Art From an Artist’s Perspective
Written by Mathis G. ‘27
Art is a significant part of many, if not all, cultures. It takes many forms, whether it be music, visual arts, or even theater. Art is everywhere. This raises a few questions: why do people make art? What is their thought process? Lots of people talk about how non-artists see art; today we’ll be taking a turn away from normalcy by delving deeper into how art affects the people who make it. I interviewed a few aspiring artists from our community about their opinions on art, why they create it, and how it affects them. Let’s see what they think!
Art isn’t limited to just drawing and painting. It can be music, creative writing, theater, fashion design, or anything creative. One example of the diversity of art is the Oakland School for the Arts. OSA is located in downtown Oakland and shares a building with the Fox Theater. OSA has many different art tracks, such as visual arts, music, creative writing, and fashion design. I was lucky enough to secure an interview with a student at OSA. I interviewed Sam Dickey, a freshman in the visual arts track. He gave some great insight, especially about the best part of the art process, in which he says, “I like being able to imagine the worlds that the characters I make would live in. A lot of my drawings end up being failures, so I love finishing a drawing that I don’t hate with my whole heart.”
Lots of people think about the finished product when they hear about a famous painting or even just a sketch that someone made, but not too many people think about the process or why an artist decides to make art in the first place. I know I didn’t think about the process until I became friends with artists. The process of making art can be very tedious and frustrating, whether it’s perfecting a drawing or editing a short story, but people also say it’s the best part. In my interview with SJND student Isabella Molina, she said, “I like the process of making something and seeing it all come together. There’s a good feeling that I get when I create something.”
Now, since the term “art” doesn’t just refer to painting or drawing, I can make a connection to my own life. As a pianist, I spend most of my time at the piano practicing the songs that I want to be able to play in public settings. Another musician, Reuben B. ‘27, said, “I started to play music because I wanted to be able to pick up an instrument wherever I go and just play.” Isabella, however, said that her art is personal to her and she prefers to keep it to herself. Sam is somewhere in between, stating, “I create mostly for myself, but I do plan on making art for others eventually. At OSA, we have an art show where students sell their art.”
In my own experience, playing music is also a release, a moment to pause and center myself in a world of chaos. Similarly, Isabella said, “It’s mostly a stress release and I like it a lot. It’s also like something to put the thoughts that I’ve had tucked into my brain onto paper and really get it out there.”
Inspiration is a very big part of an artist’s journey. All artists have had at least one big thing that made them want to create something for the world. For instance, the great Jackson Pollock was influenced by Pablo Picasso, who in turn was inspired by some of the other greats such as Vincent van Gogh and Henri Rousseau. I was inspired to play piano because I listened to a lot of classical music with piano and string instruments as a young child. During my interview with Isabella, she said that her inspiration came from “seeing my mom drawing and looking at artists around me and going to a school that had an art program.” All artists have some sort of inspiration, and it can greatly influence their art style.
Next time that you visit a museum, drive by street art or listen to music, stop and think about the artist. What inspired them? Why do they create art? And what message are they sending to you? It may just give you a whole new perspective.
