Art: My Favorite "Worst" Subject by Lily

Art: My Favorite "Worst" Subject by Lily - January 2023 Scholarship Essay

Every student should be required to take an art class. Not simply once to get it over with, but every year until they graduate high school.

“But I can’t even draw a straight line!” “Not everyone is naturally good at art!” Okay? I’M certainly not that good at art. I need a reference photo for basically everything, my shadows never blend right, and my proportions are all off whenever I’m trying to draw a person. I don’t think I’ve ever sculpted something that didn’t look like some sort of freak accident had occurred in the kiln, and my last watercolor project genuinely looked like one of those paintings done by kindergarteners that school administrators would frame in their offices out of pity.

I’m not going to college for art, either. My heart belongs to science and math – you know, the classes that actually ARE required. Because I both enjoy them and excel in them, these subjects are going to bring me a fruitful career and bright future. Yet art, although not exactly my strength, has given me many other things that are equally valuable.

First, art is unique in the sense that my improvement in it is so unquestionably clear. I guess I could line up my chemistry tests over the course of the year and see the grades increase slightly, or notice how the math I do seems to get more and more complicated, but nothing else can compare to the straightforward way in which I examine the progression of my art. I look at my first sketchbook assignment of the year: terrible. Boring. Chronically lacking creativity. I look at my most recent sketchbook: wow. Not that bad. Not as good as other people’s, but definitely better than what I was producing a few months ago.

That brings me to my next point. In any subject, it’s hard not to constantly compare yourself to others. I know I see my classmate’s beautiful, effortless, ultra-realistic rendition of some random animal and think, “Woah! Imagine if I did that!” But at the same time, I recognize two key facts: we are both trying just as hard and we are earning the same grade. Art is forgiving because of its subjectivity; in turn, it has made me more forgiving of myself. My art doesn’t seem as good as other people’s, but that’s okay. I’m still putting the work in, developing my own style, and improving everyday.

Finally, there are essential life skills that I’ve discovered, cultivated, and perfected throughout the various art classes I’ve taken. Time management, like in any other academic setting, is a big one. Craftsmanship is also notable – the ability to work neatly and create something worth taking pride in. Art has taught me not to cut corners by leaving smudge marks in the background of a drawing, or leaving the edges of my canvas unpainted. The importance of originality is likewise worth mentioning, since you won’t get very far in an art class by tracing every project from something off Pinterest.

Art should be prioritized just as much as English, math, science, or history. The argument that “not everyone is good at art” is ridiculous – because since when is everyone good at math? Even though I’m not the best artist, so much of what art class has taught me will benefit me for the rest of my life. I wish I could’ve taken it every semester of every year since I could hold a pencil, and I wish others also had it as a consistent and rewarding aspect of their academic career.