Someone once asked me what my anxiety feels like. I know, not exactly the easiest question to ponder, but I told them: "Imagine you are in a room with TVs plastered on every wall, except every single one is broadcasting a different channel. The TVs have a soft hum almost unnoticeable at first, and over time, the volume becomes louder and louder. Until every TV channel is on at full blast and you're stuck scrambling to find the off button. With every second, it gets harder and harder to breathe; the noise is eventually so loud that you’d do anything to make it stop. Your feelings begin to boil over, and you're left sitting there, fully engulfed in your emotions. And when you think you've moved on and healed, the cycle begins anew." Ever since I was little, I've felt different. Things that were an expectation, and seemingly easy for my peers to accomplish, would consistently put me over the edge. I was called over-emotional, a buzzkill, constantly told to 'relax' and 'not overthink it'. Eventually, it got to the point where everyday life was turning into too much of a burden for myself and for those around me. The noise of my mind was becoming unbearable. Finally, after years of anxiety overload I finally had the courage to admit something was wrong; and I got a diagnosis. Unbeknownst to me I was suffering from undiagnosed GAD. GAD, or generalized Anxiety Disorder, is: "excessive anxiety and worry about a variety of life events or circumstances." When I first found out, I was hit with the questions: "Why couldn't I handle the things that every other person could?" "What made my mind convince me that I wasn't enough?" In some ways I was happy about my diagnosis, it allowed me to put a name to the feeling: the feeling of self-induced, never-ending panic and the crushing weight of my own expectations. The lack of understanding I had of my mental health made living life difficult. Before, I was constantly overthinking my daily interactions, and was terrified to let anyone, even those closest to me, in. This made having basic interactions exhausting, and took a heavy toll on both my mind and body. Thankfully, since my diagnosis, I've been able to find comfort in therapy and dive deeper into the root causes of my anxiety. It's been a long journey of counseling appointments, coping mechanisms and hard days. But through it all I've discovered that life is more than anxiety, and in a way, I'm grateful for it. It's pointed me towards my life passion...art. A way I've found I'm able to express myself, share my voice, and move past the anxieties that had once felt so overwhelming. My new goals in life are to educate others about mental health as an artist, and be more aware and understanding of those around me. In order to focus on what truly matters: building a support system based on love and continually persevering toward my goals. Regarding my future, I hope to continue my educational journey at the University of Nebraska Omaha to major in art and minor in business. With the dream of opening my own art studio to be a mentor to future students who need to find light in their lives, too. I firmly believe that ambition and perseverance are the remedies to any situation that seems impossible. My anxiety isn’t by any means cured since my initial diagnosis, but seeking a future career I love has been one of the ways I’ve been able to find peace and hope. Through my experiences with anxiety, I’ve gained the strength and the determination to lean into my dreams. With the confidence to further my education, and talk more openly about my mental health story. To show myself and others that I'm more than my mental illness and that struggles with mental health don't have to have the last word.

“Life is art. Art is life. I never separate it.” This quote, by famous artist Ai Weiwei, is the epitome of my relationship with art. I’ve always been drawn to art, but felt pressured to find a more “realistic” or stable career. Over this past year, I’ve discovered that art will forever be my dream and the importance of pursuing a career in the arts. Creativity has become one of the most vital parts of who I am. My name is Taylor Honeyman, and I’m a junior in high school. Throughout my life, I’ve used art as a way to express who I am. Showing others how I see the world, and how it has positively transformed my life. I'm often met with the question of why art, and why this medium? My answer: Why not? Would you tell Vincent Van Gogh he should put down the paintbrush? No. Although I can only dream of being like the masters, like them, I fell in love with my medium. The mediums of drawing and painting allow for hands-on creating. With every mark or brush stroke, a piece of my heart shines through. Regarding inspiration, it often comes from nature and my experiences. From these experiences, I've discovered a love for color and the ability to take my viewers on a journey of expression through the art of drawing and painting. There's somthing freeing about art, allowing yourself to get lost in the colors. Over my high school years, I did just that. I allowed myself to engage in creative experiences that have enhanced my life and how I approach art. One of these experiences includes volunteer time at Two Keys Creative Studios. Two Keys Creative Studios is a small, local art studio where I’ve volunteered for two years now. Getting to have hands-on experience teaching and connecting with the youth has taught me what it means to be a mentor to beginner artists. Alongside, how to share my voice not only through my art pieces but also through my teaching. Throughout this experience, I was taught that my passion for teaching and art went beyond just creating. But rather teaching others that perfection isn’t necessary for art, but passion and love for it are. I’d never trade my experiences at Two Keys for anything; those two years have transformed me into a better artist and fueled my passion for mentorship and artistry. To conclude, my life has been forever changed by art; it has taught me ambition, drive, and passion. Because of my experiences working at Two Keys Creative Studios and interaction with young artists, I feel confident to start my college journey. In the future, I hope to attend UNO, majoring in art and minoring in business. To learn about art and business in hopes of opening my own art studio someday. If you take anything away from my experiences with art, know that being an artist has power. They have the ability to share their perspectives and voices with the world. Like Leonardo Da Vinci or Pablo Picasso, some of the most influential artists of all time, I aim to inspire others, share my voice, and embody what it means to truly be an artist.

