When I was thirteen I overheard a father explain to his kids that they could only draw for an hour because he didn’t want them to get used to the idea that art was acceptable. It was the first time I felt sad about art. It was also the first time I recognized that making art contains an element of fear.
The father limited the crayons because becoming an artist is scary, both for the artist and the people who care about them. The ground to an artistic life is shaky and the path is unclear. For many who make art, there is hardly a path at all.
I’ve found that creating the path to art is part of the art you end up making.
That day, the crayons may have been taken away from those kids but it also was the day my path changed. I learned about the defensive lurch to fight for art that lives inside me. A need for creation that motivates and inspires me to step up and try new things.
Sometimes I fail.
Sometimes I fail hard.
Learning is a process and art is constant learning.
Drawing your own course is easier when you are given crayons and surrounded people who believe you may be able to use them. I am more thankful than I can ever express for my community, those who believe in the spark of possibility, those who remind me that getting lost in the woods is part of many of the best stories, and those who share their art. You rockstars are the best and you make me, and the art, better everyday and I love you for it.
Thank you for the crayons!
Best Adventures,
Amara In Seattle
Amara In Seattle 