I have loved to create art ever since I was a little kid. My passion formed in middle school when I had to make a civilization for a history project. Art has become a part of me to the point where I ask myself, why would I not pursue art? As an artist, I am constantly growing. I have improved but have yet to learn and gain knowledge from others. There is no exaggeration to say that I was practically born an artist. Art is not just a hobby or chore but a passion I have always had. Additionally, I believe that art can be considered a language. These languages are different for everyone since they come from within. It is a translation or portal to the creator's soul. Art allows us to connect, learn, and communicate with each other and ourselves. When we share these portals with others, it begins new ones. With the human ability to connect, we get inspired to create ourselves. More ideas come to light and spark new conversations. It is hard to think how society would be without art or music. I'd think the world would be in utter chaos, to say the least. How would society be able to move through life with no creative way to express one's feelings, experiences, thoughts, opinions, and more? I don't even want to think about what society would come to. With this reasoning, art influences me and my future goals. Furthermore, I am inspired artistically by other artists I love and by the world as a whole. There are so many different people, things, colors, ideas, and more that spark my creative interests. It is even nice to see the work of other artists and students. I find it fun and interesting to see these perspectives. As artists, we find ways to connect with our art, so when creating, I get inspired by perspectives, thoughts, ideas, and aesthetics. Some artists that inspire me are @SamDoesArts, @xioo.kk, @likelihood_art, and @bmj.art.shop. These artists can be found on Instagram. All in all, when I make art, I use the world as my main reference. I always find ways to enjoy the work I am making because even my creative perspective inspires me to create the art I love to make. I hope to continue this artistic path in becoming a successful artist. So I ask the same question, why would I not choose to pursue art?

My name is Samiyah Edwards and I am a first-year student at California College of the Arts. I love to read, play Roblox, and make art. I have always been a passionate artist and have always taken time to continue to grow my craft. I love traditional art but lately, been enjoying digital art more. I love creating art just as much as I like seeing the work of others. Though I can not say that I am a musician, I am a music consumer who enjoys the music of different artists. Additionally, regarding the question, I believe that art and music mean something different for everyone and can be considered a language. These languages are different for everyone since when someone makes art and/or music it comes from within. It is a translation or portal to the creator's soul. Art is important to society because as people, we need to connect, learn, and communicate. When we share these portals with others, it begins new ones. Meaning, that with the human ability to connect, we get inspired to create ourselves. More ideas come to light and spark new conversations. It is hard to think how society would be without art or music. I'd think the world would be in utter chaos, to say the least. How would society be able to move through life with no creative way to express one's feelings, experiences, thoughts, opinions, and more? I don't even want to think about what society would come to. Ultimately, no one can convince me that art or music isn't important and should not seen as such. I would go as far as to say that it is not a luxury but a necessity. When it comes to art or music, anyone can create. Though it may require skill sometimes, it can always be worked on and made. People love to say that only the talented can create "good" pieces of art or "beautifully" written songs. I disagree. The phrases "good art" or "good music" are subjective in this field. Everyone has different tastes and styles so what may please the likings of a person may be different for someone else. When it comes to these creative fields, all that is required is creativity. That is what makes art so beautiful and meaningful. As long as the creator can have the will to create, who are we to criticize them? That is essentially why art and music are important to society. It is what drives human emotion and perspective.

The biggest influence in my life has to be my parents. I say both because I can't seem to pick between either one of them. My parents have always been very supportive in my artistic endeavors and passions. My mom is the one who pushed me to go to the college of my choice without worrying about finances at the time and has always been a good listening ear. My dad has always pushed me to the bounds of art from allowing me to explore a whole bunch of different art paths. This can be from wood burning, creating logos and tattoos, carving, using resin, and more. Though I do not have a clear idea of what to do after graduation I do plan on diving deeper into the graphic design realm. I am majoring in graphic design and as of now plan to join a small graphic design firm to gain experience and then eventually starting my own design group. I love making designs and illustrations and want to incorporate both in my work to give clients more of a self creative touch. To be innovative I want to continue to help groups make brands, logos, illustrations, icons, everything. In my first semester at California College of the Arts I have learned that graphic design is everything and anything. I have met so many different graphic designers in which some take different approaches to their design work. It could be using code, dance, pottery, etc. Taking inspiration from them I also strive to make my work just as unique. What makes my artistic gift different? For one, my art is a combination of not just my imagination but of real life references. Typical right? but hear me out. Not only is my artistic gift diverse in such fields but it is fluid. When it comes to making art I can make different versions, exploring different methods and colors. I am able to find ways to make parts of my art symbolic or just for aesthetic. My art is not perfect in which I find also to be different allowing my art to have a personal touch only I can create. I have always pursued art for the simple reason that I want to do it. With every art related task I have done, I have gladly pursued it never feeling like it was a requirement to fulfill. The over flowing passion for art allows me to think more critically, creatively, and out of the ordinary. I am not always confident in some of my abilities but art is something I have complete confidence and passion for.

Growing up I have always had some sort of plan or goal in mind. I always had a passion for art and knew I wanted to pursue it in the future. In high school, it was easy. I would get good grades, do clubs, and play volleyball in hopes of playing in college someday. Though I did not make it to the big leagues I did wind up with an opportunity to play for PRATT. A very prestigious art school which at was at one point my dream college. When I had a chance to visit the school, I realized that it was not the place meant for me. The disappointment I felt was immense and for the first time ever I felt stuck. For awhile my parents would push for me to submit different college applications, scholarships, grants, the whole nine yards. Deciding where to pursue my art education was very challenging as I had to ask myself where I truly wanted to go. On top of that my parents are not rich and with 3 other siblings expenses add up. I even thought of using my parents military status and going to a CSU or UC for free, which can help ensure I stay as far away as student debt as possible. Though I still hoped to go to a art centered university, I was willing to put such desires to the side. Time was running out to make a decision and I felt that I would still be fine. I was even happy to have finally made a decision. Furthermore, you would have thought thats what have happened but it wasn't. When talking with my mom about my finally decision and plans she could see right through me. She asked, "Is that truly what you want? Where do you want to go without worrying about expenses?". As soon as she asked this I just started crying. I did not know fully why but I do know that is has something to do with me wanting to go to a art centered college where I can be surrounded by fellow artists and art enjoyers. This was definitely and growing experience for me. I came to the realization that I should learn more about my wants and aspirations and not belittle my dreams and goals. I should strive for them and find ways to reach the highest of highs. If it weren't for my mom, I would have been going to a college I am not super passionate about. There is of course some financial strain in which I apply and receive scholarships, grants, and have to take out loans, but ultimately I do not regret my decision. I have also learned that in life you must take risks and my mom is just the person who pushed me to trust in my craft, talent, and overall passion.

