From a standpoint of youth and a fresh sense of curiosity, four-year-old—now freshman—Kate Franklin found herself intrigued by her professional artist aunt’s creative abilities. This spark of inspiration led her to a pathway of passion and a flair for artistic craft.

“I thought [my aunts’ art] was cool and thought, ‘Hey, why don’t I try it?’” Kate said. “So then I started trying [out art], and it kind of turned into an outlet from there.”

From her early intrigue and introduction to the art field, Kate began her own skill. Starting in a simple manner by integrating sketching into empty intervals within her schedule, Kate fueled her fascination with sketching on scratch paper.

“I kind of started doing [art] at school,” Kate said. “I just started doodling on pieces of paper and got more advanced. I was like, ‘Okay, I kind of like this a lot,’ so it just progressed from there.”

As she continues to cultivate her skill, art classes and courses have certainly come in handy. Technique to technique, medium to medium, Kate has discovered her own improvement in terms of her proficiency and artistry within the realms of the art department.

“I took [the class] Drawing and Painting 1, which I thought was fun,” Kate said. “I learned a lot of different techniques [through this class].”

As this is not quite a technique, per se, perspective drawing—a system of drawing three-dimensional objects onto a two-dimensional plane to create spatial depth and composition—is one of Kate’s favorites that she learned. Additionally, she experiments with a range of mediums, otherwise known as the type of materials utilized by the artist, to broaden her growing talent and fervor. 

This coincides with her overall feeling towards art in general and how she likes to express herself within the means of particular categories she gravitates towards in regards to various artistic styles.

“I like all [forms of] art,” Kate said, “but it really depends on my mood and depends on what I want to show.”

Art is something that is a sacred expression of human emotion and feeling. It has no boundaries as to what can be created and constitutes an expanse of options for whoever chooses to partake in it. For Kate, it is purely a remedy for internal healing—a figurative therapist, if you will. And when the weight of the world gets just a bit too heavy, Kate allows her artistic inklings to guide her to stability.

“Art is kind of therapeutic,” Kate said. “It just relieves my stress, and I kind of just get to express myself on a piece of paper. I don’t like to feel frustrated when I draw because school is stressful enough. Drawing just helps me to be present [in the moment]. I’m not trying to be perfect. There’s no outline; it’s just calm.”

In terms of the future, Kate, without a doubt, wants to incorporate art into her college years. Although she has an abundance of time to give it thought and make a decision, her love for this practice does end at being a hobby. But Kate does not necessarily view art as solely a serious endeavor, but rather a fun and breezy outlet. Art, after all, is not meant for such stern, acute attention but instead obliges a laid-back approach, just as Kate does. 

Kate’s deep resonance with free-flowing creativity, expression, and movement in spontaneity has carved out a reservoir of colors and consistency in her days. Art has liberated her tension and emotion and has helped her further her character and competence. In other words, Kate just inhales inspiration and exhales artistic expression. 

“Don’t pressure yourself too much [when it comes to art],” Kate said. “It really doesn’t matter. It’s what you want to make, and it’s not up to anybody else. And if somebody says that it’s wrong, it’s not. It’s what you want.”