How Art Became My Life
By Amber C. Mc Kenzie
Art, to me is an individual’s distorted vision of their environment. Reared in an environment where art is all around it becomes a paramount part of everyday life. When your world is suffocated with darkness the arts may be your last way to elope. Taking vision in the flight of birds to rainbows casted in concrete is all considered beauty. Throughout my educational occurrence I have encountered a copious amount of art experiences that enveloped my dreams.
Art has the power to change lives. Art is depicted from the beauty an individual chooses to grasp from its creation. Growing up with parents that did not have the possibility to exhibit themselves, my mother wanted her children to have the opportunity to express themselves as individuals. As a child I was placed into everything my siblings had prospect to. My brother and sister was accomplished artist that won awards and strived to express beauty into the world. Their passions inspired me. Knowing art was something inherited I involved myself in everything from visual to performing arts even cosmetology. Drawing hours throughout the day to expand my talent was rewarding. I chose after school art programs which developed my vision. I saw a love that had no base of discrimination. Art gave me ample time to discover myself. In my completed artwork I was able to always see my light shining back at me. I enjoyed it all yet something was missing.
As time progressed I realized that what I was yearning for; fashion. Fashion to me is an expression of self without even speaking a word. Fashion elements of color, design, style, and taste all could define a person without reading one chapter in a book. My sister use to explain to me you have one first impression on the world. Always questioning myself what will I choose to give them? Reading Andre’ Talley’s articles in Vogue Magazine I knew fashion was the step in the right direction. Despite the small town I live in where it has been frowned upon to be bold in fashion. I decided to choose my own destiny which always caught my attention. Randallstown is like a city of clones, where no one has a distinctive style. It seemed like everyone was on trend report. I rebelled against the thought of being like another. It was not who I was or who I am. I once read a quote from the great Coco Chanel, “in order to be irreplaceable one must always be different”. I aspired to be remembered for what risks I took. I changed my hair to every shade of the rainbow, studied fashion guides as if were my daily word and took from my fashion influences. Never having much money I made fashion work for me, I bargained at thrift stores, sales racks and my family’s classics. I took risk with color always keeping in mind my past art training. My ability to understand, focus, compile and execute my vision in art always paid off because I had a chance to shine. For instance, in the fifth grade I took the risk to make a garment. Cut up some of my mother’s fabric, which made her so mad to create a dress for my American Girl doll; it was a white wrap dress with a sticker for a design. I didn’t change her clothes for about a month; I had a new love. My tenacity in art, fashion and beauty complimented me.
The pride gained from knowing somebody appreciated my work was an innovative feeling for me. This became the fuel to my ambition to become a designer. The ability to change fashion became my new addiction. My production of art had to be precise because it had a meaning behind it which conveyed my message. Most people don’t understand that fashion is more than the clothes you put on in the morning but the reason why you put them on. I will continue my passion leaving my fire trail through the fashion world.
Art has been there from the beginning and will remain when I have nothing else. It is what got me to my highs and picked me up from my lows. My ecstasy and anguish; art is what sets me apart. Art is my life.
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