Alexandra Newe

Zucman, Glenn

Art 101

9 Dec 2018

Art and My Life

To me, art is not simply drawing a picture, performing a dance, or filming a video. It is an introspection into the complex mind of an individual. If there is one thing that this semester has taught me, its the value of the mind of the individual. Through each artist I have interviewed, I’ve been able to see the world from a new perspective. Each lens gives me something different to add to my own view. Through the eyes of artist Diane Nguyen, life is compartmentalized into sections with bridges to connect them and make sense of who we are. Yet for Aliza Bejarano, we find peace through absolute and utter chaos. Are these two artists wrong? No, I don’t think so. Each person, through their expression, takes their creative input and puts it out into the world to make sense of it. It’s like one giant puzzle piece.  

As far as art goes in my life, I have always been surrounded by it. I grew up with instruments around me, paints, nature, you name it. I’ve always immersed myself in it. I believe that what I learned about the value of the individual mind stands true to how I have lived my life so far. When I was told to practice guitar for an hour a day, I would stop playing. When I was in art class and told to draw a certain way, my art ended up looking horrible. And when I was told to stick to the man made trails in summer camp, I was bored out of my mind. Yet I would listen to songs, fall in love with them, and it would take me seconds to figure them out on the guitar or piano. When I would walk to art with my journal, I’d write some of the best poetry I’ve ever written. And when I would go exploring beyond the trails of the forest with my best friend and we’d come back covered in dirt and scrapes, I’d be high off of euphoria. What I’m trying to get at is that the idea of art stems from expression. Individuality is what leads progress, and new ideas. When we confine expression or standardize it, it is only in fear of what grand idea will be born out of the next mind.

I have made the choice this year to move back home and leave this four-year institution. Never in my life have I been so sure of where I am going. I have been focusing on my music, on my writing and in doing so, am going to work on this as well as soul search. While I am going to continue my education, I’m going to prioritize my art as well as my mental health. This is just not the path for me, and I have chosen to follow my heart over my head. I’m going to pick up the bass guitar, the drums, and any other instrument I find interest in. I plan on publishing my poetry into a book and seeing where that creative outlet gets me. While I continue my education through local online classes, I will be able to take introspection into myself and truly express who I am and discover more about myself.  

Art has a way of moving a person. The same way that words can bring emotion. When we see, hear, or touch something that another person has created, we have a sensory substance that has stemmed from their mind. From this we can gain insight into ourselves or simply see another point of view. Never have I been more sure about what I need to do than right now. If I go back through my poems it’s as if my subconscious knew I was going to leave before my conscious self knew. But this is what art does. It brings out your inner self and promotes that individuality a society needs.