I have always been a believer in God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit but there was a time where felt like I wasn’t a true follower. In the past I used to heavily listen to nonpositive secular music, watch horror movies, read certain books, and more which were not really cohesive with what the bible said we needed to do as children of Christ. I was scrolling through Tik Tok on December 12, 2022 late at night. A video about repentance and the underground came on my for you page. I have seen many similar videos but this specific video had me in complete tears. I felt as if my eyes were being opened and I was coming to a very much needed realization. I felt as if God were sending me a warning and that he was speaking to me through the video. That night I prayed for a good 2 hours repenting and asking for forgiveness. I truly gave my life to Christ that day and changed my ways immediately after. After that moment it changed the way I saw and listened to music, watched movies, and read books. I removed all the bad secular music from my playlist and started truly listening to the lyrics of some of the music artists I used to love. You may think it was hard but it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. I felt like a weight was being lifted from my chest and I felt more at peace. I started reading my bible though it is still a struggle from time to time to stay motivated to keep up that habit I am trying to create. When I got closer to God after that moment, I realized that there were a lot of negative things going on in the world behind closed doors and found the answers to questions I had previously. I used to ask “how do we have so many languages?”, “why is there bad in the world?”, “why do certain people die “unjustly”?”, and more. Even now I feel as if God is my source of good and happiness as he provides for me and the ones I love. After I pray, it feels as if the Holy Spirit is present as I get goosebumps on my body and a positive feeling within. When I look back at my past self I realize how much of a lukewarm Christian I was and become thankful to how far I have come. I learned where the roots of my morals come from and have obtained a new perspective in which I look and react to situations differently than I would have in the past. I don’t find myself getting mad or angry as often and feel more happy in general. God is good and he does amazing things not only for me and my family but also for others. I believe that my faith will help be a positive influence and encourage others to do good and better. I truly believe that God has allowed me to go to college not only because he knows I'll learn something from the experience but to also use my presence and character to affect others. Art is about expression and my faith helps me be more detailed oriented. In my educational journey I plan my faith will help me get through the trials, temptations, and struggles I will face. I know it is going to be difficult but I know that God is far more stronger, so what is there to be stressed about? Amen to that!

Going way back to the beginning of my high school experience, I nearly died during my sophomore year of high school, but not literally. At the time, we were just ending quarantine. We were quarantined due to COVID-19, so I had to do online classes for my whole freshman year prior. When I was quarantined, it was easy to get through the year, but it was also easy to get distracted and slack off. With this mindset, I grabbed the opportunity to sign up for an AP course and other advanced classes thinking they would be just as easy. Let’s just say the work hit me like a bus. This significant challenge taught me many life lessons that I appreciate to this day. I became more resilient when facing challenges, learned to achieve anything I set my mind to with time-management skills, and learned that not everything is easy. First and foremost, to overcome this obstacle, I searched for the root of the problem. With sophomore year being my first official high school year on campus, I had no time management skills or abilities to balance all the work I received. I then researched techniques and made a schedule for when to do work for each class. I became more resilient as I had to uphold this time management for the whole school year without once giving up, though I am willing to admit that I did think about doing so a few times. After a while, I learned how to manage classwork and personal time in order to stay mentally healthy. This first step was difficult to make as I had to make myself accountable and admit to my disorganized and procrastinated ways. In addition to facing this barrier, the next step was to uphold this successful tactic. It was hard to make the schedule and manage it, but I was driven to excel in my classes. Though I procrastinated, I still wanted to ultimately succeed and make something of myself in the future. To do this I kept myself motivated through music and by reminding myself of what I could achieve. I also had a amazing support system to cheer me on. When I was able to get all A’s, I learned that I have the ability to achieve anything when I set my mind to it. This was a total game changer in my mindset and mood when it came to school work. It was like finally getting the engine to start of a car I have always wanted to drive. My academic fire sparked and I did not plan to ever slow down. Furthermore, I had a very good support system backing me up. Not only were my family, friends, and counselor very supportive and encouraging but my god mom as well. She has been my mentor, advisor, and even guidance counselor at times. When it came to submitting school work, applying for colleges, answering prompts, etc. she was always there to help. Their support, love, and encouragement allowed me to view them as people who supported me and wanted to see me succeed. Even this added fuel to my academic fire. Ultimately, I have learned to not underestimate things. In the beginning, I thought that since freshman year was easy, I would pass through sophomore year with a breeze. I was wrong. In fact, it was a problem in itself that I was not prepared or humble. If I were to lead a life with that mindset I would find myself facing way more problems before I eventually hit rock bikini bottom. Some things won’t be easy in the long run, and sometimes there is nothing you can do about it but learn, grow, and be ready. This experience made and makes me feel prepared to take on new challenges in the years to come. In fact, I am prepared. So life, bring it on because I am not backing down. As I move forward in my education, I plan to pursue graphic design and the digital arts. I have always excelled in drawing, sketching, and creating. I have a talent and skill in this field and want to see how far it can take me. I do not dread the long journey ahead but instead welcome it. Art is my sole passion and I want to maximize my love for it as much as possible. When I graduate I that changes I am looking to accomplish are my social network connections and my vocals as an artist. Art is a field where you need to know people to succeed. I am willing to drive my passion for art and success to open myself up to more people. I will not have anyone to tell me when to go to class, when to eat, shower, do chores, etc. but myself. I am willing to drive myself as one drives their own car, on the road to achieve triumphs and flourish.

