If you know me, you probably recognize me as the blonde senior consistently carrying a venti strawberry lemonade refresher through the hallways, always counting down the days until summer. You might get me confused with Andee Baker, who isn’t my actual twin, even though Mr. Finney gets us confused because of our hair. And when my hair is straight, you could confuse me with any other tanned, blonde, Starbucks-loving senior. From the outside, I probably seem very predictable, but one thing most people don’t know about me is how important art has always been in my life.
Ever since I was little, creating things has always been something that makes me completely lose track of time. What started as painting and drawing turned into DIY projects, which progressed to sewing classes with Elena Victoria by the fourth grade. Art has always been more than just a hobby to me; it’s how I express myself and bring peace to my mind.
As I got older, life became busier. High school quickly filled my schedule with sports, academics, work, and responsibilities. During the school year, art slowly gets pushed aside. During the endless school days, seeing the sunlight from the inside of a classroom made me forget about my love for creating and, most importantly, spending time with myself. In class, I frequently zone out and picture myself on my roof, tanning with a sketchbook beside me.
This is why summer has always been my most treasured season, because it gives me the chance to reconnect with the parts of myself that get buried in busy days during the school year. I finally have time to slow down and get inspired. I have always been motivated to explore the different art mediums, such as ceramics, a class I took freshman year and quickly realized was essential in taking my mind off of the stress of school, even if it was just for an hour. In the summer of my sophomore year, I started doing my own nails, which soon turned into intricate designs hand-painted on each finger.
Art and tanning may seem unrelated, but to me, they are connected not only through the time of year but also the feeling they give me. To most people, tanning might seem shallow or unimportant, but for me, it represents patience and enjoying the process. The result of a perfectly developed tan does not happen overnight. It takes consistency, time and care, just like a meaningful piece of artwork. Both are things you cannot rush if you want good results, nor would you want to because the process is so incredibly reviving.
Art has remained a constant part of me throughout every stage of my life, even in parts where the pressure of life takes over. No matter how busy I become, summer never fails to remind me who I am outside of deadlines and schedules. It reminds me that the best things in life take time, whether it is crafting a piece of artwork you are proud of or achieving the bronzed summer glow one day at a time.
