My First Art Experience
I don't remember. My mom always had pictures, calendars with art, prints, etc around the house. Although we lives out in the country, in farm country, art was still a part of my growing up. She would draw for us, etc.
How it Affected Me
It think this helped me look at things in more than one way. I learned there was more than one way to do things. To look at the world. Being exposed to centuries of artists, with different points of views and experiences helped me know there was more out there than just one set of answers. Most questions in life have more than one correct answer, you simply have to choose what best suits and serves this set of circumstances. No two sets are really alike.
I also learned to welcome children into my art experience. To both teach them and learn from them. I learned to guide rather than bully them into following.
Advice
- Be truly open to more than one point of view. There is a lot of lip service paid to being open. But I find most are only open to what is currently fashionable.
- Working in the arts you have to be open to all expressions, even those that don't personally appeal to you.
- You might specialize in one form, one media, one aesthetic, but remember it is only one answer to the question.
- There is always another answer to any question. You have to find the best answer for you, but understand that it might not be everyone's answer.
- People who are exposed to the arts in early childhood do better in science and math.