Going way back to the beginning of my high school experience, I nearly died during my sophomore year of high school, but not literally. At the time, we were just ending quarantine. We were quarantined due to COVID-19, so I had to do online classes for my whole freshman year prior. When I was quarantined, it was easy to get through the year, but it was also easy to get distracted and slack off. With this mindset, I grabbed the opportunity to sign up for an AP course and other advanced classes thinking they would be just as easy. Let’s just say the work hit me like a bus. This significant challenge taught me many life lessons that I appreciate to this day. I became more resilient when facing challenges, learned to achieve anything I set my mind to with time-management skills, and learned that not everything is easy. First and foremost, to overcome this obstacle, I searched for the root of the problem. With sophomore year being my first official high school year on campus, I had no time management skills or abilities to balance all the work I received. I then researched techniques and made a schedule for when to do work for each class. I became more resilient as I had to uphold this time management for the whole school year without once giving up, though I am willing to admit that I did think about doing so a few times. After a while, I learned how to manage classwork and personal time in order to stay mentally healthy. This first step was difficult to make as I had to make myself accountable and admit to my disorganized and procrastinated ways. In addition to facing this adversity, the next step was to uphold this successful tactic. It was hard to make the schedule and manage it, but I was driven to excel in my classes. Though I procrastinated, I still wanted to ultimately succeed and make something of myself in the future. To do this I kept myself motivated through music and by reminding myself of what I could achieve. I also had a amazing support system to cheer me on. When I was able to get all A’s, I learned that I have the ability to achieve anything when I set my mind to it. This was a total game changer in my mindset and mood when it came to school work. It was like finally getting the engine to start of a car I have always wanted to drive. My academic fire sparked and I did not plan to ever slow down. Furthermore, I had a amazing support system backing me up. Not only were my family, friends, and counselor very supportive and encouraging but my god mom as well. She has been my mentor, advisor, and even guidance counselor at times. Their support, love, and encouragement allowed me to view them as people who supported me and wanted to see me succeed. Ultimately, I learned to not underestimate things. In the beginning, I thought that I would pass through sophomore year with a breeze. I was wrong. It was a problem in itself that I was not prepared or humble. I would advise others in similar situations to take a deep breath and persevere. Believe in yourself and work for what you want. Some things won’t be easy, and sometimes there is nothing you can do about it but learn, grow, and be ready. This experience made me feel prepared to take on challenges in the future. In fact, I am prepared.

The art I plan to create can include various types of drawings of people, characters, food-related pieces, and more. I want to explore and push my imagination to the limits. I used to prefer traditional art techniques over digital ones. After switching to digital art, I have found a better connection with my artwork using digital resources. I feel more confident and enjoy watching my process when creating art pieces. This personal feature contributes to the kind of art that I want to make in the digital art space. I want to continue making art that portrays my creativity, imagination, and feelings. In addition, I want my art to be able to spark that imagination, critical thinking, and discussion. I want to continue to grow my artistic identity and skills. Making the art I enjoy can help me accomplish this goal the best. Some of my artwork investigates human nature with daily routines, physical appearance, emotions, and how we navigate life. It is important to me as an African American because I do not feel a sense of diversity sometimes when it comes to some of the communities I am involved in. I want to highlight the differences faced even if we are all humans. This is important to me because specific topics are sensitive. In my opinion the best approach to such fragile topics is something that can get the ball rolling instead of using harsh, critical questions to start a conversation. I want to take the opportunity to not only spread awareness but also positivity and emotion. Furthermore, people run the whole world. It interests me how there are billions and billions of different people on earth. People vary in height, style, age, personality, and more. You learn from one another and find cultural differences that make us unique. Investigating this topic allows me to explore diversity and differences between others. In other words, the world helps inspire my spark in my thought process about everyday life and how to express that in my art. The world has been my reference when creating art because many people are experiencing different things all at once. I use art to help spread awareness of these emotions, feelings, and experiences.

I love math though at times it stresses me out. Some may say you can't love and like something at the same time but I beg to differ. I love math when I understand how it works. It is truly fascinating as there tons of formulas, numbers, symbols, and more but only one right answer, depending on the problem of course. Math is perfectly structured in a way where anything can be calculated with formulas and a process. It is so complex that it is a practice that cannot be created but learned and understood. In addition, math is consistent. The only error math makes are caused by human error. There are rules and principles that must be followed when it comes to math. Math is meant to be predictable and logical and the more advanced it is, the more problems that can be solved. Math again, is very advanced so there are many different levels such as geometry, algebra, calculus, trigonometry, number theory, and more. Everyone has their own level of math so it amazes me that two people can be at two totally different levels of math and solve a single problem two different ways, resulting in the same answer. Furthermore, math to me is a representation of imagination and a number language. There infinite number combinations, problems, and answers. There are different methods that can be used to find the right answer of an equation and to me this is a beautiful thing. Do not get me wrong, I have had my fair share of ups and downs when it comes to math as I have learned as far as AP AB Calculus. Even with the trials, errors, and few strand of pulled out hair, I can not get myself to hate math but love it even more. I love the feeling of figuring out a problem after I have spent so much time struggling to get the answer. Math is a language, and I love to speak it, even when I sometimes struggle to understand it.

I have always been a believer in God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit but there was a time where felt like I wasn’t a true follower. In the past I used to heavily listen to nonpositive secular music, watch horror movies, read certain books, and more which were not really cohesive with what the bible said we needed to do as children of Christ. I was scrolling through Tik Tok on December 12, 2022 late at night. A video about repentance and the underground came on my for you page. I have seen many similar videos but this specific video had me in complete tears. I felt as if my eyes were being opened and I was coming to a very much needed realization. I felt as if God were sending me a warning and that he was speaking to me through the video. That night I prayed for a good 2 hours repenting and asking for forgiveness. I truly gave my life to Christ that day and changed my ways immediately after. After that moment it changed the way I saw and listened to music, watched movies, and read books. I removed all the bad secular music from my playlist and started truly listening to the lyrics of some of the music artists I used to love. You may think it was hard but it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. I felt like a weight was being lifted from my chest and I felt more at peace. I started reading my bible though it is still a struggle from time to time to stay motivated to keep up that habit I am trying to create. When I got closer to God after that moment, I realized that there were a lot of negative things going on in the world behind closed doors and found the answers to questions I had previously. I used to ask “how do we have so many languages?”, “why is there bad in the world?”, “why do certain people die “unjustly”?”, and more. Even now I feel as if God is my source of good and happiness as he provides for me and the ones I love. After I pray, it feels as if the Holy Spirit is present as I get goosebumps on my body and a positive feeling within. When I look back at my past self I realize how much of a lukewarm Christian I was and become thankful to how far I have come. I learned where the roots of my morals come from and have obtained a new perspective in which I look and react to situations differently than I would have in the past. I don’t find myself getting mad or angry as often and feel more happy in general. God is good and he does amazing things not only for me and my family but also for others. I plan to be a positive influence and encourage others to do good and better. I truly believe that God has allowed me to go to college not only because he knows I'll learn something from the experience but to also use my presence and character to affect others. In my educational journey I plan to use my faith to get through the trials, temptations, and struggles I will face. I know it is going to be difficult but I know that God is far more stronger, so with that, what is there to be scared or stressed about? Nothing, Amen to that!

