This isn't my original artwork. I found it off the internet. Particularly google.com. But I absolutely adore it. Why? because someone drew an arcade machine on the side of a building. I respect it because it's a piece of art and it appeals to my sense of nerdery. Something I take pride in.
It absolutely disgusts me. It disgusts me that I am an artist. I am a free thinker, drawing inspiration deep within my soul. Yet it is my greatest curse. I am in school to study art. To further develop my drawing skills. And improve. But the greatest crime ever committed is one simple thing: teaching art in schools.
Art is something that has it's own interpretive value. The works of Picasso could mean nothing to you if you truly didn't understand their own abstract nature. It is important that one appreciates and possibly respects artworks of different artists, but why is it so critical that we have to "abide" by certain principles?
Isn't the point of art to express yourself? Why are we, as artists, held down by certain guidelines? Did anyone direct Leonardo Da Vinci what to draw? No. He learned from his peers, drew inspiration, and made his own pieces. I don't care what form of art you express yourself in, whether it be painting, woodshop work, 3D computer modeling, sculpting, or even playing any type of instrument, as artists it's our duty to take our stand now. When you take your classes or begin to create something derived through your soul, you remember forever that you don't need an authority figure to tell you that your artwork is "respectable and accepted". It's how you interpret it yourself.
There are two types of artists I have observed in this world. There are the guardians, who strive to succeed in every aspect but at the same time encourage others around them. Then there's the hot shots who think they're the coolest thing since cool whip. Regardless of whichever artist you may be, one common goal for you is to create art. For me personally, I could care less about the artsy fartsy hot shots. They believe that their competence is higher than any of their peers and that's what sets them apart.
Living as an artist is a constant struggle. I will always seek approval from others, and deny that I'm falling behind or not quite up to par than others. Now that I have accepted my limitations and strengths, I can gradually begin to improve and heal.
The main point why I happen to be venting about this issue is my drawing class. It has brought great joy and great misery to me. Same with my 3D class. Both classes test my limits in terms of creativity. I have been both graded on what I have created through both classes. And due to certain "expectations" of the instructors, I happen to be on the borderline of a low C. A "C"? Yah, I'm being graded on being a struggling artist. I call this the biggest travesty of them all.
Why is this a travesty you may ask? The main idea is this: How in the world can you judge art?! Art is truly interpreted from one's own soul; what they're feeling, how they see the world, and how they strive to appeal to their audience. Just because I haven't been doing well on one project, doesn't mean I don't have an audience. Regardless of what I've created as an artist, I respect all of my work. There are those that I take more pride in, but I treat every medium of art, digital or concrete, as something created from deep within.
When I create something, I either take very little time to get to the end or I put in so much work into it that I don't even recall how I completed it. It feels similar to having an out of body experience. When you know something clicks inside of you, nothing will stop you until you have accomplished your goal.
And sometimes it works very well for me. Or in the worst case it doesn't.
If you take anything from this post of my insane rambling, remember this: art will never have a price. And it will never have a standing crowd of fans. It has one and only one fan. Yourself. And as long as you believe in your own works of art, music or drawing wise, nothing in this world can stop you from expressing yourself.
So go ahead world. Grade my art as you will. I don't need your letter grades to tell me what true art is. It is within my own being. And that's something you will NEVER be able to GRADE!
