I Just Turned 21!
Hello there!
Guess who recently turned 21! That’s right it was me! My birthday was at the beginning of June! Today I want to share a little bit about my art journey up until this point with you! So let’s go walk down my memory lane!
I think it’s always important to take some time to look back and see how far we have come, especially as an artist or creative person. As artists, we can be our biggest critique. And though critiques can help us grow, sometimes when we are the ones doing them we can be very hard on ourselves and those critiques are no longer that. It goes from being productive to being damaging. It’s easier to critique others since we will generally be nicer to them than we are on ourselves. We are more willing to be supportive and their cheerleaders first before we would drag them down. We can forget that we should also be supportive and cheer ourselves on too. Sometimes it really is that cheesy self talk that we really need to remember to have with ourselves. We are going to have self talk no matter what, might as well make it positive and productive. And pointing out the things that we need to work on is how we grow. But also point out your wins too.
Sometimes for artists we can struggle even call ourselves that. I know I had that struggle and it really was the last year or so I can actually admit that out loud not only to myself but to others. I am an artist, and no matter what it is, if you create, you are too. If you find ways to put your creative energy somewhere, you are an artist. And that is the first win you should acknowledge, but if you are like me, can be the last thing you even admit at times, if you think about it at all. Most of my artwork is good, though there is usually something I can find “wrong” with it. But it is good. I have skills that I have developed and work hard at, and it pays off. Even when there is those flaws. But there is the handful that surprise me with how well they turn out. And that is because I am indeed talented and sometimes it creates something amazing. But as much as I’d love to, I can’t create masterpieces all the time and neither can you. But you and I create good art. We have skills we build and continue to work at and we continue to create so that we can build them. We are talented. We are skilled. And we grow, even when we need to take a step back to see it.
Today I am going to take a step back to take a look at my growth from the beginning of what I feel is my art journey starting at about 13 and see how it has progressed to how I’ve developed to today at 21. I hope as we go through my journey you can not only look at my progress but think about your own.
My visual art journey starts about at the age of 13, but I have always been a creative person. I have always been into crafting and DIYs but, I for a long time loved music more. I had always felt that my future was going to be a musical one. Little did I know then, that I would grow up feeling more called to an art career instead.
My beginning in art started in the 8th grade. Becoming a teenager, like I’m sure many of you, was a challenging transition filled with moodiness and not really knowing where I fit into this big scary world. But I had a family who helped me find something to help me work through the big emotions that come with becoming a teenager. Music was a way for me to feel my emotions but what I really needed was a way to give myself a break from them. Getting into drawing was a great distraction. I have always struggled with my mental health, but taking a break to what felt so heavy, was a great start to helping me learn to manage it, especially before I learned other tools.
When I started high school and continued drawing, my main focus was still on music, specifically being a part of the choir program at my school. By the time I was in my junior year, I was a part of 2 choirs and looking to compete in the choral solo and ensemble. My dreams at the time surrounded around choir. I wanted to compete, hopefully all the way. But I ended up getting sick with pneumonia, which alongside a preexisting health condition, took out of competing. It also took me out of school for 3 months.
After I recovered, it was the summer before my senior year. Though I was more than ready to rejoin my friends in school the following fall, I wouldn’t be. I moved my senior year to a new school. Which was a big transition for someone who went to school with the same people her whole life. And art again came to help through another transition. I struggled wanting to connect to my peers at the beginning of the year since I was a bit closed off) But through that struggle I spent a lot of my time drawing in a sketchbook that I actually ended up using the whole school year. That sketchbook was a way I was able to start to open up and connect with my classmates. It was a great conversation starter and opened the door to more friendships with others who like to draw or liked to appreciate art.
But then of course, the pandemic came out of no where to shake things up. Towards the end of my senior year things shut down and I once again found myself trying to figure out how to navigate a new transition. Just as I had figured out one big change and things started smooth sailing, I then was thrown into an even bigger change. But art helped me through it. Along with other things like video games like The Sims and Animal Crossing, and movies and TV shows. But the biggest thing that helped me was creating art. During my zoom classes not only did I draw like I did in my in person classes, but now with the at home classes I had access to all my art supplies so I’d paint in class too! I also created art during that time that I felt could help spread positive messages, not only for others but for me as well. With such a crazy world event, sometimes we all need a little positivity.
After graduating high school, it was time to go off to college. At least that’s what you are supposed to do right? And so I did. For a little while. I started college working on a degree in music with an aim to also study education. My plan at the time was to be a choir teacher. And for a time I really was passionate about it. But my passions changed. I think it was a more gradual switch from music to art, which is probably why I didn’t really even realize that they had changed places in my life.
Art for me had always seemed like the more unstable option, the option with endless options. Unlike music which for me had only one or two paths I would want to take. And that was quite scary for me. It still is. But I am coming to find that even though it’s the more scary option, it’s probably terrifying because it’s probably the more rewarding path for me.
But it wasn’t until I started working at a craft store that I really started to give into those artistic urges more. I have met many creative people through working there, and a good handful of them have started their own businesses or should start one! It’s very inspiring to see someone turning their passions into their job!
I would first attempt my start into being a small business owner by starting my Etsy shop where I was selling digital coloring pages. But it wouldn’t be until a little later I’d start seeing success. In June of last year, my brothers went off to basic training for the army. While in their last couple of weeks there they go through what is called The Forge, which is the last leg of basic training before they graduate. While their recruits are in The Forge, many families will get lanterns or candles for their soldiers to light their way to the finish, and home. I made the lantern that my family displayed until one of my brother’s time at basic. My mom posted it online which led to some extended family asking for their own for not only my brother but also for others that were also at basic in my family! And they also shared their lanterns too! So naturally things started to grow and I started continually selling them and still do! I am really happy and proud to be able to continue making these lanterns for soldiers not only to celebrate their hard work but also bring comfort to their families who are counting down the days until they reunite with them after 3 months away!
And since then I’ve made many other lantern designs. But I’ve also added crochet and hand painted items to my shop too! I plan to continuing growing my shop as I grow!
I’ve come a long way since my beginning! I’ve been through a few big transitions and through them all, I had art to help me navigate them! And not only that, now I am aiming to make art my career! For now that is through Etsy and also this blog. I hope I can connect to others through what I write here! But I also hope that we can see my journey together. You can keep up with my shop and see how it progresses through my shop newsletter! You not only get updates there but you also can find out about sales before everyone else and exclusive coupons!
Thank you for strolling down memory lane with me today! I know it was a long one! So if you made it this far I greatly appreciate you! I hope you enjoyed it! I also hope you take some time to reflect on your own journey, I think you’ll find you’ve also traveled a long ways! You can also continue to catch up with me on Instagram where I post my art adventures!
