My family does not know I am looking to pursue a career in the arts. When they ask what I want to study I always tell them I'm unsure, even though I've been set on going to school to pursue a career in the arts. I haven't told them because I think they won't be fully supportive of it unlike if it was a more "conventional" job for them. I haven't told them because I don't want their reactions to sway me completely away from pursuing a career in the arts. However, this has changed the career I want to pursue when it comes to the arts and transformed into becoming an art teacher. It would assure my family that I’d have a job and if I want to pursue other ventures such as freelancing or selling my art I could do it on the side. Although being an art teacher wasn’t my first choice for a career, I like the idea of teaching and helping others find a passion for art. One of the reasons I've found a passion for art is because of an art teacher I had. He helped me get out of my comfort zone and explore different mediums and styles. Without him, I would have been stuck and not been so willing to try something new. His class gave me the push I needed to better my art, his class overall was very beneficial and helped me improve my skills and work. This is one of the reasons I want to study art because I’d be able to learn so much more and get better. I want to be an art teacher to hopefully give someone else this experience as well. I've had plenty of experiences where teachers made me want to stop pursuing it and I want to break that and encourage people to pursue it and keep going regardless. Art has had a huge impact on my life, it’s given me an outlet to be able to express myself freely. It’s also an excellent way for me to release stress when needed. Whenever I'm feeling overwhelmed I’d draw or paint something and it helps me destress and ground myself again. I enjoy creating for myself and others as well. I enjoy making things for others because it becomes more meaningful to me and it’s something they’ll be able to enjoy for themselves. All in all, art has played a huge role in my life. It’s something I enjoy doing but also helps me when I’m feeling overwhelmed. I’m really passionate about it which is why I want to further my education and study art.

I am passionate about art because it also allows people to express themselves and make others happy. Anyone can experience art despite where they're from. I think art should be shared with the world so being able to share it with others makes it much more meaningful to me because what I create can be enjoyed by anyone and is not just limited to me. I'm passionate about art because it can allow me to make others happy. My sister and I painted a portrait of my grandparents for a mother's day gift. My mom told us that she appreciated it and enjoyed it. I was happy to make it because I knew it would be special for her. After all, she hasn't seen her parents for a couple of years now. I was happy that I was able to create something that would be special and meaningful for her. I enjoy making tons of different paintings and drawings but when they're able to make others happy it makes me want to continue to create. I would like to be able to share my passion through teaching also. I've had a couple of art teachers but only one that really made me love art. The projects we had were out of my comfort zone but he was there to help when we needed it. He offered tips when we were stuck and gave encouragement when some of us were worried about our projects. His classroom also felt welcoming and he was someone you could ask for advice without feeling judgement. Although his projects were out of my comfort zone at the time I now feel more comfortable approaching or even thinking of trying something new. I want to be able to make others love and feel passionate about art. Through teaching I also want to be able to help others when they're in need of a safe space or someone to talk to. I want to be able to do this because I feel like a lot of the times we don't have someone to turn to when we need advice. I would like to be an art teacher because it would allow me to share my passion with others, help them find a love for it and to see how others express themselves through art. In this career I feel I would be making a bigger impact on others. Not only by teaching and helping them with art but by being able to help them with other struggles beyond art. Being able to do both is what makes me want to work in this career.