Prompt: Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?
Benjamin Franklin once told others, "Hide not your talents, they for use were made, what's a sundial in the shade?" There was a time when I was reluctant to share my art with others. I was caught between the presumption that I would either be wasting talent or wasting money and resources if I were to pursue my hobby. Voices of reason from the media and adults inform young artists that their craft breeds burnt-out creative types, jobless and without motivation.
In elementary school I kept a sketchbook at hand. I was a child quietly enamored with a case of pencils and a pad of paper. When my first grade teacher pulled me aside during recess and asked if I would draw her some flowers, I was proud of my little moment of recognition and I was proud that I could contribute those few technicolor blossoms.
I was dubbed "the art child" by my baffled family. My family's lack of creativity was something of a self-depreciating joke they shared and because of this they were understandable confused about the future of "the art child". Although my family, teachers, and others in my life were supportive of my hobby I was developing a sense of guilt. The passion of my childhood was becoming the preoccupation of my adolescence and I was worried I would disappoint if I did not find a path with more stability in my future. For the next few years I denied myself the opportunity to coddle my creative side in hopes that I would be enlightened with a more promising ability.
While I hid my sketchbooks and neglected my paintbrushes, my brother was given his first guitar. While he showed amazing amounts of musical talent at a young age, I noticed the way he would only play out of earshot, how he would only sing when he thought no one was listening. I recognized the shame he felt when he was praised for his creativity and how he would shirk away when people questioned music's place in his future.
I realize creative youth often experience the same shame that comes with expressing their passion in an environment that stigmatizes artists. Talent, such as my brother's, should not be kept behind closed doors. In order to take full potential of their abilities, young people should contribute their ingenuity to the world. In the peripheral vision of society there is art. It is often the first thing that catches readers' eyes in newspapers, it decorates the walls of buildings, and resides in peoples' houses. Art could spark emotions, controversy, or thought.
Because of this realization, I am no longer ashamed of my hobby. I paint and draw knowing I can usher in the awe that my father feels while looking at intricate paintings in a cathedral, the nostalgia my mother feels when she sees a Mary Cassatt piece, or the controversy discussion caused by contemporary artists. I can now believe that I can enrich my community through sharing my art with others, through contributing pieces to my school paper and in school displays, and through teaching young artists to never be ashamed of their passion.
Although my pursuit of art may not guarantee my future success in the eyes of society, I cannot deny the happiness I feel while holding a paintbrush or a pencil or the creative presence I have observed in the environment around me. I pursue art with the hope that young artists like my brother will never feel the need to tuck their passion away from view. I will never deny myself or colleague artists the opportunity to express ourselves, free from shame, because art has an undeniable habitation in society.
My main concern is whether or not my essay answers the prompt well enough?
burningwillow
I think you definitely answered the prompt. Overall, I think the essay is very well written- the only thing I caught on to was the repeated use of the word Passion. I understand what you are trying to convey, and I know it can be hard to come up with a synonym that similarly portrays the emotion, but you need to vary that word choice. Or frame the sentences a little differently, especially in the last 2 paragraphs where you use "passion".
Overall, really good!
