who am i as an artist essay

Myself As An Artist

I am a artist. A artist is a person who enjoys practicing there creativity though a range of different mediums on different types of canvases, no matter the skill set of that person. When you hear the word artist you think of a person who draws,and paints every chance they get because they love the idea of creating something new. But when I think of myself as an artist I don’t see that I see a person who loves to paint and draw, well draw mostly, but only because she is doing it for other reasons like for a grade or something. In my case it is for a grade. Every since I have been taking an art class i have learned to put my creativity into a piece of art that I have to turn in to a teacher. I no longer fine myself drawing or scathing in my free time anymore like when I was a little kid. Now I draw because I have to. Even though I do see myself as an artist, I don’t feel like one sometimes. I mean what is the definition of an artist anyway? Is it a person who sits and draws all day because they love it or some one who is supposed to draw or paint for the fun of it, for the enjoyment that you like to create something beautiful. For instance, I had showed my cousin some of my art work and she said that I was really good and that I should go to an art school when I’m older but I caught myself thinking that why did I even create those pieces, would I still have made those pieces if I weren’t getting graded for them. When she had said that it brought back memories of me when I was

College Admissions Essay: How Photography Changed My Life

As a young child, I often transformed my grandma's dwelling into my own personal canvas. Fueled by morning cartoons, I would concoct detailed illustrations of the oddities in my imagination and intricate pictures of my family and surrounding. It was evident I had been blessed. I was never discouraged from my routine doodling either, just encouraged to channel that creativity on to anything but our walls. When I started public schooling some years later I was introduced to the scope of what art really was. Painting, drawing, photography-It was a world unknown to me then. The way we experimented with every medium early on was perfect for my inquisitive nature. For years I invested in what I now consider to be my craft, with the guidance of numerous

Art Personal Statement

Attending The Mississippi School of Arts is not only an opportunity, but a privilege. Working with a large network of alumni and former students that have similar passions in life, can keep me motivated to do art. Having a community of artist around will help me to stay productive and creative. Surrounding myself with other artist can lead to new ideas, constructive criticism, and a great camaraderie with classmates. I want to be able to attend workshops and lectures, meet with visiting artist, and participate in extracurricular activities that bring me in contact with other artist. By the time I graduate, I hope to have an the opportunity to meet with numerous individuals in the art and design world. These connections can help me lead to art

Personal Narrative: What I Learn

I asked my uncle, a very good artist, if he could teach me to draw or paint. He told me he would think about it, and until today 7 years after he is still thinking. So I did what any person of my age would do, use Internet. I must have taken every single draw tutorial that can be found on Google. I knew to get home at noon after school, do my homework and immediately paint the rest of the day. Friday, Saturday and Sundays I didn’t got out of my room. I practiced so much there were times I lost control of my hand and break pencils. I practice anatomy, faces, hair, mythological creatures. I used to save my money and buy every month an issue of the art magazine DibujArteS3 and follow their tutorials as good as I could manage. I asked people about my draws in the school as well and that helped me a lot. Because of the ladder of popularity school seldom enforce I was not very liked so I knew each opinion given by the people in my classroom was honest. I received a lot of criticism: good criticism, bad criticism, hurtful criticism and even cruel heartless criticism. More that a thousand of people, both on Internet and in life, told me to give up when I was just starting and I just keep practicing, harder with every

Lauren Mabe Art

Art was a way for students to express their inner thoughts and views creatively. For senior Lauren Mabe art was a way to express herself in various ways. Students’ artwork was inspiring to many and held significant meaning. “Art is a form of personal expression. It teaches everyone how to observe life in every detail. It teaches people how to develop concepts and think more deeply about a topic. As an artist, art creates a form of pride- there is nothing better than stepping back from something you have created and saying ‘Wow, I actually did that!’ The only thing better than that feeling is when someone pays you for it,” said Ms. Wilson.

John Sullivan's Mr. Lytle Essay

Artists try to portray their views of human ideas, cultures, and lifestyles through their art. Art is defined as “the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.” Each artist has their own style due to the fact each person sees everything in their own way.

College Admissions Essay: Creativity And Art

Creativity and art have been a significant parts of my life for as long as I can remember. When I was little and we visited my Grandma Carol in the summers, my favorite thing to do with her was make art. She taught me about so many different media, such as: acrylics, oil pastels, and the ink press. Sometimes, I would bring my sketchbook from home and she would help me set up art shows around her house. I would sell my art for a few dollars each, and then use the little bit of money I earned to buy more art supplies. As she introduced me to more artistic styles and mediums in the

College Admissions Essay: The Art Of Drawing

As the only child, of my mother, I often faced the problem of not having someone to play with forcing more creativity. I often did various arts and crafts projects, but I found that I enjoyed drawing the most. With each drawing I become completely engrossed partially because it is a self-taught skill that requires focus, but also because I must be patient with myself as I work towards what I envision and learn new techniques. The Art of Drawing is a skill that I can continuously develop and perfect. The patience that my artwork teaches goes beyond the work itself. It demonstrates the importance of accepting my weaknesses and working towards bettering them. I am able to properly release the struggles I encounter and not be consumed because of my artwork. Creating my drawings is more than expression, but also self-discovery because I can be more honest with myself, embracing who I am and what I feel. However, from time to time I do encounter “artist block” and the exhibitions held at the museum of fine arts at Florida State University could provide inspiration much like my environment here at Spelman

Letters To A Young Artist By Anna Deavere Smith

Empathy and Knowledge What is an artist? An artist can be described as someone who is skilled at a specific task. An artist looks and does art in depth. Art requires the artist to have empathy and knowledge.

FIT Personal Statement

My parents would always force me to study, so therefore, I would always study hard and try to finish my daily chores as soon as possible so I can find time to squeeze in art. My parents always expected me to receive high grades, so as they wished, I gradually stopped doing art and focused more on studying throughout my school years. However, my passion for art never decreased, but had to be hidden deep inside my heart. I always had to convince myself that art was something I could do as a hobby and there was something more important that I needed to focus on for a brighter future, however, I was

My Literacy Experience

I would read books that would encourage me to draw. My parents would always make me read as a child, which helped me increase my knowledge and ideas that opened my mind. I would then use my art to express my knowledge and ideas I had learned from reading. As my childhood years passed and I enter middle school, my attitude went towards a much more deviant direction. I was the class clown, and would always get into trouble with my middle school crew. Which wasn’t beneficial for me. I was no longer into reading or writing. My perspective on school changed, as did my grades, and my attitude towards school. My perspective on school didn’t change, until I was a freshman in high

Everyone Is An Artist By Megan Kokomo Summary

After reading the article Everyone is an Artist written by Megan Kokomo, it gave me a great chance to look back of myself and to think again about the controversial topic: “What is art and who is the Real Artist?”

Romain Rolland: Professional Analysis

“The artist is the compass which, through the raging of the storm, points steadily to the north，” said by Romain Rolland. If people could give an accurate concept of art , then it was better to say that art gave the artist a firm goal and motivation. At a young age, I did not have a deep understanding of art. In my memory, drawing a few pictures of comic and having art classes in my elementary school in China that was the closest way to learn art. Although I liked painting, I did not choose it as my major in my high school and university without the support of my family. However, fortunately I had a good chance to live and study in New York with my family in the winter of 2014. If I could not learn painting that was a kind of regret in the first two decades of my life, then I might have the opportunity to make up for this regret in after years. I was very grateful to the art to bring my enthusiasm, so I could firmly choose the art design as a new professional in QCC and have more opportunities to learn about art.

The Self Portrait Art Essay

Self-portraits have been used by artists for centuries to explore aspects of the self. They are the subjects they know best and artists have reflected this through their treatment of media, subject matter and techniques. Two artists who explore aspects of their personality and life experiences in their self-portraits are Frida Kahlo and Ben Quilty. Many of their artistic techniques can be derived from the same origins. Whilst there are similarities in self-portraits by any artist usually, you will find differences the norm. After all, this is what makes art and art form.

What Does Art Mean To Me Essay

Art is personal; an expression of inner thoughts and desires, affecting the way I not only see the world but myself. In order for a person to grow they must know who they are, their aspirations, the true nature of their thoughts, and their actuality of their persona; the physicality of art has given me this knowledge. With practicing in the arts I am able to grow as a person and I am able to see that growth within me.  For with the expression of creativity, comes an outlet, an outlet of the unconscious, forming and showing the reality of the mind. This outlet releases internal emotions and helps me to find tranquility within myself. This state of mind is a supplement for my own personal problems.  Also, I am able to create new ideas, ones that help me see the world in a new light. I am able to form a relaxing and mesmerizing state of mind, one that leaves me fascinated with the world around me, along with a deep love for simplicity.  Visual arts have truly given me an insight on my own mind and happiness in my life. This is why I full-heartedly believe and practice in the arts, to find peace of mind, not in the world, but in myself.

Definition Essay - Art is Anything

The doodle a woman makes on her notepad while on hold with the dentist’s office is a creation, and therefore art. An incredibly complex and lifelike portrait that took months to plan and paint is a creation, and therefore art. One does not have to create within the confines of traditional artistic thought to be an artist. By looking inward within one’s self, finding inspiration from existence, and executing a work, one is an artist.

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• Visual arts

Why Is It Important To Define Yourself As An Artist?

“All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist as we grow up.” – Pablo Picasso

The fact that one of the greatest artists of all time believed that every human being carried in them the spark of artistic inspiration from their childhood is encouraging. However, the problem of keeping that creative spark alive and turning it to the driving force that makes someone an artist seemed often puzzling for the great genius as well for those who consider themselves as working artists.

Here, we will provide answers to a couple of questions that should clarify some of the dilemmas related to the perception of artists and their art. First of all, we will try to find out when it is appropriate for you to start calling yourself an artist and focus on the importance of defining yourself as one.

When Is It Acceptable To Start Calling Yourself An Artist?

This is one of the most controversial questions that has sparked numerous fiery debates in artistic circles so far. There were three prevailing opinions that resulted from these debates, and we are going to question each of these to discover how plausible they are. Supposedly, you can start calling yourself an artist when:

• You gain considerable formal education related to art
• You started getting paid for your artwork
• Your artwork gets a long-awaited public recognition

You Don’t Need An Art School Diploma To Be An Artist

First of all, the notion that only people who obtained degrees from art schools and universities are entitled to the title of “artist” can be easily overturned. Your success as an artist will not likely be defined by art degrees, the number of online courses you’ve attended, or years studying art theory. As an artist, your art career and success will rely more on your artistic identity, your creativity, or building artist brand.

There are so many famous artists who were self-taught and have left magnificent pieces of art behind them, without a diploma that acknowledges their artistic processes, talent, and creations.

The essential difference between a real artist and a layman is the amount of time they invest in improving their artistic skills, enhancing their art style and unique expression, enriching their artwork, and adding a long-lasting aesthetic value to it. So, if you are constantly involved in the creative process, you learn and practice new skills regularly, and you tend to grow as an artist over time, you may define yourself as an aspiring artist, even though you don’t have an art school diploma.

Profitable Artwork Cannot Define An Artist

There is nothing wrong with turning your work into a profitable art business that pays the bills. On the other hand, the fact that your art became profitable doesn’t define you as an artist. If you look back, you will find an array of struggling artists that left their masterpieces as a legacy to the art world but died in poverty, unable to sell any of these art pieces while they were alive. The most indicative example is Van Gogh, who managed to sell only one painting in his lifetime. Nowadays, Van Gogh’s masterpieces bring in  tens of millions of dollars in record-breaking sales in auctions worldwide.

While the commercial success of your artwork is an amazing achievement, it does not necessarily define you as a successful artist. Many accomplished artists defined success as a talent “ to make your unknown, known ,” while any other concept of success was irrelevant to them. Simply put, what is essential for defining yourself as an artist is your ability to articulate your genuine“inner voice” through art and tell an original story about your personal experiences, background, memories, or ideas and beliefs.

