Blog

We Are All Artists!

By Gaeble Jones

When I was little, I remember gathering my Crayola glitter crayons and taking them to the window so I could see them sparkle in the sunlight. I would carefully choose each color. Peanut butter mini bagels and orange tang fueled my overactive imagination. There was a sun in every top corner of my drawings, and it was never dark, or nighttime, in the places that I created on paper.

In middle school I took my first real art class. I learned about shading, dimension, and the obvious things that you don’t really think about as a kid. Like, why do we outline everything if when we look at each other, or at the sun in the sky, it has no borders? Why does the sun always sit as a sliver in the highest corner of our creations, but never in the middle taking up as much space as it naturally deserves?

I played with the extent of this type of knowledge and ideas of my own, and started to develop a deeper love and appreciation for art. In high school I was introduced to a whole new spectrum of creative mediums. Ceramics, jewelry making, sewing, screen printing, graphic design, photography, and even specific classes like painting with oil, and drawing with charcoal! I took every class I could.

 

I never recognized myself as an artist though. I had never sold a painting or a vase I made; I kept them all for myself. But I think art became a release for me at a far earlier age than I remember. For me, it was never about the final product so much as the process of making it, or learning to create it, that brought me ease. With each piece I made, I enjoyed remembering the process of watching it be born. I thought about my emotions and how I felt as I painted or sculpted it, and the problems we had faced together before it took its final form.

Now as an adult I watch myself continue to gravitate towards art, like a form of therapy. With no classes left to take, I seek out the creative process by learning new skills on my own.

When I graduated from college earlier this year, my first priority was to find a job where I would get to use my creativity every day. At FAS, I get to be creative in our communications department, on our website, and social media! I am learning new skills everyday with the guidance of my awesome onboarding team. It is inspiring and so exciting to be part of a team that is so passionate about helping schools and students with the financial aid process.

I think that the act of creating something is important. If you can stick with anything long enough to appreciate the process, I believe we are all artists!

 

About the Author:

Gaeble Jones is a Communications Specialist at FAS! When she’s not working, she enjoys rockhounding with her partner, road trips, anything creative, and playing with her cat, Pear.

1 Comment

  1. Sandi OConnell

    September 26, 2022 at 2:29 pm

    So true that art and creating is a form of therapy. If we could just put down the smartphones and Ipads and tap into our creative side more, we would find ourselves so much more fulfilled and at peace.

    Your picture with the moon is beautifully expressive.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Let's Talk ×

    Financial Aid Services

    Here to Streamline and Provide Support to your Institution's Financial Aid Department.

    Students and parents, contact your school’s financial aid office or click here to visit the FAFSA site

    Interested In:

    Are you currently using a 3rd Party Servicer?:

    Email Signup: