Art is a form of expression that is all around us and created in a variety of ways. It’s an unspoken way to convey feelings, a message, share an experience. Art tells us a story and that story can differ depending on the one viewing the art.

Kenwood’s Art Department chair, Ms. Cain prefers photography over other medias of art. She prefers photography because, “I enjoy the magic of working with film, chemicals, and paper in the darkroom.”
Although she loves the magic that happens in the darkroom and the gratification in seeing your photo come to life, she enjoys modern technology of photography today. “These days I’m enjoying the instant gratification and relatively low cost of digital photography. I still use the same criteria, though, when shooting a photograph. Good lighting, appropriate background, interesting point of view, timing, and thoughtfulness are still required.”

Now that we are living in such an isolated and distant time, art is possibly more important than ever before as many look for an outlet for their turbulent feelings. Cain agrees that times like this really showcase the value of art education. “Art education in important because it promotes creative problem solving, communication and empathy, cultural awareness, and ultimately, confidence.”

We may all be familiar with the old saying, “A photo is worth a thousand words” but Ms. Cain sees the phrase differently “While I think it’s true, your 1000 words will be completely different than my 1000 words. Like all forms of art, photos are about the viewer. We see art through our own life experiences.”

Just as writers love to write to tell a story, art is another way to tell a story. Just one without words. “Art is a way to tell a story. The story could be about a fleeting moment or the artists’ entire life. Stories are a way to tell people who we are, to establish connection with other people. In a way, all art is a self-portrait. No matter what an artist creates, it’s filtered through their own views and thoughts. When others see art, they may discover commonalities with the artist. Art is a way to connect. A sense of connectedness is something the entire world craves right now. It’s something we all have in common. Art is for everyone” shared Cain.

Students find art an incredibly meaningful part of their lives.  To the students art can be basically their therapy to destress, soothe their mental struggles, and leave reality to go to their own little world where only them and their art exists. Art student Kersten C shares, “I like to take photos because I feel like it’s another way to express myself or what I’m feeling. I can express my emotion through what I photograph and the style in which I do it. I take photos for recreational and emotional purposes. Most photos I take are meaningful and have a purpose.”

Art is a way to speak our thoughts without words and capture the memories we want to keep forever. Art is a significant piece of life that is essential to the artist. “I like art because it provides a way to reveal parts of myself without using words. Art is also important because I make pieces that hold personal significance-usually a memory of a person or event.”

Sometimes art is just a distraction, a way to focus on something else and or a way to remember certain things because its hard to put our emotions into words so drawing is easier to do for some. If you don’t like expressing yourself through writing, think about giving art a try.