Undergraduate / COMMON APP ESSAY: FREE TOPIC. "Ingredients" [3]

You are five feet nine. You have ragged hair. You have a parrot nose. You have a ruddy face and tired eyes along with repugnant stubble. Your garb consists of tattered apparel. You are a masterpiece.

You are a painting; and all paintings, in their own right, are masterpieces. As a painting, your tired eyes speak, for once. The rich, who scorn you in person, admire you in your penury as a piece of art. They admire the difference. Pity or respect, you evoke feeling. As a painting, you are beautiful in your entirety. You are a painting, accepted the way you are.

This is the essence of art- capturing beauty in its authenticity. It's expressing raw emotion through evolved thought. You are a painting- an emotional being who expresses his joy with an exuberant smile, a jealous being with intricate views articulated with a simple cynical look, an angry individual who gives it all away by a change in hue. Captured. Expressed. Displayed. Admired. You are a painting. I am a painting, and all paintings are beautiful.

The beauty of a painting lies in its truth- whether it is as stark and blunt as a still life or a photograph, or as impressionist and obscure as a Monet or a Picasso. But it is art and it is the truth. With art, we don't hesitate. Sometimes the best part about art is that the piece is left open to interpretation. We can look at a painting and share our mood. There are always two meanings to a painting- the artist's interpretation and the personal understanding, and for most liberal minds, this is the greatest freedom. There is always a different and new perspective with a new observer. No perception is false or ridiculous.

The most experienced of artistes will tell you the secret to their success in one word- inspiration- the igniter of art, the splendid concoction of the human brain. The ability to find sparks in used fireworks. The reasons behind it are not important. It is the epiphany that is. They say that every artist struggles and lives in anguish for his entire life, thirsty for that one moment of inspiration. We look to books, to eras, to muses, within ourselves, EVERYWHERE (it seems like a quest, doesn't it?) for the igniter of "potential glory" or what normal people call, art. We all look for the "Ah ha" moment.

The essence, the beauty and the secret of art mean nothing without one vital element without which art, in fact life, is meaningless- zeal. The notion of a passionless existence sometimes scares me. If you love something, love with a passion. If you hate something, hate with a passion. If you work for something, work with a passion. It isn't about "being able", but "wanting". If you want to be an artist, you need to have the drive to be the best artist you can be. If you want to be a politician, you must have the energy; you must have the presence. If you want to join the circus, you need to have the will and the determination to grow the longest beard and be the best-bearded lady out there! This is what art is about. No pretty pictures. No pretences. No mild messages or flattery.

When I look at life-people, places or things- as a painting, I even find beauty in tragedy. It is because of art that I appreciate truth, creativity, inspiration and zeal. Understanding these ingredients of a painting gives me a little more clarity. It gives me a broader perspective. It makes me see the bigger picture (pun unintended).

Please let me know what you think of this common app essay. Will it go well with an admissions committee? I'm quite uncertain. Thanks a bunch! Cheers =)!

Undergraduate / SAIC PERSONAL STATEMENT (The Shrink in Me) [NEW]

The shrink in me does not judge everything solely on face value. In fact, the thinker in me loves to dig deeper because surfaces can be boring. The "theorist" in me concocts peculiar ideas. The free spirit in me cares not for mental barriers. The artist in me exploits these roles to her advantage.

The artist in me is the bravest person amongst all these roles. It is she who expresses the depth, ideas and freedom that they wish to convey. It is she who expresses the depth, ideas and freedom that I, Ishika, wish to convey.

When starting a project, I believe that the concept is the most important aspect. I usually sit in a corner for a huge stretch of time and remain silent with a notepad until an original, rather profoundly wacky, idea strikes me. Even so, I deal with topics, which I feel people face at some point in their lives. In such work, I try to capture extreme emotion- from a heightened sense of bliss to edgy conflict. I heavily rely on color schemes to depict the mood of my paintings. I constantly experiment with tones to break the monotony that comes with repeating a palette. Sometimes an idea just comes to me when I'm scribbling. I find the most stimulating medium for me is ink. While I love using oils, the charm of black and white appeals to me greatly. The Spartan medium challenges me to convey more with less. While I am most comfortable drawing human figures, I make a conscious effort to draw other motifs. I do not believe in playing it safe.

The thing that separates artists from the rest is skill. The shrink or the thinker in me cannot draw an apple. However, the artist can. At SAIC, I hope to develop a steadier hand by sharpening my artistic and observational skills.

By sharpening my observational, artistic, and thinking skills in studio-art classes, I will be able to write more freely and objectively. Since art does not dismiss even the most bizarre thought, I hope to incorporate 'bizarre' ideas in my papers. Productive eccentricity will bring out the more daring writer in me.

Furthermore, SAIC's academic curriculum offers art history and critical appreciation. With learning about several art movements and artists in class, I will imbibe several qualities from such lessons and apply them in my approaches to both art and writing. The beautiful blend of subjects will help me grow as a person.

More importantly, a studio art environment is free and stimulating. A student can learn a lot from a still life study. Instead of assuming a normal angle, he may learn from his professor and classmates, that "a single object can be tackled from various perspectives". The class explores into unchartered ground. For example, a nude body is not 'scandalous'. Students observe every muscle flexed to the most miniscule detail. They try to get the nose or the facial expression right. The thinker and the free spirit shall truly rejoice at the prospect of such an education.

With tremendous room for original thinking, a studio arts environment is incredibly demanding. Any idea can be deemed clichéd. The theorist relishes the challenge of thinking out of the box!

The artist will emulsify everything around her. She will make the most of everyday.

While different parts of her desire different things at SAIC, this humble student hopes for evolution.

I approach SAIC to nurture these roles. At the same time, I hope to discover new ones.

IT HAS TO BE PERFECT. I NEED TO SUBMIT THIS SOON. ALL SUGGESTIONS ARE GLADLY WELCOME. THANKS!