As a high school student, I remember spending many an afternoon [and often an early evening] in my school's darkroom. When the time to figure out where I wanted to go to school came around, one of my good friends worked on a portfolio to submit to the Savannah College of Art and Design. My brother was already in college studying music at the University of Michigan. At the time I considered, ever so briefly, the idea of pursuing photography or art more generally. I never really felt I had the talent or skills necessary to become successful at photography, not enough so to make a living, support a family one day, and so on.
Because I saw as too risky it was something I ended up turning away from and failed to pursue. I do not regret that decision...in many ways photography is still a passion and hobby of mine, albeit one I need to spend more time developing [in all honestly, the thing I probably miss the most is all those hours in the darkroom...printing pictures is simply therapeutic for me in many ways]. But I do sometimes wonder what would have happened if I didn't have to worry about the whole economic side of things.
At the same time, I know how lucky I was to have all the opportunities available to me outside of the arts. I figure that I probably was not going to reach a level of achievement or accomplishment that I would have been satisfied with in the arts and so I'm OK leaving to be a hobby, an interest, a passion [altho who knows...maybe that's just a rationalization and telling myself what I need to hear to be OK with that decision from over 10 years ago now].
But while I likely did not have the talent and instead had other opportunities, there are far too many who do have the talent but who simply cannot pursue their dreams or fulfill all that potential because they are not so fortunate. I came across this
article a couple weeks back and it really saddened me in many ways and reminded me just how important it is to support the arts and to support artists.
First, no teenager should have to face all that the young girl from that article has had to face...not by that stage in her life. But worse is the fact that pursuing her musical talents is simply not an option to her. It is clearly unfair to her, but it is also a travesty for the rest of us...as we lose out on all her ability and all she could potentially create. It is unfortunate that this young woman and many others like her face a world in which they may not even have the opportunity to discover their talents due to a lack of funding for the arts.
A society can be judged in many ways by its arts. A lack or creativity, especially when it is due to a lack of opportunities to discovery and explore one's creative talents, is indicative of a lack of culture and civility. Obviously that is a somewhat highfalutin statement that makes me sound somewhat ridiculous...but the arts are important on many levels. Most of all, the provide an important role for many of our nation's youth. They are an outlet to find oneself, to express oneself, to work through the many troubles of adolescence, and also an alternative to many of the ills that ail our youth. Further, the creative process allows for development and growth...not only on an individual level but also as a society and nation. Stifling creative also stifles innovation...something we are in need of more than ever in this time.
Personally, tho I didn't end up pursuing anything artistic in life, my brother has and that friend of mine did eventually end up S.C.A.D., and it's important to ensure that our society appreciates and encourages such pursuits. Such creativity needs to be nurtured...
[this post was originally intended to appear and does appear on my
music blog.]
