The Beginning
Art has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. It holds huge significance and emotion in some of the greatest moments. This is how I knew that it was a passion of mine. Growing up any programs for art or very scarce, but my parents were always very supportive of my creative ability. I loved every form of you can imagine from animated TV shows to writing to musical theater. However, one always stuck out to me the most, and that was graphic design.
When I was 14 and I started high school, I wasn’t exactly sure 100% if Art was my passion. My original goal was to be a lawyer. After gaining some experience in law, I realized that it was not something I could see myself doing in the future. So, as the years passed, and it was time for me to go into undergrad, I decided to take the leap and study art. It was the greatest leap I have ever taken. Especially since the majority of my time in high school was spent pushing art away because I felt like I didn’t have the time and I did not have the appropriate resources to continue my craft.
The Purpose
Seeing as the arts are severely underfunded, and not very supported, especially with someone of my background, it was a terrifying chance to take. However, finding mutual communities of fellow black creatives encourages me to create this platform that you see now. When I look at platforms, like allblackcreatives.com, I know the importance of community.
It’s the same community that encouraged me to continue art even when I didn’t have programs to help me get supplies or when I didn’t have the appropriate mentor to guide me on any mediums that might be the best to take. I am inspired when I look at Instagram pages like @allblackcreatives. There is a sense of comfort and relatability, knowing that people who are like me are also diving into the arts and honing in on their craft.
Looking at the art behind these platforms inspires me in so many different ways, through the color, the perspectives, and even the themes that are portrayed. I feel like you speak to me because I love the attention to detail as well as the commitment to continue to create a space for creative just simply be themselves.
The Outcome
It was, especially during the later years of my undergrad, that I decided that I wanted to start creating a platform for my art. So I began by being the public relations chair for my undergrad’s Black Student Alliance club as well as interning as a Graphic Designer for the Student Government Association. In those positions, I learned how to use art as a communication form. I spread the word on important events like a campus fashion show or even student elections. Overall, it showed me the importance of visual art to speed messages and important information to all audiences.
Then I created an Instagram and now here I am with this platform to share my thoughts and feelings on the beauty that art is and the connectivity and community that it creates. I created these posts that you see here as a way to express emotion and also showcase skill. I hope that with this platform I can do what other platforms of similar topics have done for me which is to continue to inspire me and encourage me to grow my skills in art in every single way possible. I hope you enjoy watching my journey growing my art skills and showing off my inspirations.