August 2020

To the Girl Holding the Paint Brush,

It is the paint brush you hold in your hand which brings the passing world that is your mind into being. You drift back and forth between your mind and your reality with marvel and curiosity. Sometimes your mind is an escape from the troubles you face, other times it feels like a distraction. Nonetheless, it helps you understand your reality better. You depict abstract, figurative characters using vivid colors and textures in order to make your thoughts tangible. Some people will love your work; your work will inspire them to interrogate certain realities, just as you have. Others will think you are too controversial.

My occupation as an arts educator has allowed me to comprehend the way you think. You will be cherished for your talent by your friends. Even your teachers will be fascinated. They will ask you to draw diagrams for them on the board and in their lesson plans. During class, you continue to wander deep into your imagination, filling up your notebooks (and your friends’) with all sorts of drawings. This takes a toll on your performance and your educators will perceive you as a slow and dull thinker. Even though your talent will be celebrated, you will be required to contain it. You will be told that it must be separate and secondary to your learning. Don’t let that discourage you from pursuing your passion. Over the years, I have come to understand that you were never a slow thinker; you are just a visual learner. Even though your learning style is different, it is still relevant. Your ability to think creatively does not have to have an adverse effect on your performance in class. Instead, it should complement your learning.

One of my all-time favorite quotes is:

‘Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life thinking that it is stupid’ – Albert Einstein.

I fear that an education system that is not student-centered discourages and deprives children the opportunity to make unique and purposeful contributions to society. That being said, allow yourself to experiment without the fear of failure. I don’t believe that an artist should restrict themselves to a single medium in order to be considered a master. Some of my greatest works have come from experimentation, experimenting with all sorts of materials and concepts.

My process of creating is symbiotic; I let the canvas control me while I control it. Being an artist will require you to step out of your comfort zone, especially because it is a profession which is so often overlooked. Your work will speak for itself. Your work will teach people about your culture, it is so critical to our understanding of ourselves as a people.

Love always,

Eva