However, if you succeed in  defining yourself as an artist  of a distinct style and unique voice, you set a cornerstone for branding yourself as an artist. There are numerous other factors that have to be taken into consideration when developing an artist brand and reputation, like setting up a business plan, networking, being visible, and being easily accessible. Still, every successful artist’s story begins with a work of art that expresses their personal artistic vision that is relatable and engaging to a broader audience.

Public Gratification Of Your Work May Not Define You As An Artist

Some people felt that they could call themselves professional artists once they got recognition for their artwork from the artistic community, either by winning a significant grant or award or by putting up an exhibition in a renowned gallery. It is only natural for people to look for the approval of their achievements; that is how they feel respected and measure their artistic worth.

On the other hand, there is a large number of great artists with powerful creative expressions whose art was never acknowledged by jurors, gallerists, or collectors. Simply put, you don’t have to be acknowledged by the art establishment to define yourself as an artist. All you have to do is to stay consistent with your subject matter, your choice of medium, and your genuine vision to build a recognizable creation that will make your artwork stand out on the art scene.

The Significance Of Defining Yourself As An Artist

Now that we’ve cleared out the most common dilemmas on “What defines an artist?” we can focus on defining your identity as a working artist.

Accomplished artists succeed in transferring their perception of the world in a genuine manner that is still familiar and interesting to a wider audience. The bottom line is, you need to have an original story as an artist and use it as a foundation for building your artistic vision. Your experiences, memories, principles, dreams, emotions, and traumas all make up the creative journey that is uniquely yours but still relatable to many people, particularly your target fans and audiences.

Building Your Distinctive Style

Another essential aspect that defines you as an artist is a distinctive style. We have already mentioned how important it is to choose a subject matter and medium that will express your vision of the world authentically. Whether you opt for painting, using a pen and ink, or creating multimedia installations to share your story with the world, stay within your genre, your favorite color palette, and techniques. Try not to wander around too often because this consistency in your artistic voice will help you develop a recognizable style that will make your art stand out among others.

You only need to take one look at works of great masters to conclude that all of them, Klimt, Monet, Dali, and Picasso had developed artistic styles that perfectly complemented their genuine vision of the world. This is the reason why their pieces of art were incorporated into the cultural spheres of global heritage and are easily recognized all around the world.

Reinventing Your Artistic Persona

It is crucial to define your artistic persona, along with the original story and distinctive style that makes your art recognizable. What does this mean, and how can it distinguish you from other artists eager to get noticed on a highly competitive art scene?

Picasso knew that his immense talent would not be the only singular ally on his road to great success and global recognition. That’s why he constantly wrapped himself in an aura of controversy, which incited additional interest in  his way of life  that successfully increased attention and fascination to his artwork. This example clearly shows that the allure of great art involves the artist’s persona, which has to fall in line with the message that their art conveys.

So, apart from creating genuine art that will define you as an artist, it is equally important for you, as an artist, to stay true to your story and create an enduring artist persona that will be equally intriguing as your work.

As we reveal the crucial factors in defining yourself as an artist, we came to the realization that you don’t have to obtain any formal education to see yourself as an artist. You also don’t have to make profitable art or any money as an artist to call yourself one. The recognition of the artistic community, or how you’re perceived on social media, also doesn’t automatically make you a great artist. Whether you make a living as an artist and a full-time creative or work a day job completely unrelated to the art scene and create fine art in your available free time, your artistic identity is yours to mold and define.  

However, if you work persistently on your skills and artist brand development, commit to your idea of success, and stay consistent with themes and materials that express your authentic artistic story and vision, you will form the recognizable language and style that will define you as an artist. This will make your art memorable and relatable to a large number of art public, allowing you to earn money and/or reach wider audiences through your art, if you so choose.

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I Am An Artist: An Essay on an Architect's Identity

NCJ Self-Portrait

By Nina Cooke John

What should we call you?

“What should we call you? Artist? sculptor…?”  I hadn't ever considered either of those titles for myself. I am an architect. I had used the title since 2000 when I passed the last of my nine ARE exams.  I had added professor, wife, mother, and even urbanist, but not artist. Why not?

Once I got on the science track in high school, I had to drop art to pick up physics and chemistry.  I didn't pick art back up again until my last year of high school when I started taking evening painting and ceramics classes. Many of my colleagues in architecture school were really artists at heart whose parents had convinced them that architecture was a more reasonable option.  Working class, immigrant, and African American parents saw no secure future in an art education. During a lecture at the School of the Art institute of Chicago the Jamaican artist Ebony Patterson described how her father asked why she needed to go to art school when she could already draw. These friends of mine had been engrossed in the art world throughout high school and were now doing their best to reign in their inner artist as they learned about form, space, and order.  That wasn't me though. I was a science girl just learning how to tap into her creative side.  I was just beginning a new relationship with my intuition.  Architecture school helped me to marry creative expression with problem solving.  But is that art?

Nina Cooke John, "Point of Action" Flatiron Plaza, NYC. photo credit Tony Turner Photography

Where does art end and architecture begin?

Studio art electives are typically a part of the comprehensive curriculum of architecture schools.  When I arrived in New York and started studying architecture, I basked in the freedom I found in my painting class working with charcoal and making blind contour line drawings that forced me to keep my eyes on the model and not look down. I was, at the same time, basking in the freedom of being away from home and finding myself in a city that was arguably at the center of the art world.  I immersed myself in the canvas of the city, with its diverse faces, architectural styles and cacophony of languages.  It was also the first time that I was let loose in a museum to wander around as I pleased.  In 1989, MoMA had a much smaller footprint and had a fraction of its current visitorship.  I could, and I did, spend hours just hanging out in the galleries.  But the city was its own gallery.  Art on the sidewalks, walls, signs, and on the bodies of the people.  I was soaking up the intensity of the city through the lens of an architecture student, while making art a part of my life.

We had drawing classes specifically for architects. Classes that teach us how to create orthogonal projections and to creatively express our design concepts and processes.  Except for that one teacher at Cornell that had us draw to music, putting lines on paper based on our emotional responses, my experience with architectural representation drawings is that they are not as expressive as charcoal.  They have a specific function.  And maybe that is where art ends and architecture begins.  Though our drawings can be seen as works of art, as architects we design in service of others.  We address problems that relate to how people will occupy space as part of their everyday lives.  The lines on paper will come alive and the physical space must respond to the concrete needs of those for whom it is built. Yes, architecture on paper is still architecture.  But even conceptual architecture that explores the intricacies of form on paper is put to best use when those conceptual explorations are, ultimately, addressing real world ways of engaging with each other in space.  (In architecture school I was obsessed with Bernard Tschumi’s Manhattan Transcript drawings for their experimentation with photography and movement notation to depict how events activate a space.  Tschumi’s website describes them as “…neither real projects nor mere fantasies” [1] .  I believe they lead directly to the success of the follies at Parc de La Villette, a park “based on culture rather than nature” [2] .)  Artful drawings and practice lead to a rich architectural embodiment.  But art and architecture are not the same.  Architecture cannot only be in service of the lines on the paper.  Art, conversely, is allowed the privilege of being purely expressive.  Art for art’s sake.

Bernard Tschumi, "Manhattan Transcripts" photo courtesy Tschumi.com

So much of our engagement with art is lost in the day-to-day practice of architecture.  My days are filled with navigating client relationships, managing contractors and the smooth running of the office.  The liberating practice of incorporating artistic explorations in our design process is often eliminated for the running of a more efficient office.

There is much that we can take from art in the service of architecture and not only in formal expression.  Lesson one : Learn to look (and listen).  One of the first things that they teach in an amateur drawing class is the art of looking.  That is, how to be observant.  To create a realistic rendition, one must look closely at what is there.  You must drop any pre-formed ideas about a subject and just see.  Lesson two : Context is important.  A realistic rendition will include the contours within and without the figure; the white space on the page and how all the parts work together are important to the composition.  I painted my first (and only) self-portrait in a class at Cornell.  I stood in front of a mirror in the studio for many hours forcing myself to just see the lines, colors and textures that were there and not bring to the drawing the many worries of how I thought I looked.  This is a difficult task for a young woman who didn’t often see herself represented in the world.  I had to see not what I imagined others saw, but what was there.  Lesson three : Spend the time needed to just look.  “A Guide to Slow Looking” on the Tate Modern’s website describes a process of looking at art not for the artist but for the museum visitor.  “…what happens when we spend five minutes, fifteen minutes, an hour or an afternoon really looking in detail at an artwork? This is 'slow looking'. It is an approach based on the idea that, if we really want to  get to know  a work of art, we need to spend time with it…Try to forget any expectations, as well as anything you 'know' about the artwork…See things from a fresh perspective. Make the familiar strange. Try and spot the details hiding in plain view.” [3] If we really want to get to know a place or community for whom we are creating space, as architects we need to spend time with it, with the place and with the people. 

Jean Claude and Christo "The Gates" photo credit Art Anderson via Wikimedia Commons

Art and the City

Cities are complex places.  “Nearly 70% of the country’s largest cities are more racially and ethnically diverse than they were in 2010” [4] and cities are home to half of the world’s population and provide three-quarters of its economic output. [5] We know that artists are drawn to cities, they are also drawn to the mountains and to the desert, but there is something about the vibrancy, access to a creative community and the inherent diversity that make metropolitan cities hubs for art and artists.  They ground the creative culture and are also instrumental in social commentary on life in the city and on the forces of marginalization. 

Ai Wei Wei’s 2017 “Good Fences Make Good Neighbors” installations across the 5 boroughs of the city included large pieces that claimed space in iconic parks and landmarks, as well as small installations that would be easy to miss if you weren’t paying attention.  You walked under some, stood beside some, looked up at some and lied down and looked up at the sky from some.  Some you might only notice at night.  They were deployed such that they were integrated into the environment across the boroughs, people engaging with them every day.  As a collection, they were a powerful commentary on migration, borders, and the division of people. 

My first experience of a large-scale installation was Jean-Claude and Christo’s The Gates in central park.  That piece produced in me a connection to Central Park that I hadn’t ever experienced before.  The color, structure and textures of the installation were so foreign to the landscape of the park, yet, as they followed the pathways up and down the hills, they integrated seamlessly.  As I was transfixed by the fabric moving with the wind, the trees of the park and even the buildings beyond were brought into clearer focus as the installation forced me to notice what had before faded into the background.  Public art’s power is its ability to stop us in our tracks, pull us out of the distractions of our everyday routines, and force us to look at our environments in a new way.  By slowing down, we connect with our city and the people in it in ways that we hadn’t before. 

Ai Weiwei "Good Fences Make Good Neighbors" Washington Square Park. photo credit" John P St. John via Flickr Commons

I am an Artist

art·​ist | \ ˈär-tist

1a: a person who creates art (such as painting, sculpture, music, or writing) using conscious skill and creative imagination. Source: Miriam Webster Online

I am an artist.  My practice has expanded to include public art and I am creating more art through collage, painting and drawing. The work definitely informs the work I do as an architect and urbanist.  I had always been interested in how publicly engaged architecture promotes placemaking – creating community beyond the confines of private space.  I am interested, though, not only in how the spaces we create promote public recreation but also the role that public art plays in promoting political action.  We saw the art that popped up on the protective plywood during the Black Lives Matter protests.  We also saw the collective artwork of Black Lives Matter street murals across the country.  Those are good examples of artists lending their talents to a movement and enhancing its impact through their efforts.  What I am most interested in, however, is how – because of the art that we put in public spaces, the same artwork that might promote dancing and singing and performance around them – how these, through daily, sustained encounter, might encourage everyday citizens to organize.