Going way back to the beginning of my high school experience, I nearly died during my sophomore year of high school, but not literally. At the time, we were just ending quarantine. We were quarantined due to COVID-19, so I had to do online classes for my whole freshman year prior. When I was quarantined, it was easy to get through the year, but it was also easy to get distracted and slack off. With this mindset, I grabbed the opportunity to sign up for an AP course and other advanced classes thinking they would be just as easy. Let’s just say the work hit me like a bus. This significant challenge taught me many life lessons that I appreciate to this day. I became more resilient when facing challenges, learned to achieve anything I set my mind to with time-management skills, and learned that not everything is easy. First and foremost, to overcome this obstacle, I searched for the root of the problem. With sophomore year being my first official high school year on campus, I had no time management skills or abilities to balance all the work I received. I then researched techniques and made a schedule for when to do work for each class. I became more resilient as I had to uphold this time management for the whole school year without once giving up, though I am willing to admit that I did think about doing so a few times. After a while, I learned how to manage classwork and personal time in order to stay mentally healthy. This first step was difficult to make as I had to make myself accountable and admit to my disorganized and procrastinated ways. In addition to facing this barrier, the next step was to uphold this successful tactic. It was hard to make the schedule and manage it, but I was driven to excel in my classes. Though I procrastinated, I still wanted to ultimately succeed and make something of myself in the future. To do this I kept myself motivated through music and by reminding myself of what I could achieve. I also had a amazing support system to cheer me on. When I was able to get all A’s, I learned that I have the ability to achieve anything when I set my mind to it. This was a total game changer in my mindset and mood when it came to school work. It was like finally getting the engine to start of a car I have always wanted to drive. My academic fire sparked and I did not plan to ever slow down. Furthermore, I had a very good support system backing me up. Not only were my family, friends, and counselor very supportive and encouraging but my god mom as well. She has been my mentor, advisor, and even guidance counselor at times. When it came to submitting school work, applying for colleges, answering prompts, etc. she was always there to help. Their support, love, and encouragement allowed me to view them as people who supported me and wanted to see me succeed. Even this added fuel to my academic fire. Ultimately, I learned to not underestimate things. In the beginning, I thought that since freshman year was easy, I would pass through sophomore year with a breeze. I was wrong. In fact, it was a problem in itself that I was not prepared or humble. If I were to lead a life with that mindset I would find myself facing way more problems before I eventually hit rock bikini bottom. Some things won’t be easy in the long run, and sometimes there is nothing you can do about it but learn, grow, and be ready. This experience made and makes me feel prepared to take on new challenges in the years to come. In fact, I am prepared. So life, bring it on because I am not backing down.

If I had to choose a book for everyone to read, it would be the bible. Now before people attack me and say that I am forcing religion on people, I want to say that the bible is more than just a book. The bible is a book in which teaches us moral lessons, encourages us, and explains ways of the world when truly understood. I would have everyone read the bible because a lot can be learned from the book of life. Not only is the bible really knowledgeable but the bible has lots of interesting stories that people would never even think to have been true. They are out of the ordinary, intriguing, and real. I acknowledge that everyone has different values and beliefs but I also believe that the bible should be read before making a distinct decision to believe or not. After all, the bible is also a book that has had a huge influence on history. There are various songs, poetry, philosophical perspectives, and more which can help you connect with people and spark thought processes and curiosity. When reading the bible I feel lighter, better, and more connected with my life and emotions. I come to feel a sense of understanding and realizations that the things I go through are valid and not at all lonesome. I realize that there are people feeling that exact same way. The bible is a book everyone should read. Of course reading the bible is a choice, but if I were able to inspire anyone to read the bible, I hope its everyone.

When I have the choice to pick a topic to speak on, I will always choose art. Art is a topic that excites me and relates to the academic area I want to dig deeper into. I want to pursue my potential art career and grow as a self-taught artist. I’m drawn to art because I can create anything without restrictions. I also purely enjoy art because it is fun. Art helped me make my style and voice by displaying itself through my wardrobe and on the canvas. Again, art is not just a hobby but a very influential passion I foster. The overall process interests me the most about art and the art field. When creating a piece, I find ways to think outside the box to convey themes. This strategy makes my work strictly mine with my style. I love it when my art comes together. I aim to make my art appealing to myself and the goal I am trying to achieve when creating the art. My art is creative, aesthetically pleasing, and unique. Art by far has to be one of my favorite ways to use my time and express myself. When I create art I travel to another world or maybe even another planet. Art has helped me create my own style and voice by displaying itself through my wardrobe and on the canvas. It is not just a mere hobby but a very influential passion that I foster. I would not be who I am if I was not involved in art because it is a key component of what makes me who I am, it is enjoyable, and something that brings me comfort. Art is a space where creations and imagination are endless, with hard work you can create anything and that alone is what I enjoy. Art is not easy but can result in a sense of achievement. Art is something that I find fun and not stressful...most of the time. I have always found joy in art but it can be frustrating when I feel like I'm lacking the skill. Trial and error comes with art and that makes it worth it in the end. Some of my artwork investigates human nature with daily routines, physical appearance, emotions, and how we navigate life. It is important to me as an African American because I do not feel a sense of diversity sometimes when it comes to some of the communities I am involved in. I want to highlight the differences faced even if we are all humans. This investigation is also important to me because specific topics are sensitive. I want to take the opportunity to not only spread awareness but also positivity and emotion. People run the whole world. It interests me how there are billions and billions of different people on earth. People vary in height, style, age, personality, and more. You learn from one another and find cultural differences that make us unique. Investigating this topic allows me to explore diversity and differences between others. In other words, the world helps inspire my spark in my thought process about everyday life and how to express that in my art. The world has been my reference when creating art because many people are experiencing different things all at once. I use art to help spread awareness of these emotions, feelings, and experiences. The art I plan to create can include various types of drawings of people, characters, food-related pieces, and more. I want to explore and push my imagination to the limits. I used to prefer traditional art techniques over digital ones. After switching to digital art, I have found a better connection with my artwork using digital resources. I feel more confident and enjoy watching my process when creating art pieces. This personal feature contributes to the kind of art that I want to make in the digital art space. I want to continue making art that portrays my creativity, imagination, and feelings. I want to continue to grow my artistic identity and skills. Making the art I enjoy can help me accomplish this goal the best.

