Life is like art.
I've already rambled about how important my art major is to me. How it's not a waste of a major, though I understand I may not make as much money as a business major.
But. As we speak (if you were reading this as I'm writing it, which you're not so. okay.) I am sitting at a coffee shop that's attached to the gallery space where 10 of my pieces are hung for the weekend, waiting for perspective buyers and appreciators to come and network with me as an artist. And maybe buy my work. BUY IT. Like, that's a thing that could happen. But it's never been about that for me. It's been about learning about life and the pursuit of what I love.
These are the things I learned about life during my time as an art major:
- Make stuff until your hands fall off
Life is like a long studio session. You come in, not necessarily in the mood to do what you're there to do. You putz around a while, avoiding making things, when finally you have to sit down and work. At first when you get going, you're struggling. But then you start to lose track of time. Before you know it, you've knocked out several things. They look good. You come back energized next time. Some days are struggles, but at the end of the day, you kept going and trying every day, you put in your hours, and that's what counts.
- Everyone is on your side
Life is like a giant critique. You put up all your hard work, that thing you've labored over and perfected, that thing you're most proud of. Then students and professors pick it all apart, identifying all the negatives and maybe just brushing over the positives. They pull out things that don't work, things that you didn't even know were flaws. It's easy to take this personally. But this is a good thing. This will make you better. They are on your side: they want you to succeed.
- Don't be too precious
Life is like studio cleaning day. You've made some stuff this year, some of which you're proud of, and some of which is crap. You have to decide what you want to keep and what goes. Throw away the crap. And consider throwing away the gems too. Sure, they represent memories you've made in the studio, and they're a manifestation of the artist you were at that time. But they can hold you back. Think about all the directions you could go if you started over every day instead of feeling trapped to make the same kinds of things forever and ever. Start fresh. Never look back.
- There's nothing wrong with beauty
Life is like the art world. It makes you feel bad for not having a reason, a purpose. It tells you that you need direction, you need intention. You can't just do things just because you want to. But this is not true. You are allowed to make something just because you think it's beautiful. You can like someone's work simply because you love the colors. You are allowed a simple interpretation, with no deeper meaning other than beauty. Your aesthetic is a part of what makes your inner artist, and you need to pay attention to what you find beautiful. Simple beauty is all the explanation you need.
**Update: One of my pieces got purchased this weekend (!!) serving as a reminder that I have come a long way, and though I still have a lot to learn, I have done great work so far.
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