[1] http://www.tschumi.com/projects/18/

[3] “A Guide to Slow Looking”. https://www.tate.org.uk/art/guide-slow-looking

[4] https://www.usnews.com/news/cities/articles/2020-01-22/americas-cities-are-becoming-more-diverse-new-analysis-shows

[5] “Turning to the Flip Side”, Maruxa Cariama Just City Essays

How to Write an Artwork Essay

Mining Your Artwork for Meaning and Methods

I was recently in a funk with my artwork from so much sheltering in place and the repetition of my schedule, my meals, etc. I am not complaining; I have it pretty easy compared to many others. But the funk is still the funk! So I listened to the audio version of the New Yorker art critic, Jerry Saltz’s, How to Be an Artist . It worked. And led me to write an artwork essay about my current photo series.

One of his points that stuck with me was about placing one’s art in the current moment and not try to fit it into art standards or methods of the past. He inspired me to embrace my tools, my methods, and my results as being part of my creative commentary on today, for today.

This led me to decide to write an essay about my work. I’ve received a fair amount of praise for my self-portrait photo series, I AM: For the Love of Nature . Still, I felt there was more to it than either I or others had fully grokked.

I developed a process for how to write an artwork essay that uncovered all sorts of delightful gems and it helped me situate my work in the context of other artists who seem to have inspired me, unconsciously, while strengthening my unique statement. Since I’m the sharing type, I’m writing it up here for you to use as you wish for your own work.

Before We Begin the Artwork Essay

Last year I came across (sorry, I don’t know where or from whom!) two questions to ask while looking at your work: 1. What is it trying to say? 2. Who is it for?

This almost instantly unlocked a flood of words for me. Some took the form of titles for each image; others fed directly into the poems I’m writing for each image. If you believe that much art is channeled in a way, that inspirations come from the creative brain as much or more than the structural brain, then these two questions can be a gold mine. Even if we plan the shape and size and color and place of a piece of art, there is “always more to the story” in my opinion. Hence — we have many employed art critics!

I have actually asked a few people to write an essay about my series; this has come up when they are talking to me about it and they SO CLEARLY GET IT. Alas, people are busy and life happens, but my essay did not, so I decided to write this artwork essay — myself. One, I would have the end product and two, I expected I would learn even more about what I have made. Spoiler Alert: it worked so well that I am here encouraging you to try this process, too.

Step 1: Make an index card for each piece in your artwork essay.

I am usually a digital person, preferring to have text info on my computer where I can cut and paste, search and sort. But I’m a huge fan of Elizabeth Gilbert and she talks about her writing process using hundreds of index cards. I also know from a lot of writer training, that the mind sometimes works differently when writing by hand vs. typing. (Do read or listen to Big Magic , by Elizabeth Gilbert. Much longer than Jerry’s book, but also a strong call to believe in oneself and move forward.)

On each card, list the title at the top, then start adding bullet point descriptors. I found after doing a few that I noticed categories: colors, point of view of the camera, size of my body relevant to the landscape, and so on. Your descriptors will be unique for your art. Don’t worry about getting it all down on the first card ; I revisited each artwork a few times as more patterns and ideas showed up during the process.

Step 2: Make an index card for each theme or concept.

You can actually do this step while you’re doing Step 1. Several of these ideas were familiar to me before I started this. A few new ideas did appear as I was describing each artwork. In any case, I think you’ll want to list these elements on their own cards. I grouped mine on a few cards but next time I think I’ll make a card for each concept.

Step 3: Make an index card for each of your inspirations.

For me, this was a lot of quotes, especially from other artists who I admire and who’ve made work similar to mine. This turned out to be really helpful! Before, this information would rattle around in my brain, not knowing where to land. On a good day, I loved that people compared me to Ana Mendieta or that I compared myself to Anne Brigman . But on a bad day, imposter syndrome sat beside me and sang the “Why bother?” blues over and over in my head.

Getting things out of my head and onto paper allowed my mind to move on to the bigger picture , without worrying I was going to lose or miss something. Also, a lot of the quotes were from articles reviewing the work of an artist I admire. That’s been a rich source of inspiration for me to learn more about the artists I like and to study how to write about art and artists.

Step 4: Get a very large sheet of paper to map out your ideas.

If you’re doing this all in one session, you can get straight to this step. If you’ve had some time away and are coming back, take some time to read through all of your art and inspiration cards. This will move those details back to the front of your brain.

This part gets a little vague and non-specific, as it’s comparable to making a mind map. So start anywhere. I used a pencil so I could erase something if I wanted or move things around. I started by listing the main themes. As I did this, I could see that there were a few top-level ideas going on. Then I moved on to the ideas behind the themes. I ended up using both sides of an 11×14 piece of sketch paper.

Step 5: Start writing the essay.

The first four steps may be enough to help write a concise project statement or title your images or maybe a short blog post. I wanted a formal document I could send to gallerists and curators, though, so this is where the rubber met the road. I started to write the essay in a text doc on my computer. I had my notes in front of me and filed away each artwork and quote card as I used it, so I didn’t duplicate by accident.

I chose to write in the third person , for two reasons. First, I wanted to look at the work as an outsider could, but with the ability to provide my insider intelligence. Second, and this may be mostly bullshit, I felt the essay would have a more authoritative voice. I’m happy with my decision.

I didn’t exactly track my time on the writing. But I carved out some time to birth the first draft and that took a few hours. I’ve learned not to edit as I write the first draft — it lets the flow power through on its own. I let it sit for a day and then came back to do some editing. Surprisingly, it was in pretty good shape! I shared it with my partner, Shane , who is also an artist and a great proofreader. He thought it was really good. Still, I did two more rounds of edits over the course of a week. They were easy and enjoyable as I refined what I wanted to say and what images I wanted to include.

Voilá! The results.

You can visit the website I made just for this project at I AM: For the Love of Nature .

If you want to check out my essay , it’s here as a PDF. The Freedom to Be Found-in Nature by Roxanne Darling

P.S. For the math nerds: The essay took about 20 hours to make from start to finish. This post in and of itself took me about six hours to create. I hope you find something useful in it. Feel free to email me or chat on Twitter . Shane reminds me there are digital platforms that support this type of process of writing and linking things; if that’s your preference you can check out Obsidian app .

Sometimes people ask, so, yes, of course, you may share this! I’m starting to use Pinterest again. Here’s the pin if you want to save it to any of your boards. I also have tiny share buttons below, at the end of every post.

Related Posts

Essay on I Want To Be An Artist

Students are often asked to write an essay on I Want To Be An Artist in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on I Want To Be An Artist

My dream to be an artist.

I dream of being an artist. I love to draw and paint, creating pictures that show my feelings and ideas. When I hold a brush or a pencil, I feel free and happy, like I can make anything.

Colors and Imagination

Colors are like magic to me. With them, I can make dull things bright and bring my imagination to life. Every color tells a story, and I want to use them to tell mine.

Sharing My Art

I want to share my art with others. When people see my work, I hope they feel joy and wonder. Being an artist isn’t just about making art; it’s about touching hearts.

250 Words Essay on I Want To Be An Artist

My dream of being an artist.

Ever since I was a little child, I have always loved making things with my hands. Drawing with crayons, painting with watercolors, and shaping clay into funny figures filled my heart with joy. This joy is why I want to be an artist when I grow up. Artists can use colors, shapes, and imagination to share their feelings and stories with the world.

The Magic of Art

Art is like magic. With just a pencil and paper, an artist can create a picture that makes people feel happy, sad, or even scared. Being an artist means you can take what is in your mind and make it real for others to see. It’s a way of talking without using words. This is powerful because it can bring people together from all over the world, no matter what language they speak.

Learning and Growing

To become a good artist, I know I must practice a lot. I will need to learn from teachers and from other artists who have made beautiful things. It’s important to keep trying, even when it’s hard, and to learn from mistakes. Every artist started as a beginner, and they got better by not giving up.

I dream of the day when I can share my art with others. Maybe my paintings will hang in a gallery, or my drawings will be in a book. I want to make art that will make others think and feel something special. I believe that being an artist will not only make me happy but also allow me to bring a little bit of happiness to others.

In short, I want to be an artist because it’s a way to spread joy and connect with people. It’s a journey I am excited to begin.

500 Words Essay on I Want To Be An Artist

My dream to become an artist.

Everyone has a dream about what they want to be when they grow up. My dream is to become an artist. An artist is someone who creates art, like paintings, drawings, sculptures, or even digital art on a computer. I love the idea of being able to share my thoughts and feelings through colors and shapes.

Why I Love Art

Art is special to me because it does not need words. You can look at a picture or a sculpture and feel happy, sad, or excited without anyone telling you what to feel. When I draw or paint, I forget about everything else and just focus on my art. It’s like magic, how a blank piece of paper can turn into something beautiful.

What Kind of Artist I Want to Be

There are many types of artists, and I am still trying to find out what type I want to be. Some artists paint big pictures that hang in museums. Others make cartoons or work on movies. I think I would like to try a bit of everything before I choose. Right now, I enjoy drawing animals and nature the most.

Learning to Be an Artist

To be an artist, I know I need to learn and practice a lot. I take art classes at school and watch videos online to learn new ways to make art. I also visit museums and art shows to see what other artists make. Every piece of art I see teaches me something new.

Challenges of Being an Artist

Being an artist is not always easy. Sometimes, it’s hard to make a picture look the way I want it to. Other times, I run out of ideas. But I think these challenges are part of being an artist. They help me grow and become better. And when I finally finish a piece of art that I am proud of, it feels amazing.

Sharing My Art with Others

One of my favorite things is to show my art to my family and friends. When they see my work and smile, it makes me very happy. In the future, I hope to share my art with more people. Maybe I can sell my art or have it in a gallery so that others can enjoy it too.

I have a long way to go before I become the artist I dream of being. But every day, I work on my art and get a little bit better. I know that with time, patience, and lots of practice, I can make my dream come true. And one day, I hope to inspire someone else just like I am inspired by so many artists around the world.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Dream To Become A Nurse
• Essay on Dream Vacation Hawaii
• Essay on Imperialism

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

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Megan Coyle: Artist & Illustrator

Why I am an Artist

“Why are you an artist?”

I get asked this question a lot, and every time I hear it, I’m always surprised it was ever asked in the first place.

“I’m an artist because I don’t have a choice.”

I guess it’s hard for non-artists to understand what I mean, and to understand what fuels me to live the creative life. I’m an artist because I need to be one – I have this inherent drive to make things. It pulses through my veins, and makes me fiercely resistant to the thought of ever giving up the artist title.

When you’ve been making art every week of your life for years, the process of art making gets ingrained in your mind. What may have started as a hobby, or something that was “just for fun,” blossoms into something you can’t live without. It becomes a habit through repetition, and when you finally go without it for a few days, you feel like something is missing from your life – the pangs of art withdrawal. It’s moments like those when I realize I can’t live without being an artist in one form or another. Being an artist is what gives me purpose in life.

Art has also been one of the few constants in my life. Even when times have been tough, like grieving the loss of a loved one or coping with the pain of a broken heart, art has been around for me. During those times, art has not only been a creative outlet, but also a form of therapy that helps me through the days when it’s difficult to stay afloat. I guess you could say that when life gets messy, making artwork is one of the few things that makes sense amid the chaos.

When I was growing up, art had a major role in my life, which is why it makes complete sense that it still does. As a kid, I took art classes at local galleries and whenever it was possible at school. I remember back in high school, it didn’t matter how stressed out I was from my other classes, because I could always count on feeling a great sense of relief when I went to art class. I could momentarily forget all my other worries as I focused on drawing or painting.

Although I went to college for creative writing, I quickly realized that visual art needed to have an active role in my life every year, so I picked up a second major in painting. It was at that time that I realized something – that no matter what criticism I received for my visual art, I was always able to bounce back. Rejection is a pretty tough thing to overcome when it comes to an artist’s work, simply because we are putting ourselves out there when we share our art. And even during the worst critiques, when I felt incredibly sad and didn’t know if I should continue making artwork at all, I’d find myself painting in my room late at night and realize it was meant to be.