My parents have been the biggest influence in my life. I could have chose one of them but I can't. Both my parents have different strengths and attributions that have influenced and guided me through my whole life. They always keep it real with me and give me advice that will lead me on the right path. They have never once judged me in a way where I feel I cannot trust them. When it comes to my art they have also been my biggest supporters. They have given me art projects, opportunities, supplies, cheers, and love. This is the foundation of my art and how my journey started. Additionally, when I graduate I want to use my artistic talent and skill to help make myself and other people happy. I want to be able to use my skill to illustrate my opinions and views in a way that is outside the box, to really get people thinking. Art is all about expression and I want to maximize that to the fullest. I want my work to be open ended and open for interpretation in which new connections can be made. After I graduate I simply want to create. I want to use my education and knowledge to reach more people and use my art to touch the emotions of people. Art is meant to be shared, and my goal is to do just that by expanding my audience. Furthermore, art is spontaneous. It is not stuffed in a cookie cutter but depicts more of the space, universe, and anywhere above. My imagination is limitless in which I always find ways to use symbols, colors, and more to really resonate with the message I want to portray in an artwork. I love when my piece has to be analyzed to really dig deep and understand what I am trying to say, as if you are learning a new language to decipher a secret message. I put deep focus and concentration into every full piece I make and with these mental elements, my artwork is different. The art I create can only be found within fragments of things related to myself whether that be in my procreate on my iPad, my sketchbook, my thoughts and dreams, etc. I have a different method when going about things and this contributes to my overall art style. I have learned through art that mistakes happen and will happen. When they do I always try to look on the positive side. This gives my art unintentional but tensional perks which can make it unique and different. Art is a process and everyone's process is different. This is my process as well as an inside look on my artistic skills and talent.

For starters, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that I was practically born an artist. Art isn’t just a hobby or chore but a passion I have always had. For as long as I can remember, I have always embraced my inner artist. I paint, draw, color, and more. I have tried various types of media like wood burning and pottery. Me without art is like a pencil without an eraser or a computer without a screen, incomplete. I have practiced art for many years and would not be who I am if I were not involved in art. It’s a component of what makes me who I am, something I have always enjoyed, and something that comforts me in good and bad times. Creating art taught me life lessons I will forever be thankful for. I have learned that growth does not happen overnight. It could take weeks, months, or even years. I have also learned that art is open-ended and has no solidified method or instruction. Art is everywhere. It is a beautiful thing.      Furthermore, my love of art originates from the very first art project I remember doing in middle school. At the time, I did not have many art classes and did not even draw half as much as I do now. The project we were assigned was to make a historical civilization in which we were to create the location, buildings, money, language, etc. This project required a lot of drawing, coloring, and imagination. When realizing I could make creative pieces, my love for art sparked. It was like being given the key to a room I had never realized was in my brain and heart. I began to draw more and get inspired by other art pieces and artists. My skill grew with my love for art. I envisioned the world through a different lens with this new profound love and interest. I can see shapes, characters, faces, and much more in my daily life and everyday objects.  Additionally, since art is a space where creation and imagination are endless, I want to contribute my creative ideas to the world. This sole reason is why I fully intend to pursue my career as a freelance artist and graphic designer. These careers are not easy but can result in achievements only given through perseverance and hard work. I plan to contribute by creating pieces of work that can help my clients express their business or personal identities. I also plan to become an addition to the mass diversity in the art field. As a black sister, I want to show my version of representation in the art world, letting my voice rise for everyone to hear through my style and art.

For starters, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that I was practically born an artist. Art isn’t just a hobby or chore but a passion I have always had. For as long as I can remember, I have always embraced my inner artist. I paint, draw, color, and more. I have tried various types of media like wood burning and pottery. Me without art is like a pencil without an eraser or a computer without a screen, incomplete. I have practiced art for many years and would not be who I am if I were not involved in art. It’s a component of what makes me who I am, something I have always enjoyed, and something that comforts me in good and bad times. Creating art taught me life lessons I will forever be thankful for. I have learned that growth does not happen overnight. It could take weeks, months, or even years. I have also learned that art is open-ended and has no solidified method or instruction. Art is everywhere. It is a beautiful thing. Furthermore, my love of art originates from the very first art project I remember doing in middle school. At the time, I did not have many art classes and did not even draw half as much as I do now. The project we were assigned was to make a historic civilization in which we were to create the location, buildings, money, language, etc. This project required a lot of drawing, coloring, and imagination. When realizing I could make creative pieces, my love for art sparked. It was like being given the key to a room I had never realized was in my brain and heart. I began to draw more and get inspired by other art pieces and artists. My skill grew with my love for art. I envisioned the world through a different lens with this new profound love and interest. I can see shapes, characters, faces, and much more in my daily life and everyday objects. Additionally, my favorite artist is SamDoesArt. He is a digital artist who helps motivate and inspire me to find my art style and teaches me fundamentals that are universal lessons to all artists. Not to mention, his artwork is so beautiful and unique. In the early stages of developing my art style, his work massively influenced how I wanted to create my pieces. His imagination and work ethic captivated my interest in my want to improve and become a better artist. Sam does not just sit and teach but engages with viewers, attracting them with his playful personality. It was his personality that kept me watching and following his journey. His humor never fails to make me laugh. It is something not usually seen in other videos and art lessons. Watching his videos feels like a hobby that I never dread or find boring. I am forever thankful for Sam and the impact made on my life as a fellow artist. Art is an addiction I have, a drug that I do not ever plan on quitting. I was born to create, and with my love of art, the possibilities are endless.

