Time's Up (And All That)
I sit writing this, one week away from graduation. I have spent the past week working on a paper until I thought I was going to lose my head over it.
Turned in my portfolio last night. Only one final left. The final final.
As one chapter of my life ends, and another is about to begin, I find myself reminiscing on the past two years.
It's amazing just how much can happen in two years.
In the time I have spent at Pfeiffer University, I have evolved in my creative outlets in ways I didn't expect.
I had always wanted to call myself a poet, but I felt I lacked the skill or capability to write poetry that was "good." I felt that way for years. Fast forward to the fall semester of 2017, I'm sitting in Dr. Schwalm's creative writing class, with my final portfolio proposal of a collection of poetry. Fast forward to now, and I'm sitting on a rough draft of a poetry book comprised of 42 poems. And I'm still writing.
Graduating with a BA in Studio Art is something I didn't expect to pursue four or five years ago. I knew I was good at writing, and had plans to major in English with a focus in creative writing. My senior year of high school, my adviser asked what I wanted my major to be. On a whim almost, I thought that I would like to try pursuing visual arts. Thus far, it has been one of the best semi-spontaneous decision I have ever made.
Two years at Pfeiffer University and I now have major groundwork on an artist's website, and a sizable portfolio as well.
If you would like to check it out, here's the link: https://ectysinger.wixsite.com/artist
My professor and adviser, Joshua Cross, gave me the skills and knowledge that I needed to start figuring out how to make the artwork that I want to make. This past semester marked the beginning of a life-long process of experimentation and ever-evolving studio practices.
Now, to the next chapter.
There is, of course, a considerable amount of anxiety over having to face "real life" things now that I'm finishing up my undergraduate studies. I have this summer to keep working on my art and create a portfolio that I feel will be worthy enough to grant me acceptance into my prospective grad school This gap year will not be spend doing nothing, trust me.
I would like to take a moment to reflect on some of the things I have learned during undergrad, the good, and some of the bad.
1. You never have enough time to work on your art.
If you're thinking of going to school for art, let me just say, it may feel like you have a lot of free time, but the reality is, you never have free time. If you're not in class, working, eating, driving, etc., and you're not doing anything, you should be working on your art. In my experience, a lot of people don't account for how much time it takes to work on things. I can be working on something and it'll feel like no time at all, and three hours have passed.
For a few semesters, I struggled to find time to get in my studio and work. It felt like I was always either in class or at my work study.
Solution: Keep studio hours in mind when making your class and work schedule.
2. You will never have an empty to-do list.
Anyone who is in a creative field should always have more work to do, should always have more ideas for projects, should always have something new they want to try. If you're someone who likes to have a to-do list at the start of the day, and have everything complete, assignments, projects, emails, etc. by the end of the day, then you'll have to get used to having a never-ending list of work. I used to try to complete all my work, complete the list.
I just finished my undergraduate portfolio. 20 pieces. I have probably 20 more than I need to upload to the website. I have a list of pieces I want to do. My work never ends.
Solution: Just keep making stuff.
3. You cannot ignore artistic blocks.
Even the best of us struggle with it sometimes - you get in your studio and nothing seems to work, you sit down to write and it feels like the words don't make sense. Unfortunately, the best advice I have to offer for anyone who is in a block right now is to just make stuff, even if it's crap. I've dealt with artist's block on several pieces this previous semester. Asking people about your work, what they think, what could be changed / added can help get you out of the slump.
Creativity builds on itself, so if you can't add anything to nothing. You have to start somewhere.
Solution: Just keep making stuff.
Even in the midst of struggle, there are reasons I find it necessary to create. It becomes almost a compulsion.
For these reasons, among others, I find joy in creating.
1. Following the teachings of C.S. Lewis, we were created and therefore, creation is part of our very nature. To deny creation is to deny our very nature. As a result, when we create, we mimic our Creator.
2. The act of creating is calming to me. There can be something on my mind that I was previously unaware of until I start working on a piece, either a painting or a piece of writing. It brings the subconscious to the attention of the conscious mind.
3. It gives us the space to add our own take on the narratives of the world around us. Just as culture, news, and traditions influence art, art influences the world in which it is created. Are we looking at art, or is art looking at us?
I hope that reading this may prompt something in you to start creating, or if you already do, to continue. Whether it be through art, music, writing, cooking, design, or any other outlet in which you start with nothing and build from there, there is creation all around us. The opportunities given to us are endless - it's just up to us to decide how we want to seize them.