As an artist, you would think rejection is something I get used to since it happens often enough in an artist’s career. Although for whatever reason, whenever a gallery has rejected my work, I still find myself wondering if there is any point in continuing to make art. I’m glad that I’ve never given up entirely because of the opinion of a handful of people. No matter what, I’m still drawn to creating something, let it be a collage, drawing, or painting.

So whenever I’m asked why I’m an artist, all I can think is it’s not something I choose to do – it’s something I have to do. I’m an artist because making artwork is what drives me through each day.

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One Reply to “Why I am an Artist”

I fully agree with this. As a young artist, I relate to this so much since I don’t think I could live without being one. There’s a need for me to create thigs, to use my imagination and ideas, it’s fulfilling when I do use these. When I don’t, I feel stuck and like I’m not using my purpose in life. Thank you so much for this, and continue what you love to do :).

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Gail Sibley

Home » Ruminations » Who are you as an artist?

Who are you as an artist?

• 30 May 2015

A reader recently wrote me: “My question is about losing who you are as an artist or perhaps finding who you are…?” She had recently taken both realistic and abstract paintings in different mediums to a show. In the past she had sold all types but this time she made no sales. Other artists asked her, “Who are you as an artist?”

I sent her an answer but the question niggled away at me and I began to think more and more about it. In this blog, I’ll share some rambling thoughts on this topic of “Who are you as an artist?”

First off, what does that question mean? To me it means how do you see yourself as an artist. Not so much in the professional versus hobbyist way but in the sense of your current state of ease with your creative self. You may be in a place where you are totally comfortable with what you are doing e.g. painting watercolours of flowers. Or you may be trying to find your voice by trying out various mediums and subjects. Or you may be at a place of discomfort, knowing you want to move in a new direction but unsure how to do so or what the fallout will be.

I think we are continually looking for our voice as an artist. We may think we have found it when we have huge success producing a certain type of work but if we stay there because of that success, we stagnate and our voice falters.

Finding our artistic voice means continuing to explore new territory. It doesn’t have to mean going to the deepest darkest places (although it could), it may mean just going next door, in other words, picking up a different kind of brush. Doing the work is a priority. Painting and more painting will help find that voice.

The great artists moved where they were compelled to go. They followed the direction their work took them. Their well-known works often don’t reveal where they started in their artistic lives. We look at Picasso’s  Guernica but we don’t see his incredible drawing skill unless we see his earlier  Portrait of Aunt Pepa for instance.

Or we look at Matisse’s Dance (I)   and are surprised to see he did work like  Carmelina  just a few years earlier.

Self-imposed expectations and super-imposed external expectations of what our art should look like can create a prison for our creativity. For instance, there is a huge compulsion to move towards recording something literally or even photographically. We sometimes work only towards this, not allowing our body of work or our internal yearnings to lead us in a new direction. Instead we impose the requirement of verisimilitude.

I often remark on and admire the work done by some artists from photos. (Note, many of these artists ARE doing their soul work in this way.) There is awe and appreciation from a person who says, “I love this painting – it looks just like a photo!”. Ironically, those who are masters of realism actually go way beyond a photo, revealing colours and details a snapshot would be unable to record. Reality is made even more real! This is why we are awed by these virtuosos. Examples of these artists are Richard Estes and Carol Evans.

Seeing these works makes me feel pulled, on the one hand, to rummage through my many photos and find one to work from. On the other hand, I also feel a sort of revulsion at going back to photos. Photos for me can give me comfort and safety but they no longer strike a chord of vitality whereas working from life or working from my own intuition has me at a more scary place but energizes me! With risk can come something extraordinary. Not all the time but it can happen. And this makes taking a chance so worthwhile! I speak from experience.

I have found that when I work from photos I am taken down that path of recording realistically, of copying what I see particularly when it comes to perspective and object/background relationships. I do bring my own voice to these works but I find the photo will dictate much, even as I am aware of it doing so. I haven’t worked from a photo in a couple of years now and that I’ve found liberating. I still love working from life be it a figure, a still life, a landscape en plein air.

Inside many artists is a yearning to move in another direction, away from realism. I often hear my students say  ‘I want to be looser’ or ‘I want to use more colour’. What’s holding them back? Expectations and fear probably more than ignorance of technique.

I myself am on this very journey, to let my heart and soul speak now rather than only my mind and my ability to render a subject fairly realistically. (You can see my newest work in my last blog and also here .)

For a long time, I felt the need to express myself in a more abstract way, more intuitively, I wanted the work to be about the mark itself not what a collection of them represented. It took me some time to let go and be with that and try out painting abstractly. Yet there’s still a part of me that thinks that my being an artist is about being able to represent something accurately. Which is totally ridiculous especially when I think of the work of so many of the artists I admire eg. Mark Rothko and and Cy Twombly whose mature work is anything but a copy of nature!

It’s an interesting balance I now have between painting in a more realistic way and following a path towards abstraction. An exhibition of my work can show both (as seen in my Emergence show at Gallery 8 last year) and I worry that maybe the pieces look like they are done by different artists but the comment I usually hear (thankfully) is, “I can see you in all of them.” And that, for me, answers the question: who are you as an artist?

So paint from your heart. Listen to that inside voice that may want to take you elsewhere. Don’t be afraid to experiment and play with your ideas. No one need see these trials if they are indeed errors/failures (which, by the way, they may not be so don’t be too quick to judge!). But you will feel your creative soul fulfilled and that’s what’s important.

Sometimes you have to do the work that sells and if this fulfills you then great! But if there is a small voice inside you wishing and waiting to be heard then let it speak because by responding, you will grow as an artist. Letting that voice speak will tell you who you are as an artist.

These are just thoughts off the top of my head and I’d love to know yours!

Until next time,

PS. Having many different mediums and styles too can be a headache for the galleries BUT if Gerhard Richter , one of my favourite artists can pull it off, then so shall we!!

8 thoughts on “Who are you as an artist?”

Hmmm, this question sounds very familiar !! Ha, ha ! Thanks……another enjoyable read

Hah hah….Good you recognized yourself 🙂 Thanks for the great question!

Great article! I love the Gerhard Richter example best…..maybe the differences appear radical on the surface but are fundamentally similar reflections presented in different ways….the abstract versions leaving the door for the viewer a lot more open….

So glad you enjoyed it Marlene!Love your observations about Richter’s work. Thank you for enlivening the conversation.

I forwarded it to my friend on Kauai I think this is very very good I understand and feel this way too

Keep up with your painting and drawing

Thanks so much Elaine for the compliment and for sharing the blog!

May I share your blog “Who Are You as an Artist?” On FB with a small local group on our closed FB site? Interesting, provocative thoughts, great to think about as we start new year! Thank you.

Absolutely! All I ask is that you include a link back to the original article. Thanks for wanting to share it Lynn 😁

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3 Who Am I?

You’ve asked yourself this question, right? We all have. You start wondering: Who am I? Where do I come from? Why am I like this? These questions are natural. In fact, it is concerning if people don’t ask themselves such questions because they demonstrate good mental health practices like self-reflection. We must reflect upon our experiences to make sense of them. This is how we develop ‘selfhood’ or ‘personhood’ (being an individual with our own identity). As we mature, we encounter new experiences and need to catalog them according to our selfhood.

As you grow older you realize that you are not the only one doing this self-reflection. We all start as egocentric infants and need to grow into a “theory of mind.” Psychologists use this term to describe the awareness of others’ individual mentality and points of view, distinct to our own. When you ask yourself the question, “Who Am I?” you are working through a theory of mind of others, to consider where you fit in the landscape of perspectives and experiences.

In studying global arts, one of the first and most important concepts to understand is what we will call the ‘theory of mind of cultures.’ This is the awareness that not only do individual people have their own perspective, and that difference is okay, but that those people are part of cultures that have their own group perspectives. These group perspectives, or cultural traditions, impact individual people. Cultures develop norms (implicit or explicit expectations and standards) that impact how people live their lives and the decisions they make. Norms are founded in normativity (the consensus of desirable and undesirable actions and things) developed independently in all human societies and then sometimes influenced by external groups. Some of the most engrained social norms relate to identity. For example, many societies normalize binary (two-parted) gender identities, featuring masculine men and feminine women. (FYI: Sex and gender are distinct. Sex relates to biology and gentalia. Gender refers to social constructions of identity). In such societies, reflection upon “Who am I?” often starts with situating yourself within such gender norms, or not accepting these norms and challenging your way out of them. But first, let’s consider how we go from being kids to adults and dealing with gendered norms of identity.

Coming of age

Identity formation begins at the earliest ages. Just think of how young children start thinking about potential careers and play doctor or teacher. But, identity formation ramps up significantly as you reach your ‘age of maturity.’ In most cultures, this age is when you become sexually mature (able to produce children). This age also relates to the transition from childhood to adulthood, in terms of decision-making ability and maturity of thought. In many societies, these moments of transition are marked with important ceremonies and rituals, often known as ‘rites of passage,’ ‘initiation,’ or ‘coming of age’ ceremonies that are normalized ways to enter adulthood. Among the historic and contemporary Maasai culture of Kenya and Tanzania (see Fig. 3.1), rites of passage are gendered so that men and women undertake different maturation journeys that prepare them for and mark their different roles as adults.

Like the Maasai, other cultures in Africa and around the world practice initiation rites. On the northern coast of Papua New Guinea (PNG) in Melanesia, near the modern city of Madang, so-called Astrolabe Bay is home to a group known today as the Astrolabe Bay peoples (this is the type of unimaginative naming that developed under colonial European rule). Many cultures of PNG are known for carving ancestral figures but the Astrolabe Bay peoples historically focused one of their unique art traditions on an early stage in the initiation of boys into adulthood: circumcision.

Many boys around the world are circumcised (wherein the natural foreskin around the head of the penis is removed). In Astrolabe Bay, this event marks a key point in a boy’s identity and journey to manhood. Boys are separated from the main community around age four and over the next ten years of their lives, they will transform through education in the secrets of manhood and ritual duties. This transformation incorporates circumcision, a painful process often undertaken without anesthetics. Astrolabe Bay boys endure this pain to demonstrate their worthiness.

How can we deduce these facts about Shin Suk-ju? Let’s talk about Confucianism, or in this case, Neo-Confucianism. In ancient China, probably during the Zhou Dynasty (ca. 1046 -256 BCE), a scholar (probably) named Kǒng Fūzǐ and/or Kǒng Qiū (supposedly) expanded upon a pre-existing social philosophy that was passed down through generations, eventually becoming codified as Confucianism (Confucius is the anglicized way of saying his potential Chinese name). You may have noticed the multiple probablys and supposedlys in that previous sentence. Scholars can’t be sure when (or whether) Confucius lived or much about him other than the way the ideas of his intellectual group eventually coalesced into a social and moral doctrine followed by many rulers of ancient and historic China, Korea, and Japan. Confucianism eventually developed into a religion focused on order in society, which is ultimately founded in family structures, particularly the hierarchical structures of elders and primacy of men’s identities in family life. These hierarchical structures are classed under the term “filial piety.” Younger people and women must respect the hierarchy (relationships of power and authority) in their family. The hierarchy that rules a family, maintaining order and stability, is a microcosm for the whole society and the government. If society is to be harmonious and the government is to be effective, hierarchies must be respected and sustained. To learn more about the scholarship on Confucianism, check out Manufacturing Confucianism (Jensen 1997) . In fact, Jensen is one of the scholars who supports the claim that Confucius wasn’t a real person but developed as a mytho-historical idea through writers after the Zhou Dynasty period.

