(#8) Life and Art After Graduation
Sorry I missed posting a blog last week! I had one almost done and ready to post in which I make the case for being an art major, but I decided against it because I don’t think I have enough perspective yet.
With graduation approaching, I’ve been a bit stressed about figuring out what I want to do with my life. It all feels a bit daunting and I sometimes feel stuck in a frozen state desperately needing to take a step forward in any direction but paralyzed by the thought that it will be the wrong one. Art is a different path than studying economics or biology and it’s tempting to compare those futures with mine. I have to remind myself that I am on my own trajectory.
When I entered my senior year, I knew I was ready to be done with school. I was not sure what would come after. I watched my siblings finish school and start careers, but my path felt different than theirs. A few months ago, I did not have a concept of what my life would be like without school. Instead of panicking about it, I trusted that by the time graduation rolled around, I would be ready. Less than three months away from the end of the semester, I would say I’m feeling much more prepared for the next chapter.
Recently, I found a job listing that got me super excited. It’s in a great location and in the industry I want to work in. I will be extremely happy if it all works out, but at the very least it got me thinking about the life I want to build for myself after I graduate. I’ve had vague ideas about my future during college, but with the pandemic and all the turbulence that it caused, my main focus quickly became to finish my degree. Now, I am thinking about how I will continue my art practice outside of school.
I can’t stop dreaming about having a studio space. This is what keeps me going. I think everyone has silly benchmarks to measure success and for me it’s owning my own drill/driver and a studio. The idea of having a devoted space just for my art supplies almost makes me cry. I can see it now: a wall full of shelves for yarn and fabric, a north-facing window with consistent sunlight for painting, my own sewing machine, a giant height-adjustable work table, and lots of storage for my paint, linocuts, canvases, paper, and pencils. Sounds like heaven (and expensive)!
I cannot picture a life without making art. I think many creative people are faced with the conundrum of putting off creating to be “practical” and spend their time at a job that makes them money. It’s such a shame when the art never gets made because it no longer is a priority. Going forward, I’m carrying with me the awareness that I need to make art a regular practice. I know I will always have art in my life, but I fear that I will get a job that’s not creative and will forget about it.
I’ve been so lucky to spend the past few years studying art. I forgot that there was a time when I didn’t. I still made art then. I’m excited to make art for myself again and to not worry about critiques and deadlines. I’ll likely go back to school to get my masters in art or art history in a couple years. For now, it will be nice to have a break from school.