When it comes to my passion for art, it is limitless. It is safe to say that I was practically born an artist. Art isn’t just a hobby or chore but a passion I have always had. Since as far as I can remember I always embraced my artistic side whether it was painting, drawing, or coloring along with new types of media like wood burning and pottery. I have practiced art for many years, but even I am not perfect and neither are my skills. Me without art is like a pencil without an eraser or a computer without a screen, incomplete. Art is a love I have, it has helped me form my style, aesthetic, perspective of nature and people, and my character. Art is a topic that really excites me and relates to the academic area I want to dig deeper in. I want to pursue my potential art career and grow as a self taught artist. I’m drawn to art because I can create anything I want, without there being a definite way of how to do it. I also purely enjoy art because it is fun. Art has helped me create my own style and voice by displaying itself through my wardrobe and on the canvas. It is again not just a mere hobby but a very influential passion that I foster. Though I can’t completely explain how I am so drawn to art, the previous reasons given are enough to give you an idea about why art means so much to me and why I am so driven to go further in the art world. The overall process is what interests me the most about art and the art field. I want to learn about how everything is done on a professional level, step by step to create something that not only I love but others love as well. I have always considered myself an artist and because of this, I have always found the art field to be the best fit for me since I love creating art pieces. The art I plan to create can include various types of people drawings, characters, food related pieces, and more. I want to explore and push my imagination to the limits. I do have trouble portraying my imagination of what I want my piece to look like but with practice I have been getting better. I love traditional artwork but ever since I started working more digitally, I have found a better connection with my artwork. I feel more confident and really enjoy watching my process when creating art pieces. This contributes to the kind of art that i want to make in the digital art space. I want to continue making art that I enjoy that really portrays my creativity, imagination, and feelings. I want to continue to grow my artistic identity and skills. I truly believe that making the art I enjoy can help me accomplish this goal the best. To spread positivity I would use these traits, goals, and aspirations to inspire and motivate others!

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that I was practically born an artist. When it comes to my passion for art, it is limitless. It is safe to say that I was practically born an artist. Art isn’t just a hobby or chore but a passion I have always had. Since as far as I can remember I always embraced my artistic side whether it was painting, drawing, or coloring along with new types of media like wood burning and pottery. I have practiced art for many years, but even I am not perfect and neither are my skills. Me without art is like a pencil without an eraser or a computer without a screen, incomplete. Art is a love I have, it has helped me form my style, aesthetic, perspective of nature and people, and my character. People run the whole world. It interests me how there are billions and billions of different people on earth. People vary in height, style, age, personality, and more. You learn from one another and find cultural differences that make us unique. Investigating this topic allows me to explore diversity and differences between others. In other words, the world helps inspire my spark in my thought process about everyday life and how to express that in my art. The world has been my reference when creating art because many people are experiencing different things all at once. I use art to help spread awareness of these emotions, feelings, and experiences. Art is a topic that excites me and relates to the academic area I want to dig deeper into. I want to pursue my potential art career and grow as a self-taught artist. I’m drawn to art because I can create anything without restrictions. I also purely enjoy art because it is fun. Art helped me make my style and voice by displaying itself through my wardrobe and on the canvas. Again, art is not just a hobby but a very influential passion I foster. The overall process interests me the most about art and the art field. When creating a piece, I find ways to think outside the box to convey themes. This strategy makes my work strictly mine with my style. I love it when my art comes together. I aim to make my art appealing to myself and the goal I am trying to achieve when creating the art. My art is creative, aesthetically pleasing, and unique.

When it comes to my passion for art, it is limitless. It is safe to say that I was practically born an artist. Art isn’t just a hobby or chore but a passion I have always had. Since as far as I can remember I always embraced my artistic side whether it was painting, drawing, or coloring along with new types of media like wood burning and pottery. I have practiced art for many years, but even I am not perfect and neither are my skills. Me without art is like a pencil without an eraser or a computer without a screen, incomplete. Art is a love I have, it has helped me form my style, aesthetic, perspective of nature and people, and my character. Art is a topic that really excites me and relates to the academic area I want to dig deeper in. I want to pursue my potential art career and grow as a self taught artist. I’m drawn to art because I can create anything I want, without there being a definite way of how to do it. I also purely enjoy art because it is fun. Art has helped me create my own style and voice by displaying itself through my wardrobe and on the canvas. It is again not just a mere hobby but a very influential passion that I foster. Though I can’t completely explain how I am so drawn to art, the previous reasons given are enough to give you an idea about why art means so much to me and why I am so driven to go further in the art world. The overall process is what interests me the most about art and the art field. I want to learn about how everything is done on a professional level, step by step to create something that not only I love but others love as well. I have always considered myself an artist and because of this, I have always found the art field to be the best fit for me since I love creating art pieces. People run the whole world. It interests me how there are billions and billions of different people on earth. People vary in height, style, age, personality, and more. You learn from one another and find cultural differences that make us unique. Investigating this topic allows me to explore diversity and differences between others. In other words, the world helps inspire my spark in my thought process about everyday life and how to express that in my art. The world has been my reference when creating art because many people are experiencing different things all at once. I use art to help spread awareness of these emotions, feelings, and experiences.

I have played volleyball for a total of seven years and counting. I started playing in 6th grade and continued to play through high school and middle school. I love the sport because I have delicately crafted my skills, created life-long bonds and friends, and have fun participating in the sport. Playing the sport for a long time has allowed me to create my flow and skill. I know how I serve, pass, hit, block, attack, speak, and more. Every move I make is a skill I have crafted through hard work. From all the practices, games, and teams I have participated in, it is only natural that my love for the sport grows alongside the time I have spent playing volleyball. Some people do not understand how much I genuinely love the sport. I would have quit if I found playing tedious. Volleyball has been a part of my daily routine for so long that it plays a sole role in my life. It is something that I do regularly, either having a few practices a week or every day of the week. Above all, volleyball is a sport I enjoy playing. I have also learned valuable lessons on and off the court. I have learned pressure is inevitable and that it is up to me to stick to my choice, it is not possible to have "I" in team, you fall to the level of your practice, always give your maximum effort, and that once you stop trying is when you let yourself lose. Voluntarily playing volleyball has allowed me to learn these valuable lessons and more. Though volleyball is not always easy or happy, I still find ways to smile and have fun because that is what I want to do. I want to live my life full of joy and happiness. Playing volleyball gives me just that. I have been able to change my career goals since I started playing volleyball. Art is a topic that really excites me and relates to the academic area I want to dig deeper in. I want to pursue my potential art career and grow as a self taught artist. I’m drawn to art because I can create anything I want, without there being a definite way of how to do it. I also purely enjoy art because it is fun. Art has helped me create my own style and voice by displaying itself through my wardrobe and on the canvas. It is again not just a mere hobby but a very influential passion that I foster. Though I can’t completely explain how I am so drawn to art, the previous reasons given are enough to give you an idea about why art means so much to me and why I am so driven to go further in the art world. The overall process is what interests me the most about art and the art field. I want to learn about how everything is done on a professional level, step by step to create something that not only I love but others love as well. I have always considered myself an artist and because of this, I have always found the art field to be the best fit for me since I love creating art pieces. Since I love volleyball I have planned to try and get a scholarship that will help lead me to the career I really want to pursue.

