The Performing Arts // Paige Hope

Ever since I was little, I’ve loved entertaining people. I always tried to make my older sisters laugh, whether that be with impressions, jokes or stories. My best friend and I wrote songs, skits and puppet shows, performing them for our neighbors. I always jumped at the opportunity to make videos for school projects. It didn’t matter what I did, I just liked to entertain people.

As I got older, that passion subsided. I entered high school as a meek and timid freshman who was afraid to raise my hand in class. I very hesitantly signed up for Beginning Theatre, just wanting to get my required fine arts credit out of the way. Halfway through the year, I decided to audition for the play, and I somehow landed the lead.

I stayed involved in theater for the rest of my high school career, making it a priority over other extracurriculars. And now, I’m no longer a meek and timid person who’s afraid to express her opinions–and I attribute that to theater.

Performing arts give you such an incredible sense of confidence that no other department can. In my four short years here, I’ve learned how to step out of my comfort zone and speak up about ideas that I have. Performing arts also taught me how to take feedback that I receive and grow from it. A big part of performing is receiving criticism and learning how to improve upon a performance. Theater has transformed me into a more teachable person who learns from her mistakes in all aspects of life, not just theater.

Theater has also turned me into a team player. A play or musical does not solely depend on one person; even the lead of a show cannot do it alone. Each individual that is involved in the show has to pull their weight in order to make the performance a success. It’s a team effort and we all rely on each other. Becoming involved in the performing arts has taught me that I can’t always do everything by myself and that it’s important to rely on others and trust them.

Aside from the fact that I can’t do anything artistic to save my life and can barely draw a stick figure, visual arts have just never really interested me. I like to express myself through performing, while those in visual arts choose to remain more reserved and express themselves through painting, drawing, sculpting, designing and whatever else they can create. There’s no doubt that visual artists’ talent and the art they can create are fascinating. But I would rather be up on a stage entertaining an audience than creating art for people to look at.

The Visual Arts // Chloe Grass

I wholeheartedly respect and idolize all forms of art and all expressions of it. I find it all fascinating and I try to surround myself with people who value and encourage it. My life and all I do relates back to my passion of and for art, and even if art is not a passion of yours it still somehow surrounds us all every single day.

Visual arts can mean so many things for so many people and serve many purposes in all facets of life. In today’s world, especially for teens and children still growing up, it is important that we still have the ability to think on our own. I am so terrified that I will stop having original ideas. Visual art—whether it’s drawing, painting, sculpture, or makeup—forces me and allows us to create raw ideas and that is a skill we all are starting to lack.

Visual arts are also seen as a form of expression, and I’m not talking about the kid in your ceramics class that slaps some glitter glue on a pineapple and calls it art. I’m not even talking about a professional artist that sells work for millions of dollars. I’m just talking about someone who find joy in art and uses it to build imagination, because that’s the purpose of it.

Even though some may not think they are good, art is hard to perfect, but it is imperative to realize that art is not intended to be perfected. All it is supposed to do is make the artist open up and actually feel something, realize something, or express something. I know it sounds kind of stupid, but it’s true, even if you only feel an ounce of pride, or accomplishment, or learn the smallest thing about yourself. Visual art can be so many things to so many people, but to many others and myself it just pushes me to think of the unthinkable which is incredibly difficult. The most difficult part of art isn’t the execution or process, but also the idea of what to make. For some it comes so naturally, but for others is the most frustrating and challenging part.  You don’t even know how many sketches I have thrown out, sculptures I have smashed, and “dumb” ideas I have had.

With visual arts you have a physical copy of images and ideas in your head, and usually the end result ends up looking nothing like what you have pictured; but that’s the beauty of it. As you start to form a blueprint and move toward recreating it in a physical form, more and more ideas get thrown at you that you couldn’t possibly think you could have thought of. What always seems to amaze me about art is that you can see a slight glimpse into the artist’s mind through a piece. You can almost tell what they were thinking or unraveling a story they were trying to convey in their piece. And even if you can’t relate to artwork, you can always appreciate the time, thought, and overall talent put into a piece.

You would be surprised at how many people, especially teens, have a difficult time expressing themselves and are even still trying to find themselves. Performing arts is a great way to do this, but many are discouraged by the limelight and makes many nervous and anxious when all eyes are focused on them. With visual arts everyone is looking at your art and not you, or they are looking at you through your art. It’s a way we can express ideas in a sense of secrecy without feeling judged.

Art no matter what form—singing, painting, glass blowing, or tattooing shapes—is who we are as a human race and it connects us all with one similar passion to create.