Confucianism is considered a rationalist approach to philosophy and a religion incorporating spiritual elements such as the worship of ancestors – the ultimate elders. Other schools of thought such as the metaphysical (transcendent and/or concerning abstract ideas beyond matter) religion of Daoism and the imported (from India/Nepal) spiritual system of Buddhism began to compete with Confucianism for sway among rulers and the general population. Starting in the Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE) of China, scholars began to reform the original Confucian tradition into what we now refer to as Neo-Confucianism. This new trajectory incorporated more metaphysical components to ‘answer’ the competitive landscape of Daoism and Buddhism. Thus, Neo-Confucianism served political, social, and spiritual needs as a continuation of the age-old Chinese tradition of hierarchical structure. Confucianism and later Neo-Confucianism became very influential in Korea, Japan, and other cultures around Asia. The Joseon Dynasty of Korea actually rejected Buddhism (the official state religion of the previous Koryŏ Dynasty) in favor of Neo-Confucianism.

Now, we’re back to Shin Suk-ju. Like good (Neo-)Confucianists, the Joseon court was organized as a large civic bureaucracy with many ministers, officials, and lower-level bureaucrats. To distinguish between the ranks, officials commissioned silk robes with ‘rank badges’ embroidered front and center on the chest. What do you notice about Shin’s rank badge? The luxurious gold thread plays nicely against the teal silk, right? What about the symbolism there? Notice the clouds, plants, and the two birds at the bottom of the design? Those are peacocks. Birds have always held important symbolism in Korean arts; we’ll discuss this more in “What is Beautiful?” Peacocks in Shin’s rank badge present his identity as a civic official, one of high rank and status in the court bureaucracy. Documents from this period also help us to learn that he eventually ascended to Prime Minister of the Joseon court.

This portrait also demonstrates that Shin wasn’t just any peacock-level civic official. He became a ‘meritorious subject’ of the Joseon Royal Bureau of Painting. This portrait was commissioned by the Joseon King to honor Shin for a valued decision and/or job well-done, potentially associated with Shin’s work creating the modern Korean alphabet known as Hangul or his work on royal painting collections. Check out “Sin Sukju’s Record on the Painting Collection of Prince Anpyeong and Early Joseon Antiquarianism” (Jungmann 2011) for more on that topic. Portrait of Shin Suk-ju would be presented to the official’s family and eventually would serve as an ancestor image, to be worshipped according to the Confucian tradition. In this way, Shin’s portrait represents his status as an elder. Given all these facets of his identity, Shin sat at the top of his family hierarchy and near the top of the social hierarchies in Joseon Korea.

Gender and sexuality

To consider Ghadirian’s work fully, we have to understand Islamic views of gender. In Islam, binary gender identities are the norm, while other gender identities are often illegal. The Qur’an (the holy book of Islam) and the Hadith (sayings of the Prophet Muhammed) provide guidance on the expectations and social roles of men and women. In the late 1970s CE, a surge of public support for conservative Muslim values rallied against the rule of Persian Shahs (Kings) in Iran. The Shahs were focused on westernization, modernization, and did not prioritize Islam as conservative communities wished. In 1979 CE, the Islamic Revolution changed the political and social landscape, officially transforming the country into the Islamic Republic of Iran with a theocratic constitution (a political system focused on the leadership of religious officials who rule in the name of their God/gods). Elections in Iran have brought many men to power, maintaining conservative Muslim values and laws. These leaders also sanction violence against dissenting social minorities and perpetuate unequal human rights.

Despite their important role in the revolution, women do not receive equal rights under Iran’s constitution. There have been movements towards women’s rights in Iran but women are subject to required veiling in public (even if veiling is not part of their personal choice), segregated educational standards, strong domesticity expectations, and, sometimes, sexual assault that goes unpunished. It is important to note that this is not the case in all countries with large Muslim populations or where Islam is the official state religion.

As a social movement, the Iranian revolution rejected European and Euro-American influences, including modern technologies, American brands, and popular culture. As Ghadirian depicts, boomboxes were imported items purchased by wealthy Iranians flirting with the illegality of European and Euro-American materials. Women would certainly not publicly present themselves with such items. Veiled women could not ride bicycles in public either given social codes of women’s modesty, even if their family was wealthy enough to own one. Under the laws of their country, based in their faith, they are not permitted to pursue the activities that they may wish to. Thus, their identity feels fractured. They are Muslim, as faithful believers, and they are women, restricted in their social freedoms. Ghadirian’s Qajar series challenges the norms assigned to contemporary Muslim women in Iran from her own point of view (which we must recognize may differ from other Muslim women in Iran). Check out “ Restaging Time: Photography, Performance, and Anachronism in Shadi Ghadirian’s Qajar Series” (Heer 2012) to learn more.

Many people challenge norms and sometimes eventually deconstruct and/or change norms. In many cases, when men display traits normalized for women or vice versa, those people are viewed as ‘different,’ ‘abnormal, or, sometimes criminal. In Europe and Euro-America today, there is a spectrum of such non-norm gender identities, some that are not so upsetting to the norms and others that ruffle many more feathers. For example, girls who identify as ‘tomboys’ are not necessarily so ‘different’ these days. But, what if your identity lies on the other side of the spectrum and you don’t ‘fit in’ ways that are more challenging to the established norms?

Non-binary gender and sexuality identities often lack normalization. People who identify as transgender or non-conforming in Euro-America, for example, often live at the margins of society because of the perceptions of others. In global societies, non-binary gender and sexuality identities have long histories and sometimes are normalized. Let’s consider a long-established transgender identity in South Asia is known as Hijra (or Kinnar) (check out The Truth about Me: A Hijra Life Story [Rēvathi 2010] for a personal narrative).

Most Hijra grow up as men then at some point in their life choose to live according to women’s social roles, potentially undergoing removal of male sex organs. Some Hijra are born intersex, meaning with reproductive or sex organs atypical for their ‘presenting’ gender (which is often prescribed by parents at birth). There are references to such identities in ancient texts associated with Hinduism, indicating the longevity of this non-binary gender tradition in South Asia. FYI: We will discuss Hinduism in depth in “What is Divine?”

Firstly, it is important to note that many Diné people do not wish their mythologies and spiritual knowledge to become public, thus the display of Diné artworks is problematic. Sandpainting Tapestry by Hosteen Klah is part of the Art Institute of Chicago collection and on their website they offer a full image if you wish to view it. With respect to Diné traditions, we choose not to illustrate the full image here. Let’s focus on Hosteen Klah as a person and artist, versus the symbolism represented in the tapestry. Klah was a trained Diné healer who performed many ceremonies focused on chanting, spiritual illustration in sandpainting, and medicinal knowledge to aid recovery from illness. According to tradition, such sandpaintings were destroyed to ensure that the powerful spirits invoked through them did not overwhelm this mortal world by their continued presence. Thus, the sandpaintings themselves are gone. However, they sort of survive because as a nádleehí , Klah could translate sandpainting designs from memory into woven tapestries, a preservable artform. These weavings are the only surviving record of Klah’s healing role and serve as a testament to the normalization of multiple genders in Diné society.

Osama is remarkable for many reasons (but not because the name of the film happens to coincide with the name of Al-Qaeda terrorist Osama Bin Laden). This was the first film to be completely produced in Afghanistan since the Taliban take-over in the 1990s CE. Aesthetically, the film is somber and dark with some flashes of color such as the blue burqas. In tone, the film is realistic, sad, and revelatory for European and Euro-American audiences. In addition, all the actors were amateurs from Kabul, ‘discovered’ by Barmak. Given all of these important factors, this film received multiple accolades from the independent film industry including awards from the Cannes Film Festival and the Golden Globes. While Osama is not a story of hope for bacha posh in Afghanistan, it portrays this cultural tradition with realism and purpose, bringing light to one global example of where gender norms do not fit global stereotypes and have been persecuted by totalitarian regimes. Read about another personal story in “I’m a Woman Who Lived as a Boy: My Years as a Bacha Posh” (Nordberg 2014). We’ll consider the Taliban again in “Why Do People Take What Doesn’t Belong to Them?”

Big picture

Over time, we might ask ourselves “Who Am I?” in the grander scheme of things, in the large-scale patterns of societies, economies, politics, and cultures that mingle? Contemporary artist Yinka Shonibare asks such questions, focused on his heritage as a British-born, Nigeria-raised Black man. In the early 2000s CE, Shonibare started interrogating the relationships of European imperial expansion across Africa (and other parts of the world) and Africans as people in spaces that did not offer equality.

The bright, colorful, and patterned clothing is important. The fabrics are often referred to as ‘African’ or ‘Tribal’ prints but Shonibare learned that such fabrics are actually wax-printed Dutch knock-offs of batiks, an indigenous type of cloth traditional in Indonesia. In the early 1600s CE, the Dutch East India Company established trade with India and Southeast Asia, eventually establishing colonies like Indonesia. Attempted sales of these ‘Dutch wax’ knock-offs were not successful in Indonesia (because Indonesians wanted traditional batiks), so the Dutch sent the knock-offs to West Africa. They became popular there and soon the history of these fabrics was conflated into ‘African’ or ‘Tribal’ labels.

We cannot ignore the human rights dimensions of Shonibare’s artwork. Are you asking yourself, “where would Shonibare’s Nigerian ancestors be in this scene?” They would be serving around the table or in a much worse situation as slaves to these seated men. Shonibare has stated that these works that exude historic character are metaphors for his feelings on imperialism and materialism still undertaken and experienced today, such as through American brands like NIKE. Shonibare asks “Who Am I?” in this confluence of resources exchanged back and forth across oceans: oil, shoes, iphones, human beings. He wants you to ask yourself who you are in these networks of exchange. How do you contribute to the perpetuation of inequality, pollution, injustice?

We should mention two other facets of Yinka Shonibare’s identity. In 2019 CE, he was awarded the honorific title Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire to recognize the importance of his work. Also, since he was 19, Shonibare has used an electric wheelchair due to a paralyzing illness. He produces some of the most acclaimed artworks on the contemporary art scene today. He is an artist asking us to think about the past and the present. To hear from Shonibare himself, check out an interview in  “Yinka Shonibare in Conversation” (Downey 2004) . To read about perceptions of Shonibare’s work and how it relates to the work of other artists, check out Chinamerem Ahuchaogu’s research essay submitted in Spring 2022, focused on an interview with his grandmother who grew up in Igboland, Nigeria .

Let’s take one more big leap to consider our question of identity. Have you ever asked yourself, “Who am I, a tiny human, compared to this huge planet earth?” For the people now referred to as the Dorset culture of present-day Arctic Canada (see Fig. 3.1) (we don’t know what they called themselves), the idea of human humility and the bigness of nature was a norm of their identity. Before the Inuit peoples (formerly known as Eskimo) of the Canadian Arctic and Alaska, the Dorset lived in this harsh environment, adapting to cold conditions and seasonal change. They were hunter-gatherers focused on storing enough resources to keep comfortable over the coldest months. They were very good at this, especially hunting sea mammals with harpoons. These practices naturally taught them about their environment and shaped their identity.

Importantly, these are the same animals Dorset people hunted. Dorset artists obviously observed polar bears while hunting and probably identified with them as successful hunters. This type of connection to nature is rare in European and Euro-American societies because patterns of consumption and resource extraction distance people from animals and nature. Most people probably associate polar bears with Coca-Cola branding or with social media pictures of melting icebergs. The Dorset saw themselves in nature. If a Dorset hunter was to ask themselves, “Who Am I?”, they may have reflected “I am like the bear.”

You may also be asking why there are incised lines on the polar bear carving. Scholars do not agree on the significance of these lines. The most interesting hypothesis asserts that these lines imitate the skeleton beneath the bear’s fur and that this skeletal reference is another bear-human connection. Archaeologists rarely find bones associated with the Dorset people. They rarely find any burials at all. Some think that Dorset mortuary practices involved dismembering the dead and sinking the fragments into the sea, becoming food for sea animals. Illustrating the skeleton on the polar bear carving is a way to visualize the cycle of life and death, hunting and consumption, and potentially linking polar bears to spiritual systems of Dorset culture. Many scholars suggest that these carvings represent profound spiritual connections between bears and people. Learn more about archaeological excavations that support such interpretations in “Dorset Shamanism: Excavations in Northern Labrador” (Thompson 1985) .