People run the whole world. It interests me how there are billions and billions of different people on earth. People vary in height, style, age, personality, and more. You learn from one another and find cultural differences that make us unique. Investigating this topic allows me to explore diversity and differences between others. In other words, the world helps inspire my spark in my thought process about everyday life and how to express that in my art. The world has been my reference when creating art because many people are experiencing different things all at once. I use art to help spread awareness of these emotions, feelings, and experiences. Art is a topic that excites me and relates to the academic area I want to dig deeper into. I want to pursue my potential art career and grow as a self-taught artist. I’m drawn to art because I can create anything without restrictions. I also purely enjoy art because it is fun. Art helped me make my style and voice by displaying itself through my wardrobe and on the canvas. Again, art is not just a hobby but a very influential passion I foster. The overall process interests me the most about art and the art field. When creating a piece, I find ways to think outside the box to convey themes. This strategy makes my work strictly mine with my style. I love it when my art comes together. I aim to make my art appealing to myself and the goal I am trying to achieve when creating the art. My art is creative, aesthetically pleasing, and unique. The art I plan to create can include various types of drawings of people, characters, food-related pieces, and more. I want to explore and push my imagination to the limits. I used to prefer traditional art techniques over digital ones. After switching to digital art, I have found a better connection with my artwork using digital resources. I feel more confident and enjoy watching my process when creating art pieces. This personal feature contributes to the kind of art that I want to make in the digital art space. I want to continue making art that portrays my creativity, imagination, and feelings. I want to continue to grow my artistic identity and skills. Making the art I enjoy can help me accomplish this goal the best. I believe that my relationship with my artwork in the future would be at the level of platonic best friends. My artwork will be able to understand the message being portrayed along with the aesthetic I am going for. I can see me having a healthy happy relationship with my artwork as it it something I can always be proud of. I would be proud of not just the work but also the journey we took to grow our relationship and skills.

Some of my artwork investigates human nature with daily routines, physical appearance, emotions, and how we navigate life. It is important to me as an African American because I do not feel a sense of diversity sometimes when it comes to some of the communities I am involved in. I want to highlight the differences faced even if we are all humans. This investigation is also important to me because specific topics are sensitive. I want to take the opportunity to not only spread awareness but also positivity and emotion. People run the whole world. It interests me how there are billions and billions of different people on earth. People vary in height, style, age, personality, and more. You learn from one another and find cultural differences that make us unique. Investigating this topic allows me to explore diversity and differences between others. In other words, the world helps inspire my spark in my thought process about everyday life and how to express that in my art. The world has been my reference when creating art because many people are experiencing different things all at once. I use art to help spread awareness of these emotions, feelings, and experiences. Art is a topic that excites me and relates to the academic area I want to dig deeper into. I want to pursue my potential art career and grow as a self-taught artist. I’m drawn to art because I can create anything without restrictions. I also purely enjoy art because it is fun. Art helped me make my style and voice by displaying itself through my wardrobe and on the canvas. Again, art is not just a hobby but a very influential passion I foster. The overall process interests me the most about art and the art field. When creating a piece, I find ways to think outside the box to convey themes. This strategy makes my work strictly mine with my style. I love it when my art comes together. I aim to make my art appealing to myself and the goal I am trying to achieve when creating the art. My art is creative, aesthetically pleasing, and unique. The art I plan to create can include various types of drawings of people, characters, food-related pieces, and more. I want to explore and push my imagination to the limits. I used to prefer traditional art techniques over digital ones. After switching to digital art, I have found a better connection with my artwork using digital resources. I feel more confident and enjoy watching my process when creating art pieces. This personal feature contributes to the kind of art that I want to make in the digital art space. I want to continue making art that portrays my creativity, imagination, and feelings. I want to continue to grow my artistic identity and skills. Making the art I enjoy can help me accomplish this goal the best.

I have played volleyball for a total of seven years and counting. I started playing in 6th grade and continued to play through high school and middle school. I love the sport because I have delicately crafted my skills, created life-long bonds and friends, and have fun participating in the sport. Playing the sport for a long time has allowed me to create my flow and skill. I know how I serve, pass, hit, block, attack, speak, and more. Every move I make is a skill I have crafted through hard work. From all the practices, games, and teams I have participated in, it is only natural that my love for the sport grows alongside the time I have spent playing volleyball. Some people do not understand how much I genuinely love the sport. I would have quit if I found playing tedious. Volleyball has been a part of my daily routine for so long that it plays a sole role in my life. It is something that I do regularly, either having a few practices a week or every day of the week. Additionally, I have met people I consider as close and lifelong friends. In fact, they are like my non-blood related family. As an outside hitter, I connect with the setter and primary passers. Our job is to understand how we play with one another and compromise using both of our different playing techniques. I have had multiple setters, liberos, middles, co-outside hitters, and opposites. Having to play with them for months and years, I have learned how they play and who they are as a person. It makes the sport just as impactful on my life and as a player on the team. Above all, volleyball is a sport I enjoy playing. I have also learned valuable lessons on and off the court. I have learned pressure is inevitable and that it is up to me to stick to my choice, it is not possible to have "I" in team, you fall to the level of your practice, always give your maximum effort, and that once you stop trying is when you let yourself lose. Voluntarily playing volleyball has allowed me to learn these valuable lessons and more. Though volleyball is not always easy or happy, I still find ways to smile and have fun because that is what I want to do. I want to live my life full of joy and happiness. Playing volleyball gives me just that. As expressed, I play volleyball with passion and always will. I would not be where I am today if I did not play. If I did not go to the conditioning during the pandemic, and if I did not officially try out for my high school team during my first years on campus in my sophomore year. I have invested so much time in volleyball over the years that I would do it all over again.

