Not everyone is granted the gift of artistry, but junior Katie Scanlon definitely is. Although she’s always been surrounded by art, like many of us, it wasn’t immediately that she found her passion.
“I’ve been drawing and painting since I was a kid, but I remember getting into art in fourth grade,” Katie said. “When one of my friends taught me how to draw, that’s when I really got into art.”
Katie has always been an artist, but when she was younger, that meant constant school art classes and drawing for fun. In fourth grade, a friend taught Katie how to draw, and it sparked something in her. She began begging her mom to attend art camps and classes, and it became a new hobby for her. During the COVID-19 lockdown, she stopped being as committed to art, but she has recently reconnected with it. Now, Katie has had openings in her schedule to take art classes throughout the school day.
Art is definitely a unique thing, full of creativity and expression, and that is what Katie loves about it. Art differs from other subjects and ideas. Take math as an example: there is almost always a correct answer that you are striving for and trying to learn and memorize the methods to get there. But with art, Katie is able to be creative. There is no wrong answer with art.
“I’m very relaxed while doing [art] because I know even if I mess up, I can always erase it or paint over it, or it can just be a part of my artwork,” Katie said. “There’s no wrong answer in art. There’s not really anything bad about it.”
Besides a deep hatred of math, Katie has other inspirations and motivations that attract her to art. Her grandma was an art teacher before she retired and continues to express her artistic side through quilting and taking part in craft shows. Their relationship not only created a stronger bond over art, but also gave Katie someone that she could relate to and show her pieces to with a deep understanding and adoration.
“She always tells me that the artistic gene skipped one generation,” Katie said. “My mom is not artsy at all, but my cousin and I are really artsy, so she definitely got me into art and into it more seriously. It’s just cool to show her my paintings, and she shows me her quilts and her paintings that she does.”
In the broad term of art, Katie definitely has things that she prefers to experience and use. She is always listening to music, making it one of her favorite aspects. If she is creating art, though, she can usually be found experimenting with drawings, whether using graphite or colored pencils. She does dabble with other types, such as watercolor, and although she didn’t seem to flourish in it, she also tried clay and sculpture. In terms of what she draws or creates, she tends to lean towards animals due to her interest in animal sciences, but is always willing to branch out and create anything she finds cool.
From Katie’s perspective, art is a very important part of life. Not only are we surrounded by it, but it shows meaning, tells stories, and is original in a way that can’t be replicated. On that thought, one thing Katie hates is AI art. It takes away the perfection, creativity, and meaning, all the things that shape what the point of art truly is.
“[AI] just takes away the human aspect of [art],” Katie said. “I think part of what makes art so good is that it’s not perfect. AI art just takes away from the creative process and the struggle or the emotion behind it. It just turns into a soulless, corporate thing, and that’s true for music, TV shows, paintings, everything. There’s no soul.”
Over time, Katie has been able to notice and appreciate true art, aside from the AI pieces. She has also been able to grow as a person and in art.
When she was younger, she tried to make her art perfect. When creating something or drawing, she stuck with what she knew and tried to avoid mistakes at all costs. Now, she takes any opportunity to try something new and learn techniques and styles different from her usual ones. She’s accepted her mistakes and acknowledged that nothing will be perfect immediately, and it takes time and effort to grow and improve.
She’s also learned what it means to be an artist. An artist doesn’t need to be caught up in all the cultural nuances or aware of every piece. Instead, Katie believes that simply having an appreciation and making art is what creates an artist. Also, although pieces with meanings and lessons are fascinating, and something Katie loves to appreciate, not all art has to have a deep, moving meaning.
“I think if you like something and you want to paint it or make a song about it or whatever, that’s fine,” Katie said. “Yes, I do like when people put deeper meanings [into their art], and there’s symbolism, and I like it when I can notice that, but it’s not necessary.”
Overall, Katie has been able to truly appreciate art on a deeper level. She can do it for fun, incorporate meanings and thoughts, and it has helped her in everyday life. She’s made connections with other people who share similar interests in art through classes and has gained friends from her experiences.
Although she doesn’t expect to pursue art as a career, Katie has found a true passion through art. It’s taught her life lessons, helped her grow, and remained true as a comfort and source of love over time.
“I think it’s definitely helped me connect with other people,” Katie said. “I’ve made a lot of different artist friends through art, and I’ve gotten to just connect with people. I also think it’s helped me realize what I’m truly passionate about. I love art. It’s kind of just shaped a really important hobby in my life.”
