter, but they never even got to that potential option because that door was closed to them at far too young an age.
I think that people who aren't necessarily interested in art or other creative endeavors find it immensely simple to count art out as something that is superfluous. So I'd like to put that concept to rest. Allow me to show you a couple of the ways that you use things touched by art on a daily basis.
It can't be a surprise to anyone that I fell prey to this. When I started school, I was hoping to become a Disney Animator. As I compared myself to many of my classmates, though, I felt that I could never compete with them. Not even necessarily because of my artistic ability, but because of my attitude. They were ridiculously more confident than me, had wilder ideas, and zero qualms about going, "HEY, LOOK AT THIS THING I DID I'M SUPER PROUD OF IT AND YOU SHOULD BE IMPRESSED BECAUSE I'M THE BOMB."
There were other reasons I left art school (namely it was because, though I do love art, I missed learning about the rest of the world, if you were curious), but my change in major after I transferred was mainly a result of looking at the people around me and their "responsible" life decisions when it came to their career choices. They were studying to be engineers. Doctors. Businessmen*. Nurses. Teachers. And it scared me a little bit. Every time I would try to convince myself that I could do it, as long as I really try, that stereotype came ambling along through my thoughts, all, "lolololol Sarah, you wanna live in your Mom's basement forever?"
And I was one of the lucky ones. My family has really been incredibly supportive of me. I used to take my sketchbook to church all the time, and rather than be sneered at, people there would come up to me and encourage me to work toward making this gift God gave me as huge a part of my life as I can. My teachers in school were always pointing out that it was a talent that I should use, and helping me to learn more about it. I can think of countless specific instances and people who encouraged me, taught me, pointed me in the right direction, and celebrated with me in order to keep me on this path. And I wound up straying away from it because of me.
Unfortunately, though, I know of just as many people who have joked to me that they used to love to draw, but they weren't very good, so they quit. (Newsflash: Pretty much everyone sucks at everything when they're ten years old.) People who were told by family and teachers that they were terrible. People who are told that art is a waste of time. Whether these people may have ever considered a career in a creative field is another matter, but they never even got to that potential option because that door was closed to them at far too young an age.
I think that people who aren't necessarily interested in art or other creative endeavors find it immensely simple to count art out as something that is superfluous. So I'd like to put that concept to rest. Allow me to show you a couple of the ways that you use things touched by art on a daily basis.
Can you imagine a world without the Mona Lisa? Think of all of its references in films, music, books, magazines, etc.
Try to tell me that architecture isn't art. The way the very building you live in looks was shaped by someone with an artistic eye (or at least someone who thought they had one).
Your super-fun vacation destination? Designed with intention.
Your new kicks? Art.
Your favorite concert tee?
The design of the bag for your midnight snack?
Your doormat. There is no escape.
I hear you. "It's a yellow stick, Sarah."
Well, somebody at some point picked which yellow, which green, which fonts, and so on and so forth.
I could keep going. For a long time. Bath towels, soap, your jeans, your chair, the color of the paint on your walls, the shape of your cell phone, the design of every single app on your cell phone, your mail, your mailbox, your car, the jerseys for your favorite football team, your glasses, your bandaids, your kitchen appliances, your dog's collar, the face of your watch... I really could go on forever.
All of these things have been made by an artist, designed by someone with an artistic eye, or influenced by art. There is no end to the role that art plays in your life.
So appreciate it whenever you notice it. Take a moment to think about the person who worked hard to make that thing look like that. And if you're reading this as the artistic one in your circle of people, don't be afraid to flaunt it. We need people like you in the world. And if not, the next time you see someone doodling, don't you dare shoot them down or make a degrading comment. I don't care how much the cat they're drawing looks like a giraffe. If you can, encourage them. It might mean the world's next awesome pair of Nike's.
Thanks,
Sarah
Well, somebody at some point picked which yellow, which green, which fonts, and so on and so forth.
I could keep going. For a long time. Bath towels, soap, your jeans, your chair, the color of the paint on your walls, the shape of your cell phone, the design of every single app on your cell phone, your mail, your mailbox, your car, the jerseys for your favorite football team, your glasses, your bandaids, your kitchen appliances, your dog's collar, the face of your watch... I really could go on forever.
All of these things have been made by an artist, designed by someone with an artistic eye, or influenced by art. There is no end to the role that art plays in your life.
So appreciate it whenever you notice it. Take a moment to think about the person who worked hard to make that thing look like that. And if you're reading this as the artistic one in your circle of people, don't be afraid to flaunt it. We need people like you in the world. And if not, the next time you see someone doodling, don't you dare shoot them down or make a degrading comment. I don't care how much the cat they're drawing looks like a giraffe. If you can, encourage them. It might mean the world's next awesome pair of Nike's.
Thanks,
Sarah
*I am not one of those "WOMEN ARE EXCLUDED IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE" people. Businessmen is the term. Come at me.