𝙒𝙝𝙮 𝙙𝙞𝙙 𝙄 𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙈𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩 𝘼𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙣?

To create is an act of one soul. To express and empathize is the very essence of fine arts. Art gives a sense of touch in ways words cannot. It's one of ways we can reflect to ourselves.

On that note, to me art is everything, I drew more than I planned on doing school work that it nearly caused me to fail in school. Back in high school, I had a hard time socializing because I would just keep my thoughts and opinions to myself then convey them through art. With school and obligations in my obstacle, I’m forced to stop creating. When I was confronted with reality, I felt constricted and narrow, like my world was closing on me. Because to me, Art is my only way of expressing myself, and when you don’t have the time to express yourself and do what you love, it can be awful.

I was already in my last year of high school when I joined my very first school activity, back in the summer of 2017 my art teacher, Ms. Maillet, selected me to be part of Mount Allison's art enrichment camp. I was quite nervous because it's outside of my comfort zone, though it's one of the greatest things I've ever experienced. The camp’s experience has changed my view of what I want to do in life. I was so intrigued on how there are people who share the same passions I do, and to be able to exchange ideas after another was a great feeling. I’ve never felt so belong, and honestly I want to experience that again. It's a pleasure to participate in the 3-day camp and thanks to the experience I was able to connect with people that helped me boost my confidence in showing and sharing my work. I kept in touch with the friends I made in Art Enrichment camp and went into Inspire Festival to volunteer in World Vision Youth Canada to raise awareness about the growing hunger crisis in East Africa. We made a huge oil paint portrait of Nyabol, a young South Sudanese refugee. We had a blast making that project, and to help raise awareness feels really awesome.

My grad year was a turning point because my confidence slowly built up, I made some friends and socialized. I even joined in extracurricular activities, from creating shirt designs to creating a zine cover. In class, I’m really not the sharpest tool in the shed, but if you give me a piece of paper and a pencil, I’ll make something ideally creative out of it.

Looking at the big picture, I was behind when it comes to opportunities, I was not involved in something I love, and that changed when I applied in Mount Allison, I was finally able to do my passion and make friends. I just turned 21 last year of October, and I'm just starting my first year, and that's okay. I may have missed out on few things already because right after my graduation, instead of going to Mount Allison I worked instead. I was in the middle of applying to Mount Allison when I realized that I was in financial need and so I did any person had to do and work hard. Although, I have already given my fair share of working hours just to save money for fine arts, and, it was worth it. In Mount Allison, I was given a chance to be engaged in something immense and creative, I could not be more grateful.

(art enrichment camp 2017 certificate)

(Festival Inspire 2017: A Portrait of Hope)