Gracefully Chosen Foundation Fine Art Scholarship

I was raised in a single-parent house and growing up I lived all around central Georgia; Gwinnett, Clayton, Decatur, and McDonough. Living in many different places allowed me to be surrounded by diverse kids my age and develop differing interests and curiosities. I remember riding through the heart of Atlanta often, and how it exposed me to various streets filled with contemporary art. I can especially reminisce on how certain environments impacted my growth from a toddler to a young adult. In kindergarten, I first learned to put a pencil on paper for art. At this young age, primary colors, secondary colors, vertical, and horizontal lines were all it took for my curiosity of the composition and possibilities of art to bloom. As I grew up, I began to appreciate my older cousins' sketches and paintings; the unique cartoonish style her pieces had, inspired me to draw and create characters of my own. At nine, I wanted to learn how to properly draw so I started watching YouTube tutorials and drawing what I saw. More and more, I started wanting a real sketchbook rather than copy paper–markers and paintbrushes, rather than pencils and pens. My hunger to create using different media grew as did I. My family around me was also beginning to acknowledge this talent I was given and were always so supportive of my passion for art. Whether it was the small things like a new sketchbook or a special eraser, or helping me to enter into my first art contest– my father and mother did all they could for me. At the time I was starting to cultivate my gift, my father had been overseas for 5 years. Away at work, busy and traveling, he still found time to assure me of his attention. He and my mother would often advise me as to where my art could take me. They loved me, and continue to love me, to the best of their ability. And now I’m sure I can take flight and leave the nest. More recently, though, a new but everlasting love has entered my life and has filled me. My heart has been taken with the love of God and He has become my passion. In saving me from my sin and revealing to me who He is, He has changed my mind, how I think, how I see things, the way I speak– and even the work of my hands on paper and canvas. Beforehand, I found art to be a sword in my hand, wielding it every way I wanted and in what manner I desired. I drew what I wanted and it had no substance, it reflected what I thought about myself, and yet that wasn’t who I was. However, I now find fault in that which I called an expression of myself because God has become key to how drastically my art has changed and the purpose thereof. I believe that because God has told me who I am, I have no shame nor condemnation in testifying to this truth to the world. I see art in a different light now, and I value my work to be a blessing to and for others. I have been given a voice and a gift to use to help those around me, but I needed to be helped first. Nevertheless, as I mature into a young adult, I find that it becomes difficult sometimes to express my thoughts and feelings through words. So, I appreciate the release that different forms of art have offered me, in shifting my focus to being creative rather than destructive. With the help of God, I’m starting to understand why I feel and think the way I do. It’s not easy to want to open up about my faults and mistakes, but I feel I’ve become more vulnerable than I’ve ever been because of God. In this space, is where I can understand and confront my fears– which leads to the expression of myself through art. Life is just ahead of me and many tests/challenges will come my way, but now I am not afraid to fail or fall. As I pursue my passion for all things art-related and walk where I should be, I keep my eyes and mind open to the possibilities within my reach. Whether it be drawing, sketching, painting, singing, or even cooking, I enjoy expressing what I envision within myself. I want to be an artist because I long for others to know who God is through the stories I’m able to tell. The story of who I was, who God is, and who I am now, is what I want to display to audiences of all ages. I am grateful for what I can do with my hands, but even more, I am zealous for Jesus and I want others to experience the power of His love. As I go off to study in college, I look forward to learning different and challenging things that may sharpen my skills. In time, I want to use these learned skills and methods to better portray the narrative of God to the world. Therefore, out of such joy and delight to create and see things being created, I put together a portfolio. Displaying who I am through the work of my hands on paper, canvas, document, video, and all other media I decide to showcase. Some of the pieces I include allude to my relationship and experience with God. In the process of creating them, I remembered the great heartache and eventual liberation of my life and allowed the colors to come to mind. In contrast, sometimes when drawing I have a faint image or idea of what I want to draw, allowing the small details to form freely in my mind and onto the paper. However, sometimes I am often inspired by an emotion, event, experience, and even the difficulty of a project. In my work, I seek to capture certain characteristics that tell a story about who God is and who I am because of Him. Through color, design, and technique, I wish to portray the human experience in the complexity and simplicity of knowing God.