Art Enrichment Camp Personal Statement

I grew up alongside the wild Rocky Mountain Columbines, where the air is crisp and the winters are long. I spent my time engaging in the arts such as acting, writing, and creating. From a young age I was drawn to the world of imagination and found happiness through producing art. We all face and over come challenges within our lives and whenever I am faced with hardship I find comfort in visually expressing myself.

I started drawing when I was 16. I was cursing 10th grade, or how is called in my country, Dominican Republic “Segundo de Bachillerato”. It was recess. I was alone in my classroom that day, besides two or three people who were just killing time there, and I didn’t had much to do with my time. I was at the last book of a series of books which names I can’t remember and If I recall correctly the last book was very boring for some reason so I didn’t wanted to read it anymore. So, looking for something to do, I stood from my seat and walked boringly down the aisle of chairs and that was, not my first interaction with art, but the first time I remember i liked art or paid attention to it. Yerkis, a guy of my class: short, chubby and well mannered

As a child I enjoyed drawing several objects, and I felt that I had a rare gift to express life through art. I hope to reinvest my time back into my childhood hobby upon graduation later this year.

Art helped me learn to express the feelings I couldn’t say and during that time period and I choosing to study it is the greatest decision I have ever made. Art is the reason I live now. It gives me hope, happiness, and an ability to escape. I love how it can change my view and to make me feel things. This year one of my illustrations was hung in the Museum of Contemporary Art: La Jolla, and I could not be prouder.

The first class I took part in was weaving and fibers, and similar to that of playing an instrument, art influenced my life. Weaving and fibers opened up a whole new world I had never experienced; my grandfather built me my own loom, and my whole family became interested in my art projects. After taking my first art class I chose to participate in many more: arts & crafts (twice), ceramics, and stained glass. Art opened up many opportunities for me both socially and intellectually. I participated in art competitions including the contest for the Erie Times News 100th year anniversary (my school placed second) and the Vans Custom Culture contest. I collaborated and built friendships with diverse groups of individuals, worked on group projects (such as stained glass windows), and a plethora of independent study projects (macrame hangings, dream catcher’s, gnome houses…). Through the arts both musical and visual I experienced unimaginable opportunities and experiences that allowed both self-expression and

As a psychology student with an extensive background in Fine Arts, I bring a unique perspective to the mental health field. My interest in psychology began with the curiosity regarding the relationship between art and mental health. South Korea, my birthplace, has some of the longest working hours of any country. While working in Korea, I witnessed the results of work-related stress such as depressive mood and anxiety. However, there existed stigma related to mental disorders due to cultural expectations. Rather than visiting professionals in the mental health industry, many ascribed mental instabilities to their lack of willpower. This phenomenon spurred me to consider artistic activities in dealing mental distress. Eventually, I was motivated to study Psychology at Ryerson University; I hope to keep my path toward Art Therapy at Concordia University.

Creativity and art have been a significant parts of my life for as long as I can remember. When I was little and we visited my Grandma Carol in the summers, my favorite thing to do with her was make art. She taught me about so many different media, such as: acrylics, oil pastels, and the ink press. Sometimes, I would bring my sketchbook from home and she would help me set up art shows around her house. I would sell my art for a few dollars each, and then use the little bit of money I earned to buy more art supplies. As she introduced me to more artistic styles and mediums in the

When I was younger, I started with making collages, and as I grew older and developed a better eye for shape and detail I started drawing with graphite, colored pencil, illustration markers, and pastel. About three years ago, I became really interested in painting, which is the main medium I use. I use art as a way to express myself and illustrate my best memories the way that I see them. Using specific color schemes and symbols to represent my best memories helps bring me right back to that place when I look back at piece that I’ve finished. Art is my way of remembering the best moments in my

It was my freshman year of high school when I took Drawing A; I quickly learned that I had a skill that I had previously ignored and began embracing it. Sophomore year, though, was when I truly started using my art. It was during this year that I received a 4 on my AP-Studio Art portfolio, and won four awards at Scholastic Art and Writing in photography. Art gave me a feeling of accomplishment that I didn’t usually get in the rest of my academics, so I always tried my

I graduated from Hilliard Darby High School this past spring. My love for art began very young with my father who always made sure to encourage my creativity. I remember making coil pots with him during the summer and then painting them. In the ninth grade I took painting which I immediately became attached too. For the past four years I have continued to expand my abilities and strengthen skills with the help of my teacher Mrs. Kulick-Brown. From there I have completed several commissioned pieces for teachers and their families. Painting has taught me a lot about color and composition. During high school I also was involved in ceramics where I competed in the annual ‘Feats of Clay” competition. I love the focus and serenity I experience

My parents would always force me to study, so therefore, I would always study hard and try to finish my daily chores as soon as possible so I can find time to squeeze in art. My parents always expected me to receive high grades, so as they wished, I gradually stopped doing art and focused more on studying throughout my school years. However, my passion for art never decreased, but had to be hidden deep inside my heart. I always had to convince myself that art was something I could do as a hobby and there was something more important that I needed to focus on for a brighter future, however, I was

Art plays a huge role in my carefree personality. Poetry pushes me to use the power of my voice and to care less of what people think of me or my story,giving me the freedom to tell my story how I want to tell it. Not only poetry, but being a visual artist also gave me the urge to express myself unapologetically because it's a freedom in what I draw and how

At the age of 5, I returned to the U.S from China. Like many Chinese-American children, I was a kid sent by my parents to another country to live with my grandparents in the countryside of China. By the time I came back to the U.S, I already had a difficult time catching up with my peers due to my language barrier. Those days were the harshest. Not being able to communicate with other kids, I became extremely outcasted as an individual. Eventually, this lead to countless hours of doodling flowers and sunsets on my own. As Ive gotten older, I realized that art was my outlet. It became a way for me to express a language without having to understand the rules and reasons behind a language. Although I struggled with this language barrier for a

studied various art mediums to explore creative talents. In my junior year, I decided to

Ever Since I was a little girl, I dreamt of becoming a skilled artist and seeing the world to uncover the mysteries that ancient artists had to tell. Art has always been a huge part of my life ever since I first held a crayon in my hand. From redrawing characters from