Dear younger me,

Do you ever feel judged or looked down upon by others? Nervous, worried or out of your comfort zone, I focus on my true passion to bring me back to safety. Although, the day to day stressors of life will never go away, I can escape this life for a moment when I am studying my passion. I sit alone at a table with paper and a black pen. I drone out the sound of the outside world with my headphones jammed into my ears. Feelings thought out and recorded through my hand and down onto paper. I am finally where I belong. I am carrying out my passion for art.

Escaping the everyday world is not easy. With homework, football practice, work, and other daily chores, your high school days will fly by without notice. The grind of work and little sleep makes us live for the weekends, holidays, and vacations. Although, I love to get away, my true passion for art lets me get away whenever I want. With not a thing to worry about, I can express my emotions through my artwork. All of the burdens I carry day after day are lifted off of my shoulders when I can talk through my art. I carry this passion for art because it symbolizes what I truly want to do the rest of my life. This passion has allowed me to be myself, and that is why it so close to my heart.

The clock hits one A.M. I scramble to piece together the double-decker cylindrical ceramic sculpture that is due the next morning at the focus show for judging. Art may be an escape and a way of expressing my inner emotions, but it also demands much time and focus. My passion for art did not appear overnight exactly. Coil after coil, I rolled clay out onto a table and then assembled a piece I like to call “Organic Hourglass”. This being one of my first large sculptures, the process was not easy. Although, in my head the piece seemed to fit together like a small puzzle, it required most of my sophomore year to build. Learning as I go, I began to roll coils like a machine and smooth them out into a cylindrical tube. After the two pieces had been terra sidged, bisk fired, smoke fired, and then cleaned, they were pieced together using rusted out sewage pipes, and bench pieces from a junkyard. To say the least, I learned that this “passion for art” was not going to come easily. Along with ceramics, I find myself studying the human body and creating drawing after drawing that did not succeed. I am going to have to dedicate much more time and effort into this passion if I want to make it a career.

For common society, the career focus for art may make people question, “How are you ever going to find a job in that field?” My passion just builds more from the negative comments. My eyes picture a city filled with murals, park benches painted with each artist’s unique style, and people’s houses filled with paintings and sculptures. Ceramic studios, tattoo shops, art supply and music stores throughout the city. I would like to enter a college that focuses in art and see where life takes me after that. The field of art may be difficult to get a job in, but my passion will remain persistent. With the everyday slump of life, the world needs more creativity and beauty.
You have a lot coming your way younger Dylan. You are going to witness so many amazing experiences in your life that will eventually lead you to realize the true meaning behind art. Your passion will grow as you gain knowledge and skill. One word of advice is, “it is not going to be easy!” You are going to have your mind blown by all of your competition and mentors that teach you. One teacher is going to enter your life and you must take from him all that you can. He knows the answer to every question and will help you with anything. His name is Mr. Sanderson and he will help you carry the weight of this passion. Keep pushing and I know you will be rewarded.