Personal response and reflection

Art

Taking Risks

Normally, I enjoy new adventures, and some of my friends think I'm a risk-taker. I like adventure sports like rock climbing and snow boarding and I love the feel of adrenalin I get when I experience new things. However, I think the biggest risk I've taken so far in my life is choosing to become an artist. Living by your art is difficult even for the most talented individuals, and I understand that. Yet, I know that the passion I feel for what I do is far outweighed by the risks I face to becoming successful. Creativity is never easy, but creativity lives in some people, and is simply a part of who they are, and who they will always be. Some of the people I admire most in the art world are excellent examples of this, from Steven Spielberg to Pablo Picasso. These are people who simply ooze creativity, and it is difficult to imagine them doing anything else but something in the creative arts. While I'm no Picasso, I feel that way about what I create. I want to learn everything I can to be the best I can, because I simply cannot imagine myself doing anything else.

Some of my friends do not understand my choice of careers. They think to be an artist you have to be gay or something. That is one of the reasons I feel this is a big risk for me. My friends think a career is something where you make a lot of money, and art is just something you might do as a hobby, if you have the time and the interest. At the risk of losing some of my friendships, I've had to stand up to them and tell them that's not always the case. Sure, some artists are gay. Some aren't. Some artists never make a lot of money, some do. I think it is far more important to be happy in what you do, and I'm happiest when I am working on my craft. I don't think some of my friends will end up happy, because they don't know what they really want to do with their lives, and because they are too afraid to take risks. I never want to live my life that way. I want to live my life knowing that I'm doing something that matters, and something I love.