I am Team Jeremiah all the way and this is why. For starters, people argue that Jeremiah only liked Belly after she turned pretty, although Jeremiah has always been her best friend and has always been there for her. Conrad, on the other hand, says that he always saw her as a child until the summer she returned. Jeremiah has always been open to being himself and communicating. In the show, he cares so much for Conrad that he makes sure that Conrad passes his exam for college and is on track for graduation. Jeremiah was also helping with the expenses of the house and doing the taxes for his mom before and after she died at the same time. Even when Conrad knew that his mom had cancer he did not confide in Jeremiah to not hurt him. In the end, he kept Jeremiah in the dark which made him feel as if he was the only one in the family that did not know. In this case, Jeremiah had to suffer alone when taking in the new information about his mom. Some say that Conrad mistreated Belly because he was dealing with his mother's death. It is no excuse because Jeremiah was dealing with the same thing. Jeremiah did not mistreat Belly so why should Conrad be allowed to? Even when Conrad and Belly did have their time together as a couple, Conrad did not communicate and kept pushing Belly away. Jeremiah never pushed Belly away nor left her in the dark when it mattered most. Belly always had her eyes set on Conrad. It makes sense for them to have some chemistry but it does not mean it is not toxic. Again, Jeremiah would make Belly laugh, smile, and be happy just by being himself and being there for her when she was scared or sad. Where was Conrad when Belly had to ride the rollercoaster? The same rollercoaster she has been terrified of riding since she was young? He watched her while Jeremiah stepped up to join her even though he won the bet. I have always felt bad for Jeremiah because he always was the second option. In the show, Jeremiah even says that he never thought to confess his feelings for Belly because he knew she would always choose Conrad. People say Jeremiah is selfish though he has already given up so much to take care of other people. I think it is good that he wants to fight for what he wants for once. When Conrad caught Belly and Jeremiah making out, it was sad to know the context behind why Belly made out with Jeremiah and he knew it. Belly was trying to get Conrad's attention by using Jeremiah. She knew how he felt about her and used those emotions against him. When Jeremiah and Conrad talk about the whole situation he tells Conrad that he should talk to Belly about his feelings since she deserves to know. Jeremiah knew the risks that Belly would potentially choose Conrad. Instead, he cared for his brother and his feelings more because it was ultimately not his choice but Belly's. Jeremiah wanted Belly to be happy, so if it meant she wanted to be with Conrad then he would not get in the way since it would be what she wanted.

The world is run by people and I find it interesting how there are billions and billions of people on earth who are all different. People vary in height, style, age, personality, and so much more. You learn from one another and find cultural differences that make us unique. Investigating this topic not only allows me to explore diversity and differences between others but also to understand and spread awareness of these differences I may have not considered before. Some of my artwork investigates people and our human nature. This can include daily routines, physical appearance, emotions and feelings, and how we navigate life. This is important to me because as an African American, I do not feel a sense of diversity sometimes when it comes to some of the communities I am involved in. I want to highlight the differences we face even though we are all humans. This is also important to me because I feel that sometimes these topics are not mentioned as much as they should be so I want to take the opportunity to not only spread awareness but also positivity and emotion. In other words, the world helps inspire a spark in my thought process about everyday life and how to express that in my art. The world has been my main reference when creating art because there are so many people experiencing different things all at once. At times I create art to help spread awareness of these emotions, feelings, and experiences, though sometimes I cannot experience it first hand.

There are millions of movies that all have different and similar storylines, actors, messages, songs, and more. It becomes difficult when asked to pick only one out of all of them. From all the movies I've watched from horror to fantasy, I would have to choose Disney's "Princess and the Frog". This movie has a jazz-infused soulful soundtrack that floods with African culture, a beautifully diverse range of animated characters, and modern lessons that can be used to this day to navigate life in general. For starters, my favorite song from the movie has to be "Almost There". It is catchy, upbeat, and easy to remember. I can also use the song to encourage myself when times are rough or when I am feeling sad. Using the term "almost there" gives me the motivation to keep going and move forward. My four-year-old sister even knows this song and how to sing it. We sing the song together and dance around the house with it in the background. I can watch this movie over and over and over due to the jazz-themed songs in the movie alone. I do not get tired of them and believe I never will. I love Tiana as she is a sister of my fellow African-American female community. Tiana is not a princess in the beginning but a very hard worker who works towards her dreams and goals. She helps challenge the viewers on the idea of what it truly means to be a member of royalty, a princess. I find this movie relatable because I see myself in her. We both deal with the struggles of being female and African American. As a high school senior, I have not experienced the hardships of "life" yet but I have in school. As one of the top students, I get a lonesome feeling when I find that I am the only black girl in my classes and my teachers make comments about how smart I am that does not sit right with me. On the upside, I identify myself as a driven, organized, hard-working person so it is encouraging to see that my goal can be achieved if I continue to work for it. Various other characters bring diversity as a whole to the film. Every character has flaws and is not perfect so anyone can find something to relate to in this movie. The characters are funny and upbeat and give me reasons why I could watch the movie non-stop. Lastly, the movie is filled with lessons that can be taught to anyone and everyone. It is very universal as it tackles the themes of race, class, identity, and transformation. As the characters interact and grow, many of them become even more lovable in the end which encourages others. Tiana learned that working hard is good but that having fun is also important. The movie also teaches us that being a princess is not about a title, being a damsel in distress, or even wealth but is about being a good example, being kind, and having compassion for others. We learn to be true to ourselves and character is defined from deep within and not what is displayed on the outside. We see the different dynamics between races and classes such as Tiana and Charlotte and their different family backgrounds. I can go on and on about this movie and how enjoyable it is but the previous paragraphs explain my love for the movie the most. I love everything about the movie which includes the songs, characters, and lessons. I can't get enough of it.