The Wrap-up

Don’t stop asking yourself “Who Am I?” because that’s how you remember where you’ve been and figure out where you want to go. As you continue your studies of global arts and you meet new people, remember the theory of mind. Everyone is thinking, just not thinking the same as you. That’s a good thing most of the time. Your identity is valuable but isn’t singular. You are part of many collectives, even if they are small ones. To consider global identities more, check out the media recommendations below. Then, make your way into the scholarly literature on these topics by checking out the articles and books cited. You can contribute to these conversations!

• Are you interested in fashion? Check out the article on slate.com called “The Curious History of ‘Tribal’ Prints” to see how Yinka Shonibare’s work relates to Gwen Stefani and New York Fashion Week.
• The BBC made a documentary film about Hijra and featuring the Aravan Festival called “India’s Ladyboys.” (Note that “Ladyboy” can be considered an offensive term.)
• The animated film The Breadwinner (2017) by Cartoon Saloom highlights the story of a bacha posh, based on the novel by Deborah Ellis.
• Are you a fan of K-Drama? Shin Suk-ju was featured in a South Korean KBS2 television period drama called The Princess’ Man produced in 2011.

Where Do I Go From Here? / The Bibliography

Downey, Anthony. 2004 “Yinka Shonibare in conversation.” Wasafiri 19, no. 41: 31-36.

Epple, Carolyn. 1998 “Coming to Terms with Navajo “nádleehí”: A Critique of “berdache,” “gay,” “alternate gender,” and two-spirit.” American Ethnologist 25, no. 2 (May): 267-290.

Heer, Melissa. 2012 “Restaging Time: Photography, Performance, and Anachronism in Shadi Ghadirian’s ‘Qajar Series.’” Iranian Studies 45, no. 4 (July): 537-548.

Hodgson, Dorothy L. 2001 “‘Once Intrepid Warriors’: Modernity and the Production of Maasai Masculinities.” In Gendered Modernities , edited by D. L. Hodgson, 105-145. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.  

Jensen, Lionel M. 1997. Manufacturing Confucianism: Chinese Traditions & Universal Civilization . United States: Duke University Press.

Jungmann, Burgling. 2011 “Sin Sukju’s Record on the Painting Collection of Prince Anpyeong and Early Joseon Antiquarianism.” Archives of Asian Art 61: 107-126.

Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. n.d. “FOCUS: Yinka Shonibare MBE.” TheModern.org. Accessed February 11, 2021. https://www.themodern.org/exhibition/focus-yinka-shonibare-mbe

Nordberg, Jenny. 2014 “I’m a Woman Who Lived as a Boy: My Years as a Bacha Posh.” Time , September 15, 2014. 

Rēvathi, A. 2010. The Truth about Me: A Hijra Life Story . New Delhi: Penguin Books. 

Thompson, Callum. 1985. “Dorset Shamanism.” Expedition Magazine 21, no. 1. https://www.penn.museum/sites/expedition/dorset-shamanism.

Where Does Art Come From? Copyright © 2022 by Leah McCurdy is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Am I an Artist?

Am I an artist? I ask myself this question almost every day. 

My entire life, I have loved creating. Being creative has driven me forward every single day, and I love seeing the ideas in my head turn into reality. In elementary school, I became fascinated by sock monkeys (a little strange, but I promise it leads somewhere). I loved looking at sock monkeys in stores. But instead of buying them, I wanted to make my own. Thus, my obsession with sewing began. 

Before I got my first sewing machine, I became enthralled in the world of needles and threads. To fulfill my dream of having my customized sock monkey collection, I scoured my house for old socks. I would then take these socks and hand-sew them into perhaps the most terrifying creatures on this planet. Many didn’t have arms, and others ripped at the seams after only a day of coming to life. Nonetheless, it was these sock monkeys that allowed me to discover one of my favorite activities: sewing. 

Not long after that phase, I got my first sewing machine, and let me just say, I was awful at sewing. I didn’t know how to properly thread the machine. I couldn’t work with any type of fabric besides your basic cotton, and don’t even get me started on zippers and buttons. Eventually, I found my way into creating actual pieces of clothing, and today, I am still learning. 

Even though sewing has stuck with me for almost ten years now, I never sat back and considered it to be a form of art. I was a sewer, but never an artist. This mentality began to solidify itself into every creative endeavor I pursued. 

A couple of years ago, I discovered my intense love for writing. At first, I fell in love with writing essays on any topic I could find. More specifically, I loved to connect two ideas that seemed to have no relation. For example, after finishing my European History class, I wrote an essay comparing the Robespierre (radical) phase of the French Revolution to the American Red Scares in the 1920s and the 1950s. Although I still love history, this love for writing quickly transitioned into creative writing during the pandemic’s initial lockdown. 

As many of us experienced, time became this abstract concept at the forefront of our minds. What would we do with all of this time? I was lucky enough to have the privilege of occupying it with new hobbies. So, I began my journey to become a creative writer. Two years later, I completed and re-wrote a novel. And now, in my seemingly endless quest to find a literary agent, I feel less and less like an artist every day. 

Whenever I tell people I wrote a book, they look at me with eyes filled with wonder. They tell me that it’s amazing, and I smile and say thank you. But what I really want to say is that it is all not that impressive if the book never actually gets published. Soon after finishing my story, I realized that the world of publishing is not easy. Many people, including myself, equate being an artist to having some immeasurable level of success. 

Being an artist is one of the most fulfilling and yet stressful titles one can have. I still don’t know if I even consider myself one. When I think of an artist, I envision all of the world’s favorites: Renoir, Monet, Picasso, etc. The one thing that all of these people have in common is that they create visual images. I don’t paint, nor do I sculpt or design or draw or even glass-blow. So can I consider myself an artist? 

Recently, I visited the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Each floor represents a period of time, and as you go up a level, the time turns back. I walked from display to display, questioning the very concept of what it means to be an artist. The first floor of the museum was filled with contemporary art: sculptures, videos, pictures, and even a bed. 

Robert Gober, Untitled 1986, Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Photo by MoMA.

At first glance, this bed seemed like nothing out of the ordinary. It even looked comfortable, like I could roll down the thin covers and take a nap while all of the other museum visitors went about their day completely ignoring me. When I read the description, the piece simultaneously made so much sense and no sense at all. The feeling was surreal. 

Gober created Untitled using materials purchased at a local lumberyard and a neighborhood store. Far from commonplace, though, this bed is surreal: a personal space of dreaming and desire that is strangely generic, recalling a dollhouse copy or a vague childhood memory (MoMA gallery label, 2021). 

Vincent Van Gogh, Starry Night 1889, Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Photo by Payton Breck.

After seeing Untitled (bed), viewing the famous Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh felt completely different. Here I was, looking at perhaps one of the most famous paintings ever, and I couldn’t get my mind off of why MoMA would display a simple iteration of a childhood bed. The disconnect between that piece and Starry Night was significant, not in the idea of talent, but in the purpose of creation. Starry Night was painted to reflect Van Gogh’s scenery from his window at the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole asylum in southern France, and Untitled was created to invoke an unsettling, familiar feeling. To me, both of the pieces make me feel unsettled. 

Now, back to the initial question that constantly looms above my head like a dark storm cloud: am I an artist? The more I view art in person, and the more I come to terms with the idea of art itself as a means to evoke and express emotion, the more I believe that we shouldn’t put so much pressure on what it actually means to be an artist. 

Van Gogh is an artist, Gober is an artist, I am an artist, and you are an artist. The dictionary definition of ‘artist’ is a person who creates art using conscious skill and creative imagination (Merriam-Webster). But my conclusion is that the term ‘artist’ is best left undefined. 

What It Means To Be An Artist Essay

Show More By definition, an artist is "a person who creates art." It seems pretty simple, but to me truly being an artist is so much more. Being an artist means creating something that makes somebody feel. Being an artist means forgetting limits and boundaries and letting your imagination flow freely onto the canvas. Being an artist means exploring and expressing yourself and your emotions, whether it be through painting, drawing, or sculpting. Being an artist means pouring your heart and soul into every piece that you do, regardless of the recognition that you may receive. Being an artist means persevering through the toughest circumstances, through the critics and haters, and still doing what you love. My art journey began at a young 5 years old. My father has been an artist all of his life, so naturally I was toted along to art shows, galleries, festivals, and so …show more content… Days filled with trouble typically lead to twelve or so bowls thrown. I don 't know what it is about sitting at a wheel, but it makes me feel content. When there is clay in my hands I am happy and peaceful. Watching my bowl or vase go through the firings and come out okay on the other side gives me joy beyond belief. And while I have only completed one clay sculpture, I find it very gratifying to begin with a hunk of muck and end up with a work of art. Another artistic endeavor has been that of printmaking. I first took to it because of the metaphoric meaning it held for me - that there must be both light and dark in anything beautiful - but now, I just love to do it. I also quite enjoy making mixed media projects and working with things you wouldn 't typically think of. For example, found object sculptures; reusing pill bottles, film canisters, slides, and soda tabs; painting with tea or coffee; etc. I think it 's a beautiful thing to take something otherwise useless and give it new meaning, one that is important to me and reflects a part of

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May 4, 2021 2 Comments

Exploring the Self: 15 Identity Artworks

Inside: A collection of identity artworks to help students explore and understand their own identity and relate to others around them.

Have you ever wondered, ‘Who am I?” Have you ever thought about how who you’re around and where you are affects the person who become? Consider how you’ve changed over time and what sparked those shifts in your identity. The answers are not always as straightforward as we might imagine.

Artists have long explored themselves and others through identity artworks. Portraiture and personal expression have been an integral part of art since the first handprints were left on cave walls.

Art class is the perfect place for students to explore their own identity and connect with others who may or may not share their traits.

You can find lessons for all 15 of these artworks included in this post in the Curated Connections Library , complete with presentations, discussion questions, worksheets, and more.

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This Lesson is in The Curated Connections Library!

Find the full lesson from this post along with hundreds of other art teaching resources and trainings in the Curated Connections Library. Click here for more information about how to join or enter your email below for a free SPARKworks lesson from the membership!

Identity Artworks

Rosa Rolanda, Autorretrato (Self-Portrait)

Rolanda worked frequently with Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera while living in Mexico. Early in her career, she experimented with photography and it is thought she may have been influenced by Man Ray. Many of her paintings consist of brightly colored folklore scenes featuring festivals, children, and portraits of her friends.

Lesson: Rosa Rolanda Jigsaw Art Learning Activity: Each Piece Tells a Story

With her marriage crumbling, Rolanda painted this self portrait of her in turmoil. Her hands clasped her ears as if refusing to hear reality. The clock in the lower right symbolizes the passing of her youth. The tossing figures represent Mexico City dance company where Covarrubias was the director, and where he met a dancer 30 years his junior — the affair tore their marriage apart. -Soodie Beasley

Kyle Meyer, Unidentified 48 from the series Interwoven

Meyer uses his photography background to address the question: “How can a digital image serve any human connection when it is entirely produced – and ubiquitously reproduced – by mechanical means (camera, computer, printer)?”

He also seeks to explore his own identity as a gay man within the LGBTQ communities. He draws upon his experiences growing up in conservative rural Ohio and living in Swaziland where homosexuality is illegal.

