Everything You Need Is Within: Notes from an Emerging Artist
I attended the 89th annual Atlanta Dogwood Festival this year, and as I perused the artists’ market, I was in awe. I observed the work of a plethora of artisans, including painters, metalsmiths, photographers, tapestry makers, and sculptors, to name a few. As I mixed in with the crowd, I wondered whether I was amongst any aesthetes. Whereas an onlooker views the art but does not engage, an aesthete is moved by what they see. They are sensitive to the works and eager to compare the sublime to the beautiful. This is a crucial aspect of one’s aesthetic experience. Seeing nature and art evokes emotional responses in us. It is the different qualities in art that refine our sensitivity towards what is. Naturally, I wanted to know how each artist honed in on their gifts to produce such amazing works. More, how does one find their voice?
”The end of the thing is better than its beginning.”
One artist immediately caught my attention. Niki Croom, a ceramicist and painter who honors the strength, beauty, and resilience of women, combines whimsical and intricate pottery with expressive paintings. I was drawn to her exhibit. I asked her, “How did you get here? How did you find your niche?” Croom answered, “By breaking a lot of rules.” Croom started out studying fine arts to become a full-time artist. She began by investing her time in achieving this goal. This led her to earn her BFA from Alfred University, with a concentration in ceramics and painting. What I was viewing now was the fruit of the thing’s end. To break rules, you must understand the foundation upon which the rules were set. The foundation in this instance is yourself. Croom’s external goal was to become an artist. Her internal desire was to capture and celebrate the history of people and women by revealing the layers within. Rather than taking shortcuts, she expended the proper time and energy into her artistry. Croom had to have patience and faith in knowing that the fruit of her labor would be insurmountable.
My artistic journey has been a tumultuous one. There are days when I am absolutely zealous about being a writer. Then there are other days when I am terribly confused, wondering if I meet the criteria. This internal warfare is the catalyst for fully exploring who I am as a creative and an emerging artist. It began in July 2023. I decided I needed to go to art school. After some time and discussion with my peers, Atlanta seemed realistic considering my financial situation. I researched every MA and MFA program SCAD offered, I sought to watch student videos, I researched notable alumni, and through all my research, my passion to become a SCAD Bee only intensified. I attended SCAD Day and fell madly in love. It was the first time in my life that an institution of higher learning had felt like home.
Though I was still battling my own doubt, fear, insecurities, and inadequacies. One voice told me I would never be admitted, while the other pushed me to keep trying. I decided to message a professor on LinkedIn to inquire about sitting in on a lecture. Professor Roop Virk greeted me that day, and she unknowingly became a pivotal instrument in this journey. She said, “It is not simply about obtaining the degree from SCAD, but it is about your experience and purpose.” Now I fully understand that it is not the goal itself but the lessons we learn in the journey of seeking. It is a journey of figuring out who I am as an artist. This journey is teaching me that inadequacies do not exist. That you have everything you need to succeed within. My purpose for attending SCAD shifted from seeking clarity and validation to joining a larger community that believes in the power of art and how it shapes our identity and purpose in life. Now I know that my art evolution is still unfolding, and it began by authentically embracing my gifts through expression.
Merriam-Webster provides quite a few definitions of the word “artist.” One can conclude through simplification that an artist is a skilled individual. However, it takes more than skill to carry the responsibility of an artist. Fashion designer Aurora James indubitably understands that art transcribes life. Through her artistry, she has proven that designing is not about pretty bows and colorful laces. Design exists beyond the way a piece of fabric feels on one’s skin. One must factor in the environment they are creating in and for. She understands that, past criticizing a collection premiering at New York Fashion Week, there is a story to be told. Her fashion brand, Brother Vellies, creates and sustains artisan jobs. James’ brand has a cultural impact by keeping traditional African designs and techniques in control of the artisans who create these luxury accessories. James’s art evolution did not begin in art school. Her evolution began through her personal life experience. When the storms of life engulf her, she leans on her skills in journalism, photography, music, fashion, and horticulture to fulfill her responsibilities as an artist. Aurora James persevered, refusing to let life’s tribulations stop her from creating. Where there were roadblocks, she sought to dismantle them; where there were no opportunities, she made them; where artisan lives were declining, she fought to sustain them. Aurora James inspires creatives to see it through until the end.
“It is the responsibility of an artist to influence, impact, and inspire.”
As an artist, the real joy comes from creation and expression. Research suggests that artists experience something similar to what runners encounter. That is, endorphins and other chemicals are released, creating a sense of euphoria. The article “Why Our Brains Crave Beauty, Art, and Nature” from the Financial Times delves into neuroaesthetics, the field that studies how our brains respond to aesthetic experiences and how these experiences influence our mental and physical well-being. Taking care of the vessel you’re creating from should be an artist’s top priority.
Purpose can be tricky. Most artists struggle with the uncertainty of their destiny. “Will I be good enough? What is my purpose? Will people accept my calling? How will I get there?” The feeling of not being good enough carries a weight that’ll crush your spirit and keep you bound to the shadows of fear. Insecurity causes us to live life with caution. It’s not leaning into your discernment. Submitting to the process, the journey of self, I learned to be secure in who I am as an artist. Through hard lessons, I have come to understand that my purpose is to use my gifts to the fullest. To approach every project with complete confidence that I have everything I need within me to produce something wonderful.
My advice is as follows: don’t self-sabotage; you have only just begun. In everything you do, be unapologetically you. The loss of your artistic power and confidence derives from your hesitancy to move forward. There is a balance in life, which art is drawn from. Once you dig deep into yourself, you will see who you are at your core. That is your voice, that is where you create from.
