My first long-term job was working with military youth in a before-and-after-school care program. In the program, there are different rooms for different subjects and activities. For the nearly two years I was there, I spent much of my time in the “Art Room” building activities and experiences around learning the skills needed to enjoy creating art. Individual art activities were fun and rewarding for the youth, but I saw the most excitement and skill-building when we worked on collaborative projects. Teaming kids up to create a piece one line at a time by taking turns, having them brainstorm an idea together, then producing the piece at the same time on the page, creating sculptures within the same theme. The kids seemed to love collaborating to make something new and unique. Of all the activities, my favorite project was creating a Picasso-person in a summer program art club. Each child in the club was responsible for drawing one feature on a face. We ended up with a bald, mustached, sparkly, blue and brown-eyed person with triangles for eyes, a square nose, swirly blush and blemishes, and “the most luscious eyelashes known to man,” as the kids would say. We were all so proud of this project and hung it up high on the wall so everyone could see it when they came into the art room. When asked who made it, the participants would always proudly share that it was a big project the art club worked on together. Collaboration in the field is building relationships with artists and new perspectives on what we see as art. During the creation of the Picasso-person, not everyone agreed on the decisions others would make. I would explain to them that the point of the project was to learn and appreciate what our peers had to contribute to the piece. That even if the ideas were strange, they still had value and made the piece exceptionally special because of all the ideas going into it. There’s much to learn from the people around us and ideas to take with us as we navigate our craft. I still hold this experience close to my heart and use it as a motivator for trying new things with my pieces. It’s more than just taking inspiration from another person, it’s building on our visions and working together to create something never seen before. The blending of unique ideas can create something truly special. Whether I work with kids as an art teacher, an all-ages art instructor, or an independent artist, I will gladly accept collaboration and seek it out. Building relationships with peers or students through the language of art helps you grow as an artist. I am always looking to improve and to learn, so collaboration means a lot to me as someone who loves to challenge themself. There are many ways to collaborate and work together in this modern age. Critiques, or involved work on a piece, building a show/installation with one or more artists, building a curriculum, bouncing ideas off another person, etc. To collaborate is to grow and understand. From adults to children, from performance artists to traditional painters, from art viewers to creators, there is so much to be offered from other perspectives and ideas. Collaboration is a foundational aspect of learning art.

In my 21 years on this Earth, I overcame an obstacle that can take someone’s entire life to defeat. I have proudly dealt with my traumas and have grown tremendously as a person despite it. I view this as “getting over myself” because it was a battle between my brain and myself. I was the one holding myself back and I was the one who was solely responsible for freeing myself from the endless cycles of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. I had no joy or comfort in being alive. I had nothing to look forward to or be excited about. The joy of living had been stolen from me, I needed to take it back. Like anyone, I did not ask to be born into a dysfunctional, chaotic family. I didn’t ask to be abused and tormented. The mental wounds inflicted from years of abuse ran deep. They controlled my every move. I spent a lot of time in a headspace that entrenched a victim mentality into my whole being. That’s all I could ever be, the poor victim. Objectively, I am a victim of abuse, but I am so much more than what had happened to me. I deserve to be more than my trauma. It took me nearly nine years to figure that out. Nine years of weekly therapy, eleven different psychiatric medications tested, one week in a mental hospital, and countless meltdowns got me where I am today. I worked very hard to ensure I could live life to the fullest. That I could do all the things I wanted and not be held back by things said and done to me growing up. I no longer sit in despair and shame for simply existing. I proudly move through every day, redefining who I am by choosing to be the best version of myself. No longer am I the victim. I am my bold, beautiful, complex self who deserves to live in peace and joy. Seeing art out in the world has always brought me inspiration. Whether it be through social media posts, murals on the sides of buildings, or even graphic design for products I am inspired to make something of my own. I want to give back to my community by making art that speaks to people when they see it. Art that gives people the spark of inspiration to create their very own piece of art. Taking some of the financial stress off of my education will help me throw myself further into my craft so I can ensure that I am making the art that I want to—understanding what's in my head and translating it to the real world through creative means. I want to show my community and the world that art is valuable outside of a dollar sign. That art holds value just by existing and having you view it. Young people today are collecting more than ever with the commercialization of collectibles and limited-time releases of products. Encouraging people to shift their interests from consumables to pieces of history would be great for their minds and overall understanding of different countries’ postal systems and their histories. Philately gives people a peek into the past by seeing what was culturally relevant or what causes were being supported at the time the stamp was released. I highly encourage anybody looking into philately. There is already a huge community around it, so there are friends to be made, information to be learned, and a sweet collection of stamps to be curated.