For my series Interwoven, I explore the challenges of homosexuality in a hyper-masculine culture within Swaziland. Given that homosexuality is illegal in this small African country, gay men constantly have to hide their sexuality and suppress their true identity. After befriending several gay men in Swaziland, who confided in me their personal stories of struggle, I asked them to choose a piece of fabric typically worn by women with which I made unique wraps on each of their heads. It would be taboo for men to wear these head-wraps in public, as that would indicate homosexual tendencies. This was one simple way for them to express their individuality that they regularly have to hide. -Kyle Meyer

Angelica Kauffmann, Self Portrait of the Artist Hesitating between the Arts of Music and Painting

Kauffmann was a child prodigy, skilled at both painting and music. She struggled to choose which art to pursue, as shown in this self portrait.

It presents the artist as a kind of female Hercules, choosing not between Virtue and Vice, but between her profession as a painter, which was traditionally a male dominated field (the figure of Painting points to a far away temple, symbolizing the difficulty of her journey), and a career devoted to the easier, more traditionally feminine, Art of Music. In recent years, this self portrait has become an icon of the feminist interpretation of art history. -Arthur, Digital Museum

Kehinde Wiley, Mary, Comforter of the Afflicted I

Wiley is known for his portraits of black people in grand poses with bold, patterned backgrounds—including the official portrait of President Barak Obama. He references art history in many of his paintings, substituting contemporary black figures in place of the people in the original work. This piece was inspired by an artwork featuring the Biblical figure Mary.

Lesson: Portraits for a New Century: Kehinde Wiley Art Lesson

My work is not about paint. It’s about paint at the service of something else. It is not about gooey, chest-beating, macho ’50s abstraction that allows paint to sit up on the surface as subject matter about paint. -Kehinde Wiley

Sadie Red Wing, Lakȟóta + Dakȟóta Visual Essay

Visual Essay was created because the artists wants to preserve and communicate the Lakȟóta visual language and share her cultural perspective. Each element represents a different aspect of the artist’s life, journey, and cultural heritage by using Lakȟóta symbols.

If you cannot be comfortable in your own skin, it reflects in your work, studies, and communication. -Sadie Red Wing

Gustav Klimt, Adele Bloch-Bauer I

One of Klimt’s most famous paintings, this work is often called Woman in Gold . Her true identity was obscured because she came from a prominent Jewish family during the rise of Nazism and World War II. This artwork is a great way to talk about identity with your students by exploring the difference between how we see ourselves versus how others see us.

Ignore the gold. That’s Klimt. Look at my face. Does it resemble me? -Antje Traue as Adele Bloch-Bauer in the 2015 film Woman in Gold

Faith Ringgold, The Sunflower Quilting Bee at Arles

These women included in this artwork are influential leaders and important figures in American history including (from upper left) Madam Walker, Sojourner Truth, Ida Wells, Fannie Lou Hammer, Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, Mary McLeod Bethune, and Ella Baker. The ninth woman is a fictional character invented by Ringgold named Willa Marie Simone. Vincent van Gogh stands behind them.

Lesson: Faith Ringgold’s Celebration of African American Women

I had something I was trying to say and sometimes the message is an easy transmission and sometimes it’s a difficult one, but I love the power of saying it so I’m gonna do it whether it’s hard or easy. -Faith Ringgold

Molly Crabapple, Portraits of myself and Lola Montes with things said about us by our contemporaries

This artwork is a powerful, transfixing two-sided sculpture that confronts the dark side of social media—focusing on the pervasive culture of bullying and how hurtful words hurled through a screen can erode confidence and self-esteem.

Lesson: Things Said About Us: Art-Inspired Self Esteem Activity for Kids

If there’s a theme in my work, it’s that I like to focus on smart people who are facing oppression and who are fighting back against it. -Molly Crabapple

Frida Kahlo, Self-Portrait with Cropped Hair

Frida Kahlo painted this after she divorced Diego Rivera. The lyrics from the Mexican song translate as, “Look, if I loved you it was because of your hair. Now that you are without hair, I don’t love you anymore.” Changing your appearance when you’re going through changes in your life is a typical part of reshaping identity and one students will relate to.

I paint self-portraits because I am so often alone, because I am the person I know best. -Frida Kahlo

Tracey Moffatt, Useless

Each photograph from Moffatt’s photo series Scarred for Life documents small, but not insignificant, bad things that happen to us in our lives—small digs at our worth in the world that slowly bring us down and subconsciously teach us about society, how it works, and how we fit in (or don’t).

Lesson: Scarred for Life: Using Art to Analyze the Small Moments that Define Us

My work is full of emotion and drama, you can get to that drama by using a narrative, and my narratives are usually very simple, but I twist it. There is a storyline, but there isn’t a traditional beginning, middle, and end. -Tracey Moffatt

Anila Quayyum Agha, All the Flowers Are for Me

This immersive artwork draw inspiration from the Agha’s home of Pakistan. The geometric patterns are characteristic of Islamic Art. She was inspired by opposing forces such as light and shadow, life and death, and chose red because brides in Pakistan often wear red. Many of Agha’s artworks are meant to create welcoming places where no one feels like an outsider.

This artwork offers us an opportunity to explore our place in the world—where we feel welcomed and comfortable and where we don’t. It also gives students the chance to consider the spaces that are and are not welcoming to all and how those places and interactions shape our identity.

Artists have the ability to bring historical perspectives to the current time. I’m interested in that thought process of taking responsibility and seeing how we can move to the future and make a better environment for people. -Anila Quayyum Agha

Cindy Sherman, Untitled Film Still #21

When first looking at this image, you might think it is merely a candid photo of a young woman on a city street, but that is not the case. Sherman set it up to look as though she, herself, is a female character from a black and white movie of the 1950s-60s. For this series, the artist played with identity—dressing as different characters by putting on wigs, clothing, and make up, then placing herself in carefully framed scenes meant to evoke film stills.

If I knew what the picture was going to be like, I wouldn’t make it. -Cindy Sherman

Auguste Rodin, The Thinker

Rodin was a master of manipulating light and shadow. Even though The Thinker is just sitting, he wanted it to seem as though it moved. He manipulated the face with extra clay to make it seem as though the facial expression changes as you move around the sculpture—inviting us to ponder our own lives and identities.

I invent nothing, I rediscover. -Auguste Rodin

Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh, The Mysterious Garden

Perhaps as a part of a dream, eight heads or masks float above a seemingly sleeping figure. It is thought that this work was inspired by the play The Blue Bird by Maurice Maeterlinck.

Margaret has genius, I have only talent -Mackintosh’s husband, Charles Rennie Mackintosh

Marcos Raya, The Anguish of Being and the Nothingness of the Universe

This artwork depicts an inside-out view of Raya’s head and explores the social impact of technology on humanity, as well as his personal battle with alcoholism. Raya painted several versions of this painting, each has different views through the eyes.

Creating is a revolutionary act. -Marcos Raya

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February 7, 2024 at 9:41 am

You left out RENEE COX who has been doing self portraits since the 90 s ( YO MAMAS LAST SUPPER 2001)

February 16, 2024 at 5:40 am

Thank you for bringing this artwork to our attention.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Who Am I — Who Am I: Creative Writing

Who Am I: Creative Writing

• Categories: About Myself Who Am I

About this sample

Words: 1040 |

Updated: 21 November, 2023

Words: 1040 | Pages: 2 | 6 min read

Table of contents

Prompt examples for the "who am i" essays, "who am i" essay examples.

• Self-Reflection and Identity Explore the concept of self-reflection and the journey to discovering one's identity. How has self-awareness evolved throughout your life, and what factors have contributed to your understanding of who you are?
• Emotions and Self-Perception Discuss your emotional landscape and its impact on your self-perception. How do you experience and express emotions? How do they shape your self-image and interactions with others?
• Self-Esteem and Self-Obsession Examine the dynamics of self-esteem and self-obsession in your life. How has your self-esteem evolved over time, and how does it relate to your self-obsession or self-care? Share personal experiences that illustrate this evolution.
• Social Interactions and Introversion Reflect on your social interactions and introverted tendencies. How do you navigate social situations, and what happens when you step out of your comfort zone? Discuss the balance between introversion and extroversion in your life.
• Leadership and Taking Charge Describe your experiences with leadership and taking charge in various situations. How do you approach leadership roles, and what qualities make you effective in these roles? Share examples of when you've assumed leadership and its impact on those around you.

Who am I: Creative Essay

Works cited.

• Akhtar, S., & Akhtar, F. (2016). A critical study of self-concept and self-esteem. Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 21(7), 15-22.
• Benson, K. (2007). The power of personality types in career success. Journal of Employment Counseling, 44(3), 98-104.
• Cassidy, S., & Eachus, P. (2002). Developing the computer user self-efficacy (CUSE) scale: Investigating the relationship between computer self-efficacy, gender and experience with computers. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 26(2), 133-153.
• Costa, P. T., & McCrae, R. R. (1992). Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) and NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) professional manual. Psychological Assessment Resources.
• Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2008). Self-determination theory: A macrotheory of human motivation, development, and health. Canadian Psychology/Psychologie canadienne, 49(3), 182-185.
• Friedman, H. S. (2010). Personality, disease, and self-healing: An integrative perspective. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 16(1), 5-9.
• Howard, L. W., & Ferris, G. R. (1996). The employment interview context: Social and situational influences on interviewer decisions. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 26(24), 2153-2174.
• McAdams, D. P. (1993). The stories we live by: Personal myths and the making of the self. Guilford Press.
• Swami, V. (2008). The influence of body weight on self-perceptions and partner preferences. Sex Roles, 58(9-10), 651-654.
• Tversky, A., & Kahneman, D. (1974). Judgment under uncertainty: Heuristics and biases. Science, 185(4157), 1124-1131.

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Who Am I Essay: Writing Tips and Sample

Your “Who am I?” essay is a paper where you describe yourself as a person. Mention what inspires and motivates you, what you love and don’t love, your goals and wishes, etc.

In this article, you’ll learn how to write this personal essay. (And please don’t miss a ready-made example to understand what to describe in your work!)

How to Write a “Who Am I” Essay

You’re that person who knows you best, but writing about yourself is still challenging:

You read a writing prompt for a college application or scholarship , and you aren’t sure if you understand it in detail. How do you know what exactly to mention in your essay? You can’t find words to describe your nature and skills. How do you know if that particular accomplishment or story from your life is worth including?

Stick with us here for practical tips on writing a “Who Am I” essay, with a free template to follow.

How to start?

Ask any writer, and they will tell you that the hardest part of the writing process is to start it. It’s a kind of writer’s block when you stare at a blank screen and don’t know what to write. Below are several ideas that can help you craft a compelling essay about yourself:

• Think about one sentence that would describe you best. (A technique some authors use for inspiration: Answer the question, “What would friends write on your grave?” or “What do you want the world to remember about you?” You can start an essay with that phrase.
• In the introduction, describe yourself in general . (Be truthful and honest.)
• Discuss one or two of your hobbies. (Choose those you’re most passionate about, those influencing your mood — and maybe your skills — most.)
•   Highlight your achievements but don’t boast. ( Be reflective by analyzing and evaluating what you’ve achieved.)
• Add some personality to the essay. (Tell anecdotes, include examples, and be creative to keep readers engaged with your story.)

Short Essay About “Who I Am” Sample

You’re welcome to use the below template from our professional writer for crafting your future “Who am I” essays. Here it goes:

Actionable Tips to Improve Your Paper

Ready to start writing? Consider these helpful tips on crafting a person essay about who I am:

1) Understand your audience

Who will read your essay? Is it a college admission officer who knows nothing about you? Or, maybe it’s your school teacher with some background of who you are? Do you plan to publish your reflection for your social media followers or blog readers?

Depending on the audience, your story may change. Add details about what interests your readers: What would they want to know? Understanding your readers will make your essay more compelling (1). It will be easier for you to engage them and make them emotionally connected to your story.

2) Don’t be afraid to look vulnerable

Allow the readers to see your inner feelings. Sincerity and reflection are the new black, you know. It’s okay to speak about your strengths, weaknesses, or worries to the audience. That’s what differentiates you from other people, thus making you an individual.

