Art as a whole is something that is so vital. It plays such an important role in my life and my upbringing. Whether in be through my family’s musicality, my grandfathers artistry or my dancing, art has always been part of my routine. It is something I could never dream of living without, and is certainly not a waste of time.

When you walk into my house back in Vermont, you are first greeted by the mud room, then you take a right and you’re now in the music room. The music room is where my dad keeps his bass guitars, my mom keeps her acoustic, and where my brother keeps his enormous drum set. Tucked away into one of the music room closets is where I now keep my various flutes from my days in high school band. I was first flute first chair in the concert band and first piccolo front row in marching band as well. Music has always been my way of life, honestly for as long as I can remember. Rhythm is something that just came so naturally.

As far as visual art, my grandfather was the one who instilled in me the power of putting ink to paper and brush to canvas. How to carve and even how to sew and cross stitch. He worked for the national survey in my town, putting together maps and many other creations. He was paid to do what he loved and it was so inspiring to me even at such a young age. My grandfather passed away in 2010 and certainly left behind quite the legacy. He was a man that taught me to follow my heart, be creative, and always bring my own ideas to the table in my own unique, artistic manner.

And now we are brought to performing arts. Performing on stage is something that I’ve been doing since I could walk. When I hit the age of three my parents enrolled me into my first ballet class and from that moment on it has become one of my greatest joys. Dance has brought me so much happiness and the biggest sense of fulfillment. To me, there is no greater feeling than getting up on stage whether it be in a dance recital, in a musical, or Balanchine’s The Nutcracker (my personal favorite). Growing up I was shy and dance was a way for me to portray myself or someone else without having to make a sound. I would just put on my pointe shoes, feel the stage and all of the lights, hear the music, get the rhythm and let it all take me away.

So in my case, art is in no way shape or form a waste of time. It is something that has always stood by me, my family, friends and what I hold close. As far as brainstorming goes and what I will be including in my paper, I think I definitely have the basis down for what it’s gonna contain, and I am eager to dive deeper into where I stand.