Films can be inciting incidents. Unknowingly, something within you has clicked and it will set into motion a way of thinking that will follow you for the rest of your life. For me, Pan's Labyrinth is that film. A film where the fantastical encroaches on a cruel, rules-driven world. Even to this day, this perspective on fantasy fascinates me. It's the intersection between real life and fiction that presents a sharp contrast between the two. At the same time, the film doesn't ignore that the fantastical can be just as cruel as real life and that's how the two relate to each other. Pan's Labyrinth was my initiation into the fantasy genre. It's what eventually led me to seek out fantasy books specifically. It's what led to my enjoyment of fantasy shows. It's what eventually led me to pursue a career in animation and illustration. It's a beautiful film, obviously and that's one of the reasons I love it. But it has also been a deciding factor in my career choice and future. It's why it's my favorite film.

It is with complete certainty that I can say, "I didn't know what I was getting into when I decided to pursue a career in the visual arts." Those not in the field may have a glorified vision of the practice or a grim outlook on the field as a whole. The idea that if you're not featured in galleries you're broke. You're either rolling in cash from all the amazing pieces of artwork you've sold or you're working for exposure and hoping you'll have enough to pay next month's rent. When, truthfully, you do what you have to to make money. Maybe that's working at a desk job while drawing for people on the side. Maybe that's catering to demanding clients and not saying anything while knowing there is a way to make the design better. It's a bleak truth that I may spend all my working years never putting any of my ideas out into the world for others to see and experience. All of those years may only be in service to someone else's ideas. I love art, but even if I love the practice, if my output isn't what I desire then I really will feel as if I've not done much of anything. While I understand that money is always pressing, I'd like to avoid feeling as though I've not done much with all the time I'd been given. This is what I'd been thinking about at the cusp of the conception of my business idea. If I feel as though the means aren't there for me to realize my goals then, I should try my hardest to make those means myself. Fundamentally, my business idea is of an art studio for the visual arts that is, and always will be, completely independent. I conceived this business idea for myself, but perhaps just as importantly, it is for other creative individuals that may have shared the same worries as me. People that feel they may never have been able to realize their ideas otherwise. This idea didn't happen with just me in a bubble. It was also inspired by the existence of another black-owned business. It is a non-japanese animation studio in Japan and it is the first of its kind. It really made me think, "Maybe I can do this, too." With social circumstances similar to mine, it's what solidified my business idea in my mind. Though my art studio would be different in that it would consist of more than just animation. While animation and illustration are what I'm most interested in and what I most want to spend my time on, not everyone has the same opinion. To narrow the scope so much would be to ignore a lot of other visual art. If my goal is to help others realize their ideas in the way that I'm hoping to realize my own the scope must be broad. That's what I'm hoping to achieve with this endeavor, a diverse collective of visual artists all putting their ideas out into the world, unrestricted.

When I started college, and as far back as my last year of middle school, I’d been laser-focused on succeeding academically. I equated academic success with future success for the rest of my life. Naturally, this line of thinking led me to spend most of my academic career in the classroom or in my room studying. However, my most important, and meaningful, college interactions have been outside of the classroom. The relationships I’ve developed have reshaped the outlook I have on my remaining years in higher education and my career goals. After middle school, I didn’t join any clubs. The next time I’d join a club wouldn’t be until my 2nd year of college. I was, in a way, a club founder despite not taking an official leadership role until 3 months after joining. I was an active participant in the club’s inception and startup, but before I was all in for the club, I couldn’t help thinking that there were more important things that could be holding my time. Before becoming an official member, and later a board member, I’d thought the club to just be another art club. I’d of course changed my opinion on the club soon after. This club has helped my development in areas I was lacking, like organization, socialization, and public speaking. I’m the event coordinator and secretary for the club so, any art shows, art sales, or fundraisers are typically organized by me. I’m at the event speaking with guests, answer questions, and conducting transactions. I’m there to help set up the stage and I’m there to help break everything down when it’s over. All of these things I’d never done are now things I do frequently and regularly. They’re things I used to dread and, thanks to this club, I’m much better at. The relationship I have with former club members that are now alum and the relationships I have with the department teachers and current students are relationships that would not exist without this club. Truly, the club was nearly its own volunteer organization for students in the art department in every way except name. The primary goals of the club were to provide tutoring and discounted, or free, art supplies to the students of the art department. The club was there to help students with succeeding in their academic goals without difficulty. Those goals resonated with me and it’s what really changed my goals from just ‘get good grades and get good jobs’. If I could do something meaningful with the rest of my time in school, like I am now, I think I’ll have used my time in college wisely. This club also made me think about the meaningful things I could be doing with my career. I am an art major. What I want most for my career is to create art that properly expresses my thoughts and ideas. It was the intended outcome of my time in college and it still is. However, I want my career to be a way to help people in the same way my time in this club has. I want to help provide opportunities that would not otherwise be there. If I could do something meaningful with my career, like I am in this club, I think I’ll have used my life wisely.

The best thing any song can do for me is to make me want to pick up my sketchbook or notebook and start making. The first song in my playlist invoked that feeling of needing, desperately, to be creating right then. I've curated this playlist while trying to maintain that feeling throughout. Every song in this playlist makes me want to draw or write something. Some songs definitely give a more specific visual. While others are ambiguous, yet still deeply moving and inspiring.