Art, The Human Soul

Chaos. Picture Taken by Melodie Cuevas

“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” – Thomas Merton

Art is present in any shape and form, and has evolved to unimaginable extents. Art has always been used to serve individual expression, and in today’s society you can surely become an artist. You might be a great singer, a poet, a dancer, or perhaps a photographer.

This is where I lie. I am an aspiring photographer. I never really knew how to express myself, until I was able to photograph concepts. If I see a sunrise, I do not know how to describe it until I capture it. Once on film, I can describe the infinite beauty present before me. It makes me feel hopeful. The world may seem dark, but it will be bright once again, you just have to wait; that’s how a sunrise feels to me.

I see photography as an art because you do not take a photograph, but make it. When I got my first phone, I was able to see my passion for photography. It was that one click that changed everything. I remember the day too. I was on a stroll through my town, it was fall. The colors of the leaves had changed. I grabbed my phone, and was able to capture the scenery. The vibe made me feel warm and happy inside. Now I can return to that moment whenever I please so.

Ever since that day, I just want to photograph everything. Luckily, my AP World History teacher gave us a year-long project. I am pretty sure you know where this is going. Every student had to choose the development of an entity throughout history and I chose the topic of visual arts. I was able to work on an assignment that I truly loved and had a passion for. Also, I was able to improve my photography skills in just two semesters! This is because I have acquired a real sense of how I want to express myself, just like Leonardo da Vinci.

In the end, I was so happy with my result of the year-long project and so was my teacher. He was happy that he inspired me to push beyond my boundaries and improve my artistic values. This is what I am trying to do today.

Find an art form that makes you feel this feeling I cannot describe. An art that serves your individual expression. An art that you love. Maybe tomorrow a click on your iPhone app will change your life, or an assignment your teacher gave you. If you have found your art, please never lose it.