Hi Guys, welcome to the tenth TAT artist interview, this week is another first as we have our very first teen participant =) I have to say I was quite reflective of my own artistic past as I read this interview, see what you guys think:
Tell us a little bit about yourself & what kind of artist you are.
My name is Annika Johnson and I am an artistic teen. I do art to release the stress of school and other life traumas. I love to experiment with different mediums of art! These mediums include polymer clay, mixed media, and cartooning. I have been working with polymer clay since I was about 7 years old, and thus it is my favorite medium. My drawing skills have evolved over the years and I plan to keep them evolving, I love creating new styles and hopefully they keep on getting better.
What is the biggest challenge you personally face as an artist and how do you overcome it?
My biggest challenge is most likely finding my own styles. Seeing as my school isn’t involved in arts, not many kids appreciate our talent. I have to fight through all of the people who won’t even talk to me because they don’t know me, and find the artistic person hiding inside during school. But I know that art is my style and I have to keep to it and show everybody who’s the boss of me
What do you most wish your art to achieve?
I am going into high school next year and all I want to do is ART, but since my public school’s strong suit isn’t art I have been thinking of transferring to Perpich Center for Arts Education in 11th grade. I love art and if I can have more art time in school I will be happier and hopefully more successful in life!
What is the best thing / worst thing that art has brought into your life?
I think the best thing art has brought me is freedom. My school is a little troubling because not everybody is friends with everybody like they were in my old elementary. But art is basically my escape from the world of hormonal teenagers! The worst thing art has brought into my life is probably how others disrespects me. I mean they don’t even know me and they think that I am weird because I like art. I wish they would get to know me first! But what can I do? If I have a talent I am going to use it!
Tell us where can we find out more about you & your art?
Most of my art is portrayed on my deviant art account. There you can find all my different Medias and some poems I have written. I also write 2 blogs, How to be a confident kid is basically a “how-to” blog which covers a vast amount of topics. The next one is my art blog called Life in the day of me, it is filled with random post and a lot of art projects I have done. I am also coming out with more tutorials for my art blog, so stay tuned!
Thank you Annika, I think you are very lucky to have understand your artistic talent in your teens and be able to develop it from now onwards. I'm also glad you've found something to help you with tough times, especially considering how stressful school can be. Did anyone else find themselves reminiscing as they read Annika's answers? I had exactly the same experience of going to a non-arty school which, I think, was the trigger to squashing my artistic expression for (too) many years. I'm so pleased Annika you are stronger, and now with the net as a constant source of support and inspiration, which didn't exist when I was at school, it doesn't matter what values any school has - but the individual in question.
You just follow your heart Annika...and keep being the boss of You!
ReplyDeleteThis is one of the most inspiring TATs I have read. What a sensational kid. Her art now is phenomenal and I can't wait to see her art in the future, she is so inspiring. What am I waiting for to get busy and start a blog and begin sharing mine? After this, nothing, nothing at all. More like this!
ReplyDeleteWhat a refreshing post, and a superb young lady - well done to you Annika for sticking to your talent, I wish you all the very best for your sparkling future.
ReplyDeleteAnnika is quite an inspiration! How sad that her school is so unpleasant. But it sounds like she has found several ways to turn it into motivation instead! You go girl!
ReplyDeleteI was blessed that I attended a high school that had art classes. Elementary school though didn't offer an art curriculum. In elementary school I was always the odd kid out. Still was in jr. High and high school. I am thankful I had art, writing and poetry during those rough years.
ReplyDeleteAnnika keep on doing art and doing what makes you happy.
Wonderful interview! Thank you for sharing your story with us, Annika :)
ReplyDeleteAnnika, this is a brave post... just keep doing what you do, and make as much art as you can, as often as you can. Try not to fret about the opinions of others... and take it from me - art is a wonderful stress reliever and as you grow older, it's going to be your escape from a LOT of things around you, including assholes. ;-)
ReplyDeleteIt's also going to become the pathway to yourself. Do what makes you happy. xox
Anikka, Thank you for sharing. There really wasn't much art in my schools either. Art helped me escape , too... it still does.
ReplyDeleteDaring to be yourself in a world where most people expect you to be just like them.... is very difficult but the best way to be. (I'm not always brave enough to "be the real me").
Best wishes to you.