Christian ‘Myles’ Pratt Foundation Fine Arts Scholarship

My eyes grew bright and widened as they lingered on the plastic box my mother was holding. Could it be? I raised my chubby hands to my face and toddled clumsily across the room to where she was standing, a lemony smile spread across her face. She handed me the object, and I squealed. It was finally mine. My own DVD of Disney’s The Lion King. My art journey’s biggest influence has been Walt Disney. I didn’t know it then, but that seemingly insignificant childhood moment was where my current aspirations emerged from. I was enraptured by the visuals of magic carpets, singing animals, and girls with fish tails - none of which I ever saw in real life. The carpet on my floor clearly wasn’t going anywhere, and the fish in my aquarium just swam around monotonously. My screen had exposed me to a world of endless possibilities, leaving me unsatisfied. Reality just wasn’t doing it for me. Consequently, my desire to create was born. Other children had gone through a similar phase. What kid hadn’t imagined themselves being a Disney princess and the like? The difference in my case was that the spark of imagination remains ingrained in me today. Walt Disney’s work made me realize how underrated the concept of creativity was. I learned that nothing was unattainable - that with some thinking outside the box you could solve any problem thrown at you. Creativity is my friend now; it allows me to view my surroundings in ways no one else can, and it acts as an escape route whenever I need one. Having a bad day in this universe? Just go to a different one. To quote one of my favorite things Walt has ever said, it’s kind of fun to do the impossible. Today I am an animation student at the Savannah College of Art and Design, and upon graduating, I aspire to make an impact on the way people view my people and my culture. Being from a first-world, lesser-known country, I did not feel represented growing up. Bangladesh is not very well-known as a part of Asia and South Asians are often subjected to hurtful stereotypes. I have always been the only Bangladeshi in the classroom, and my art pieces are the only ones that include slices of my country. It is simultaneously overwhelming and flattering that I get to be the one who introduces my classmates to a new language and new culture. I commit myself to creating characters that better represent people from my culture. I tell diverse stories in my projects, in a manner that is authentic and derives from my lived experiences. Something that is crucial to me is breaking people’s preconceived notions and stereotypes they may have ingrained in them. When the world sees my work, I want them to see me and my culture for who and what we are. One can dream, right? In the future, I am an accomplished artist, and my art is helping someone else realize the power of their imagination. My work is educating people, shattering stereotypes and pushing forth the notion that someone out there is rooting for you. You are not alone.