Art doesn’t have to be a perfect circle

Growing up, I had always been fascinated by art. Whether it was traditional art that was displayed in museums, art in the pages of a comic book or even art from unknown artists on the internet, more often than not, I was looking for a new work of art to look at. Ultimately, this led me to pursue my degree in art. However, whenever I encouraged anyone to make their own, my invitation was often met with the same kind of response.

They would often discredit themselves with phrases like “I’m not a good drawer,” or sometimes, “I can’t even draw a circle.” Having repeated conversations like this led me to contemplate what art is.

After having various conversations with professors and creatives and reading the biographies of artists, I’ve concluded art is a form of conversation made physical. A work of art is a timeless conversation between the artist and the audience. Regardless of the medium, through art, an artist is able to share their thoughts, ideas and opinions with a wide demographic.

One of my favorite examples of this is a Japanese pottery technique, kintsugi, that I learned in my pottery class. It’s a technique that requires a potter to mend broken pottery back together, using gold in hopes of sending the message that there is beauty in imperfection. I believe this is a motive that all artists should have.

People shouldn’t worry about how skilled they believe they are. Instead, they should focus on the message they want to share with their audience. What is it they want their audience to think or feel? I believe everyone approaches art in a unique way, and through that, enriching conversations can be had.