When I was a child, tv was two channels and only good for a few hours on Saturday mornings. Video games were non-existent. Entertainment existed as learning, reading and whatever adventures my mind could come up with doing.
So in grade-school I learned:
sewing, crochet, fabric painting, and embroidery.
Stencils, crayons, wallpapering and acrylic paints.
Photography, leather working, wood carving and writing.
Ceramics, greenware and pottery (my grandmother had a ceramics kiln)
Piano, guitar, singing, spoken poetry and dance.
(I guess my parents just kept throwing things for me to do hoping something would sink in.)
In Junior High and High School:
I learned more about the things I liked from grade-school
Wood working, welding, designs for woodworking projects and perspective drawing.
Sand drawing, mosaic tiling, stained glass, plastic molding
Glass work, paper folding, oil paints, water colors, all pencils, inks,
sandblasting, scrimshaw, acid etching, fonts, black and white photography and developing.
Then I went to the Art Institute of Colorado
What did I learn?? That I knew nothing. Color photography and development, magazine layout and development (Now this is old days before computers hit the market so I did it REAL cut and paste style) Now in all honesty those were the only NEW things I learned. I took all the scheduled classes mandatory for my so called Associates Degree up until the last quarter. I quit three months before graduation because of a lot of reasons that I am not going into right now.
Since that time:
I learned I did know something. I taught myself computer art and photo-manipulation but not computer animations (yet). Sometimes I sew, sometimes I cut wood and sometimes (okay every day at work I weld metal.) There are a lot of other things I have taught myself but I am not quite sure how to list or pinpoint all of it.
Q: What has been your biggest drawback when dealing with the creative arts?
A: I think its been myself. Always listening to someone else’s opinions rather than my own. And sometimes listening to myself when that horrible wicked evil inner voice tells me how worthless I am.
Q: What has been your biggest inspiration?
A: I have had two inspirations over the last six years. The first one has been deviantart. Even though a majority of the people at that website are younger than I am and my artwork is novice compared to at least 20% of them I still found inspiration there. The other place is a local arts and crafts show, its there that I feel like a leader and not a follower.
Q: What medium is your favorite?
A: Right now its colored pencils but I believe that is simply out of necessity. I would love to have a shop where I can go back and explore all those mediums I learned when I was young, once again.
Q: What has been your worse experience in art?
A:When I was in college I tried to do some freelancing to supplement my income and get some experience under my belt. I took a job making signs for a dining room of a very nice new hotel. I was very nervous and shy (I still am that way). Anyway I took my drawings up to the hotel dining room manager and he picked a couple that he liked. We went together to the hotel manager who laid all the drawings out on his desk. He proceeded to brush every drawing off his desk and into the round trash basket. He told me what crap they were and how my work was not worth $20 let alone the $200.
I thought he had gutted me with a dull spoon. It really hurt me enough that it kind of killed my strength to struggle on being broke and going to school and bucking against everyone that told me I was doing it wrong.
Q: What has been your best experience?
A: Every single time I finish a piece. There is a thrill. There is a hurray. A great feeling that almost feels like relief. My own opinion is the only one that matters.
Q: What would you have done different?
A: I would have gone to a regular four year state college. Then I could have taken both art and something else and become a more rounded person. I could have done it at a slower pace and not become so stressed out that I physically, emotionally and mentally suffered.
Q: So what does your future hold?
A: I can’t really answer that. I have been looking around and trying to figure out if I do want to go back to school, change jobs or just stay exactly where I am. I thought about contacting two or three different colleges to see if they would accept my credits to get my degree. I would not go back to the school I started with 20 years ago. I hold too much resentment towards that facility line. Even though the people have changed.
I thought about going to back to school for mechanical engineering but I am afraid at 41 and being female that trying to break into a young male dominated field would be a horrible mistake. So then there is small business management and administration. That would be great if I wanted to open my own business but I am just not the store manager type. I even thought about taking a specialty course in building and repairing special unique items (I am not saying what cause someone would say thats crazy talk.)
My current job isn’t "bad" but sometimes I just want something different. Its hard to explain but I am not unhappy, or even unfulfilled. I just have this weird sense that there is something more. I also would like something that doesn’t hurt so much. My hands go numb, elbows, shoulder damage. There are times when I just need to scream but I can’t scream at people at work. Maybe owning my own business isn’t such a bad idea..cause then I can just go home or send them home..OH YEAH.
So since I am so unsure its taken me a while to request the transcript from my old school. I have the paperwork right here in front of me. All I need to do is write the check, address the envelope and tack on the stamp. It just keeps slipping my mind. Is that a subconscious fear?? Possibly.
Anymore questions??
If you want to do this kind of thing GO FOR IT! If you do leave me a comment so I can come read yours.
Check out my online stuff at http://www.cafepress.com/alitastudio