My name is Taylor Honeyman - I'm currently a senior in high school, but will be attending UNO in the fall to work towards a degree in the Fine Arts and a minor in business. Education and art have always been bright spots in my life, and I’m excited to pursue a career where I’m able to combine learning and my life passion for the arts. The question of how, is best answered from a quote by Helen Keller. "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." Like anything, our lives consist of taking opportunities and growing from them. One opportunity I've pursued that has allowed me to step up in a collaborative and leadership role is my work as an assistant art teacher at Two Keys Creative Studios. For context, I've attended Two Keys Creative studios since middle school, and for the past few years, I have had the pleasure of joining the Two Keys team. Having art as an outlet has allowed me to not only better understand myself and important life skills, but has truly shaped who I am today. Now I'm able to step into the role of a teacher, collaborating with the very teachers who used to teach me. Through their guidance, I’m able to help my own students flourish and express themselves all the more effectively. Seeing them succeed gives me the confidence to pursue a career in the Arts and allows me to gain invaluable experience on what it takes to run a successful art business. Without pursuing a collaborative role as a teacher, I would’ve missed out on better understanding the art field and what it takes to educate others. By taking the opportunity of becoming a part of the Two Keys' work family, I was able to step up in leadership, grow in collaborative skills, and become more involved with my life’s passion. Another impactful art experience I’ve had the pleasure of being a part of has been KBMP. Otherwise known as Omaha’s Kent Bellows Mentorship Program, which prides itself on bringing together high school students and professional artists for year-round mentoring in a safe space. This program has allowed me to connect with fellow artists in my area and be mentored by professional artists. This has helped me cultivate relationships and taught me critical art-making skills. Including hands-on interaction with peers and the ability to give and receive critical feedback. This experience has drastically shaped how I perceive collaboration in the fine arts field. To me, collaboration is a means of networking, connecting with people, and cultivating relationships. Alongside a way to bring an idea and concept to life by combining a wide range of skillsets. Overall, my collaborative experiences have shaped my life for the better and encouraged me to continue down the path of the arts.

My relationship with Jesus is best understood through an old parable my parents would always tell me. It was a story about a man and his faith journey, illustrated as a walk on the beach. Throughout the man's entire life, he looked back to see the journey he traveled and the footprints he's left behind. Throughout the good times, he saw two sets of footprints in the sand, one for him and one for Jesus. But whenever he looked back at the hard times, he only saw one. He asked Jesus where he had been during the hard times, saying he had left him. Jesus responded that during those times he had not left him, but had carried him. This story demonstrates what we always forget: that our life stories are intertwined with Jesus. My Faith journey starts back when Covid-19 first hit, I was a 6th grader, who'd barely started middleschool let alone had a solid faith journey. During that year, I began learning what it meant to live out my faith and, after lots of prayer and study, be able to live out God's word. I prioritized being more open about my faith and finding ways to be a light for others. Whether it was being a light at school or through friendships. Through the struggles of the world pandemic, I was able to find comfort and peace in my lord Jesus Christ. Without Him, I'd still be a scared little girl who'd first found out about Covid-19. I soon learned that Jesus can make every situation an opportunity. As he began laying the groundworks for me to begin getting rooted in my local church's youth group and connecting with other chrisitian woman. Over the next several years, I transitioned into high school and faced a new array of struggles. I was diagnosed with GAD or generalized anxiety disorder something that’s made truly living and enjoying life difficult. But through this struggle, God gave me a community of believers and art as an outlet to express myself, share my voice, and move past the anxieties that had once felt so overwhelming. I firmly believe that Jesus is the remedy to any situation that seems impossible. Through Christ and all the blessings he's provided me with, I’ve been able to find peace and hope. Because of these experiences, I’ve gained the strength and the determination to continue on my faith journey Fast forward to my senior year, I now lead a monthly art class at my local church for the youth called "A heART for Jesus". There, I'm able to share my gift of art and creativity with others in a way that makes it easier to approach topics about Christianity. As I go into my first year of college I can't wait to continue to share Jesus's love through teaching art, joining Christian youth groups, and my college's youth group. Like the story with the man and his footprints, I'm able to look back and see Jesus's handiwork in my life and I can't wait to share his light with everyone I meet!