Turned in my portfolio last night. Only one final left. The final final.
As one chapter of my life ends, and another is about to begin, I find myself reminiscing on the past two years.
It's amazing just how much can happen in two years.
In the time I have spent at Pfeiffer University, I have evolved in my creative outlets in ways I didn't expect.
I had always wanted to call myself a poet, but I felt I lacked the skill or capability to write poetry that was "good." I felt that way for years. Fast forward to the fall semester of 2017, I'm sitting in Dr. Schwalm's creative writing class, with my final portfolio proposal of a collection of poetry. Fast forward to now, and I'm sitting on a rough draft of a poetry book comprised of 42 poems. And I'm still writing.
Graduating with a BA in Studio Art is something I didn't expect to pursue four or five years ago. I knew I was good at writing, and had plans to major in English with a focus in creative writing. My senior year of high school, my adviser asked what I wanted my major to be. On a whim almost, I thought that I would like to try pursuing visual arts. Thus far, it has been one of the best semi-spontaneous decision I have ever made.
Two years at Pfeiffer University and I now have major groundwork on an artist's website, and a sizable portfolio as well.
If you would like to check it out, here's the link: https://ectysinger.wixsite.com/artist
My professor and adviser, Joshua Cross, gave me the skills and knowledge that I needed to start figuring out how to make the artwork that I want to make. This past semester marked the beginning of a life-long process of experimentation and ever-evolving studio practices.
Now, to the next chapter.
There is, of course, a considerable amount of anxiety over having to face "real life" things now that I'm finishing up my undergraduate studies. I have this summer to keep working on my art and create a portfolio that I feel will be worthy enough to grant me acceptance into my prospective grad school This gap year will not be spend doing nothing, trust me.
I would like to take a moment to reflect on some of the things I have learned during undergrad, the good, and some of the bad.
1. You never have enough time to work on your art.
If you're thinking of going to school for art, let me just say, it may feel like you have a lot of free time, but the reality is, you never have free time. If you're not in class, working, eating, driving, etc., and you're not doing anything, you should be working on your art. In my experience, a lot of people don't account for how much time it takes to work on things. I can be working on something and it'll feel like no time at all, and three hours have passed.
For a few semesters, I struggled to find time to get in my studio and work. It felt like I was always either in class or at my work study.
Solution: Keep studio hours in mind when making your class and work schedule.
2. You will never have an empty to-do list.
Anyone who is in a creative field should always have more work to do, should always have more ideas for projects, should always have something new they want to try. If you're someone who likes to have a to-do list at the start of the day, and have everything complete, assignments, projects, emails, etc. by the end of the day, then you'll have to get used to having a never-ending list of work. I used to try to complete all my work, complete the list.
I just finished my undergraduate portfolio. 20 pieces. I have probably 20 more than I need to upload to the website. I have a list of pieces I want to do. My work never ends.
Solution: Just keep making stuff.
3. You cannot ignore artistic blocks.
Even the best of us struggle with it sometimes - you get in your studio and nothing seems to work, you sit down to write and it feels like the words don't make sense. Unfortunately, the best advice I have to offer for anyone who is in a block right now is to just make stuff, even if it's crap. I've dealt with artist's block on several pieces this previous semester. Asking people about your work, what they think, what could be changed / added can help get you out of the slump.
Creativity builds on itself, so if you can't add anything to nothing. You have to start somewhere.
Solution: Just keep making stuff.
Even in the midst of struggle, there are reasons I find it necessary to create. It becomes almost a compulsion.
For these reasons, among others, I find joy in creating.
1. Following the teachings of C.S. Lewis, we were created and therefore, creation is part of our very nature. To deny creation is to deny our very nature. As a result, when we create, we mimic our Creator.
2. The act of creating is calming to me. There can be something on my mind that I was previously unaware of until I start working on a piece, either a painting or a piece of writing. It brings the subconscious to the attention of the conscious mind.
3. It gives us the space to add our own take on the narratives of the world around us. Just as culture, news, and traditions influence art, art influences the world in which it is created. Are we looking at art, or is art looking at us?
I hope that reading this may prompt something in you to start creating, or if you already do, to continue. Whether it be through art, music, writing, cooking, design, or any other outlet in which you start with nothing and build from there, there is creation all around us. The opportunities given to us are endless - it's just up to us to decide how we want to seize them.
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