To my artist friends,
Every day, I think of you. You are the people I am around the most. We work in the same spaces and share many of the same experiences; we go to lunch together, we bounce ideas off of one another, we laugh and cry together, and we all have the same hope of one day becoming famous artists who make it into art history books (don't lie -- you know you have hoped for this at least once). It is to you, then, that I dedicate the following words:
Every day, you make me feel like I have somewhere I belong. Before coming to college and finding art, I always felt alone, friendless, and like I had no real place in the world. Then, you all came into my life and said "you should do art, you belong here with us," and gave me a home-away-from-home in the studio spaces in the art building.
Every day, you all inspire me to be better than I was the day before. Maybe it is because I saw your work and realized I needed to work harder on my own, or maybe it is because you told me you really loved a piece I did and encouraged me to continue to create pieces that are as beautiful (or even more beautiful) than the one you complimented. Whatever the reason may be, you have made me strive to be the best artist -- and the best person -- I can be, and, although some days I forget to be better and fall behind, you always give me a little push back in the right direction.
Every day, you give me a reason to keep going. Some days, I want to do nothing more but put my camera down and give up on art, but you won't let me; you make me continue to come back and continue to produce work, even when I don't want to. You tell me that it isn't as bad as I think it is, that I'm not as bad as I think I am, and your words make all the difference, even if I don't always tell you that. Your words of encouragement, your pats on the back, your high-fives, your hugs, and just you being there for me when I need you, makes all the difference in the world to me.
So, now that all of that has been said, here is my closing statement to you, my dearest friends:
You all are talented, kind, and caring people who will go into the world and inspire people with the work you create. You may not always see your own talent or your own value, but others do -- I do. You are creative and intelligent, and the things you create reflect those qualities. You make the world a more beautiful place with your art and with your existence; you put smiles on other people's faces, you make people look more critically at the world around them, you give people solace, an escape, a look into your world and into the way you see things. You give people hope and inspiration, you fill them joy and, sometimes, with pain; you make them feel the way that only art can make them feel. You make other people's lives better, and you and your work matter.
I hope with all my heart that you all will continue to create work for all your lives, and that you will continue to inspire people the same way that you have inspired me.
I wish you nothing but love, luck, and joy, my dear friends.
"You can do anything you want to do. This is your world." -- Bob Ross
