Art can be beautiful in many different ways. In its complexity. In its simplicity. In its ability to relate and connect. In its ability to share a different point of view. And in its ability to create what we do not see in our reality. Art is such a unique form of self-expression and I find it interesting how something so simple can be so flexible, salubrious, and therapeutic.

Art allows me to show the world as I see it through my eyes. But more than that, I appreciate art for its ability to show worlds that would otherwise remain hidden in my mind’s eye. It takes the intangible and manifests it into the physical world by grounding it with ink and paper. When I draw, a quiet happiness overtakes me as contentment and calm settle in. I am at peace with the world, and I am at peace with myself.

In ninth grade, I feel that I drew less than I had in the year prior, despite the fact that I should have had more time because I was learning online and schedules were shorter. I am still trying to understand why I did not draw as much then. Perhaps it was because I felt a little like I was “weightless” – floating in a space where I forgot time existed and apathy crept in more easily. I wonder if drawing more then, would have helped to ground me in reality and reminded me of my passions and ambitions. Even now, as I am in the second half of my sophomore year, I have only just started to feel like I have truly begun to draw the way that I used to again.

I enjoy drawing for multiple reasons. Chief among them is the calm that it brings me. When I draw, I often lose track of time as all I think about is the piece in front of me and seeing how it ends up. Whenever I start a sketch, I feel compelled to finish it. All other thoughts cease and I feel as though reality has faded away into a space where only I and the world the characters live in, exist. For this reason, I sometimes let myself be fully engaged in the drawing process to distract myself.

“Rather than because it’s fun, I kinda just do it. I do it because it’s like breathing to me.” – Somang Han (“Hamin’s Flower,” Seasons of Blossom)

I have grown much along my art journey and I hope to continue to improve my drawing ability. No matter how difficult things get, I hope that I will keep up with art so that it will keep me up – as it may well be one of the few things that will help me breathe when my head feels like it is underwater. Sometime far off from now – perhaps decades into the future– I want to be able to look back, on piles and piles of my old artwork and cringe and comment and laugh about my pieces with my sister or friends. Sometime far off from now, I want to be in a position where I can confidently help young artists dive into and improve their ability to express themselves. Sometime far off from now, I want to think to myself, “Wow. I’ve traveled far on my art journey, haven’t I? Well, time to move onto the next big thing. After all, I’ve still got a long road ahead of me.”

“Art is an irreplaceable way of understanding and expressing the world.” – Dana Giola