Why Graphic Design?
By Erika Goering,
Filed under: KCAI, VisCom1
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I’ve always wanted to be an artist.
Seeing how passionate my dad is as an artist made me want to see if I had the same passion about art.
And I do.
I’ve always been exposed to art. I literally grew up around it. I have memories of being a small child and the house being full canvasses and paint.
When I was old enough to hold a crayon (maybe two or three years old), I drew everywhere. My dad said that I once took a green crayon and drew on the front door the outline of a group of trees across the street.
That’s when he knew. He was certain I was going to be an artist no matter what.
I knew I wanted to be an artist, but I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do for a living.
I wanted to be an artist like my dad, but I wanted to pay my bills, too.
When I was in high school, my favorite art teacher gave me a flyer advertising a new art program downtown called MyARTS. It would start off as an unpaid apprenticeship and end up paying minimum wage.
I went for it. (An art job that made money?! Heck yeah!!!) I knew it was a rare opportunity, so I signed up for it right away.
I had originally signed up to be in their photography department. But I didn’t get in, and graphic design was my second choice.
I got into the graphic design department, and I was ecstatic. I knew this program was going to change my life.
It was at MyARTS that I discovered my love of graphic design.
I had a very passionate mentor who taught me everything he knew.
4 years later, I’m still working at MyARTS. I’ve moved up the ladder from apprentice to “young artist” to “lead artist assistant.” I am grateful for every day that I’m there. I’m now helping to mentor high school kids the way I was mentored.
And, yes, it changed my life.
I know graphic design is what I need to do because of how it makes me feel. Nothing else makes me this happy. When I create something I feel like like it created me.
That’s how I know this is what I need to do.
And I do.
I’ve always been exposed to art. I literally grew up around it. I have memories of being a small child and the house being full canvasses and paint.
When I was old enough to hold a crayon (maybe two or three years old), I drew everywhere. My dad said that I once took a green crayon and drew on the front door the outline of a group of trees across the street.
That’s when he knew. He was certain I was going to be an artist no matter what.
I knew I wanted to be an artist, but I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do for a living.
I wanted to be an artist like my dad, but I wanted to pay my bills, too.
When I was in high school, my favorite art teacher gave me a flyer advertising a new art program downtown called MyARTS. It would start off as an unpaid apprenticeship and end up paying minimum wage.
I went for it. (An art job that made money?! Heck yeah!!!) I knew it was a rare opportunity, so I signed up for it right away.
I had originally signed up to be in their photography department. But I didn’t get in, and graphic design was my second choice.
I got into the graphic design department, and I was ecstatic. I knew this program was going to change my life.
It was at MyARTS that I discovered my love of graphic design.
I had a very passionate mentor who taught me everything he knew.
4 years later, I’m still working at MyARTS. I’ve moved up the ladder from apprentice to “young artist” to “lead artist assistant.” I am grateful for every day that I’m there. I’m now helping to mentor high school kids the way I was mentored.
And, yes, it changed my life.
I know graphic design is what I need to do because of how it makes me feel. Nothing else makes me this happy. When I create something I feel like like it created me.
That’s how I know this is what I need to do.