Here’s the big secret:

Admission committees appreciate students’ understanding of their weaknesses and areas to grow. Communicate the willingness to change and grow. You’re just a human, after all.

Write about what you want to develop in yourself. Or, tell about life experiences that have changed or influenced you most.

3) Proofread and edit your essay

Once your essay is ready, it’s time to proofread and edit it. Here’s a short checklist of the details to fix if any:

• Grammar and punctuation mistakes (verb tenses, sentence structure)
• Spelling errors and inconsistencies in names or terms
• Incorrect capitalization
• No logical flow or transitions between paragraphs
• Excessive wordiness and repetition
• Biased language
• Too much passive voice and redundant adverbs
• Too sophisticated words and phrases that have simpler alternatives

That’s It: Your “Who Am I” Essay Is Ready

In this blog post, we tried to cover all the core details of personal essay writing. Now you know how to start it, what elements to include, and how to craft it for better readability and emotional connection with the audience.

We hope our 500-word essay example will help you write your perfect story about yourself. If you still have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask our professional writers for help.

References:

• https://summer.harvard.edu/blog/12-strategies-to-writing-the-perfect-college-essay/
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Sample Essays on “Who Am I?” How to guide, with Outlines

Published by gudwriter on November 23, 2017 November 23, 2017

How to Write an Essay About Yourself

Many students, from high school to college level, do not know how to describe themselves. They mix up ideas as they do not really know what they need to include in their writing. The main aim of a who am I essay is to make the reader understand who you are and what you believe in. Remember, the essay doesn’t have to be always about the positive side- you can include your weak points as well in a creative way. You can also write about what makes you unique (unique skills, character, etc). If you need help, college admission essay writing services is available to assist you.

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Striking the balance makes your essay realistic and convincing.

Character : What are your character traits? Which habits define you?

Values : What is your value system? Here, you need to include things that inspire you. It is here that you state your beliefs, motivations, principles, and inspirations. The reader expects you to have either staunch stands on certain things and this is the part where you make them know. Do not highlight radical points, though.

Skills : What aptitudes do you have? And, what is the level in each skill? This may include communication, computer, education, languages, leadership, or anything else you find worthy.

Achievements :

Life experiences that influenced your life

Perhaps you would like to read an essay sample on what makes you unique ?

Who Am I Essay Example 1 Outline

Below is a layout you should follow when writing a personal essay to impress your professor.

• Hook – The Question – who am I?
• Brief summary: Well, I know quite much about myself: I am a social, kind, respectful, and principled young man.
• Thesis : I am a kind, friendly, respectful, and principled young person.
• Point : Social
• Illustration : Meeting new friends
• Logic : Makes me dynamic
• Thesis relation: A cheerful, social and accommodative person is how many people know me.
• Point : Respectful and law abiding
• Illustration : Want to get along with everyone- both juniors and seniors. Car seats, polite character
• Explanation : I know the limits
• Thesis relation : Every day, I want to be known as a person who is respectful even to those who least deserve it.
• Point : Hobbies
• Illustrations : Sports, chess, music
• Explanation : Clear my mind, get healthier.
• Thesis relation : Sportsmanship has taught me to be fair other people, diligent and focused.
• Point : I am not perfect- when I don’t hit my targets, obvious opposition from people who don’t love progress. My love for novelty makes me uncomfortable with normal rules.
• Illustrations : My mum says I am selfish and that I always want everything to go my way. Yet, I’m still the person you will find in doing voluntary community work to help people.
• Explanation : I guess my self-esteem is too high for people to put down. This rubs feathers with people who stand my path to success.
• Thesis relation : I’d be a liar to say I am a genius, flawless or immortal- and that’s who I am.
• Restatement of thesis
• Summary of essay
• Signing out

Easily create engaging speeches that will express yourself confidently and fluently, all thanks to our innovative free speech writer generator .

Who Am I Essay Example 1

Who am I? Describing oneself is one of the most complicated tasks. In most cases, we always define ourselves using institutions, other people, or activities. Well, I know quite much about myself: I am a kind, friendly, respectful, and principled young person.

First, I am a sociable person. I love to meet people and make new friends. It’s not that I am an extrovert. However, I always work towards getting along with people. Of course, there are times I enjoy being alone for meditation . However, being around people makes me feel comfortable. I like to utilize every chance I get to make new friends. Interacting with people from different parts of the world makes me a diverse person. I am one of those people who believe that there is richness in human diversity. I am not quite selective of who I socialize with. A cheerful, cordial, and accommodative person is how many people know me.

Second, I am kind and respectful. Well, I appreciate that there is a thin line between being social and respectful. I want to treat everyone – junior or senior- with utmost reverence. In this regard, I am quite a listener. This didn’t start yesterday- I have always loved to give up my seats to elders in the train since I was young. Again, I am firm and at the same time polite. I love to make my points in a way that won’t hurt those around me. I always desire to be respectful even to those who least deserve it. Being respectful does not subtract anything from me after all.

Third, I have a great affection to team play. Well, I probably got this trait from my life as a sportsperson. I have been a school captain in Team Handball and Badminton. Today, I still participate in these games as a coach. I’m adherent to chess and I could become a grandmaster in the next few months. Sports and competitions have trained me to be fair, diligent, hardworking, and focused. As my hobby, chess clears my mind while athletics make me healthy. I’d definitely not tell who I am without mentioning sportsmanship. Actually, sports largely define me.

I am not perfect, though. I can be moody when I don’t hit my targets. My love for novelty makes me uncomfortable with normal rules. My mum says I am selfish and that I always want everything to go my way. Yet, I’m still the person you will find doing voluntary community work to help people. I guess my self-esteem is too high for people to put down. This rubs feathers with anyone who stands on the path to success. I’d be a liar if I said that I am a genius, flawless or immortal- and that’s who I am.

Anyway, it may be a little difficult to explain who I am. However, there are qualities that are an outright depiction of me. Respect, principles, sportsmanship, and leadership are some of them. As a quick learner, I love to change every behavior that doesn’t make me a better person. The desire to be good to everybody has made me who I am today and I intend to keep it that way.

Personal Essay Example 2 Outline

Introduction.

I give a description of myself in relation to my family background, personality, and how I view life.

Paragraph 1:

Family background

• Revolves around strong Christian faith since my parents are staunch Roman Catholic faithful
• I was born in Chicago, Illinois 21 years ago and I am the third born in a family of four children.
• I am a female of African American origin and I am very proud of my cultural background and family values

Paragraph 2:

My personality

• I am outspoken and like socializing and making new friends
• I value respect and believe it is two way
• I am hard working

Paragraph 3:

My view of life

• All humans are equal regardless of their cultural, racial and religious backgrounds as well as gender
• I am liberal in that I am open to learning new things such as new cultures, religions, and even languages
• Divergent views should be tolerated

I can summarize myself as someone who is respectful, accommodating, and open minded. I appreciate that as a human, I need others for my life to be complete. I believe my personality and world views are matching and thus I find life more sociable and interesting.

Personal Essay Example 2

My family background revolves around strong Christian faith since my parents are staunch Roman Catholic faithful. I was born in Chicago, Illinois 21 years ago and I am the third born in a family of four children. I am a female of African-American origin and I am very proud of my cultural background and family values. Like my parents, I have developed the habit and routine of going to church every Sunday in line with Christian doctrines. As a matter of fact, all the members of my family value attending Sunday masses wherever they may find themselves. I grew up in a working-parents family and I have grown to live in harmony with my siblings.

Regarding my personality, I am one person who is outspoken and likes socializing and making new friends. The number of friends I have in college is uncountable because I have no boundaries when it comes to building relationships. That notwithstanding, I value respect and believe it is two way. I expect that anybody I interact with should show me the same level of respect I show them irrespective of their background or status in the society. I am hard working because my parents taught me to loathe laziness since it is the beginning of poverty and miserable life. To me, respect and hard work go hand in hand. Working hard respectfully has opened many doors for me so far in my life.

My view of life is that all humans are equal regardless of their cultural, racial, and religious backgrounds as well as gender. This is why I have friends whose cultural and other backgrounds are diverse. I am also liberal in that I am open to learning new things such as new cultures, religions, and even languages. For instance, I can speak fluent French and Spanish yet I am American. I also believe that divergent views should be tolerated because this is part of enhancing human diversity. My parents had once tried to stop me from being too open minded but I persisted with it. Being open to new things, in my view, amounts to being accommodative to human diversity.

In conclusion, I can summarize myself as someone who is respectful, accommodative, and open minded. I appreciate that as a human, I need others for my life to be complete. When I show that I care for and accommodate different views, I find it easy working with others. I have thus managed to evade suffering any form of racial or cultural profiling because people find me easy to deal with. I believe my personality and world views are matching and thus I find life more sociable and interesting. It is my intention to continue leading this fulfilling life.

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Personal Essay Sample 3 Outline

I am a faithful Christian who is open-minded, friendly, and action-oriented.

Paragraph1:

In spite of being a staunch Christian, I am open to other people’s ways of worship and generally to other people’s way of life and opinions.

• I can listen to and understand what other people say and treat it as their opinion to which they are entitled whether or not I agree with it.
• I am able to live amongst people of various cultures.
• However, I do not let other people’s views or cultures affect my own.

I am a friendly person who highly values friendship.

• I have the habit of forming strong friendships both in our neighborhood and at school.
• I have quite a number of friends from various backgrounds because I do not choose friends based on their cultural backgrounds.
• I believe in genuine friendship and as soon as I detect that one is not a true friend, I drop them.

I follow my decisions and promises with actions as I believe that it is through actions that one can solve their problems and meet their life goals.

• I keep to my decisions once I make them.
• I have been able to accomplish many of my life’s endeavors especially in my academic life.
• I also know that keeping promises is one of the best ways of keeping relationships alive and healthy.
• I normally do all it takes to keep a promise irrespective of who I make it to.

I am an open-minded Christian who values relationships and I act on my decisions and promises. I am accommodative to diverse views and opinions even when they sharply contrast with mine. I pursue my life goals and keep relationships through action.

Personal Essay Sample 3

As a person, I feel growing over the years has significantly changed who I am. I have had to see and experience many things that I did not get to see in my childhood. I have also met many different people and visited many places. Some of the perspectives I held about people and certain things have certainly changed. In addition, I have undergone significant personal growth which has seen my personality transform as well. I have also become more decisive in my actions and in my relationships with others. I am a faithful Christian who is open-minded, friendly, and action-oriented.

In spite of being a staunch Christian, I am open to other people’s ways of worship and generally to other people’s way of life and opinions. I can listen to and understand what other people say and treat it as their opinion to which they are entitled whether or not I agree with it. This way, I have been able to learn a lot from others and widen my view of life and humanity. I am also able to live amongst people of various cultures. However, I do not let other people’s views or cultures affect my own as much as I may be accommodative to them. This is because I believe that the world has enough space for everyone to practice their own cultures and share their opinions without interfering with others.

I am also a friendly person who highly values friendship. From my childhood, I developed the habit of forming strong friendships both in our neighborhood and at school. I have carried this habit to my adulthood and I have quite a number of friends from various backgrounds because I do not choose friends based on their cultural backgrounds. However, I believe in genuine friendship and as soon as I detect that one is not a true friend, I drop them. To me, a friend should be like family that is always there for one in their better and tough days and moments. Out of this belief, I have helped a number of friends both in and out of school and shared with them some of my innermost secrets. I too have benefited from the loyalty of these friendships.

Further, I follow my decisions and promises with actions as I believe that it is through actions that one can solve their problems and meet their life goals. This virtue has helped me accomplish many of my life’s endeavors especially in my academic life. For example, since my middle school level, I decided that I would not consume television content during examination periods but maximally concentrate on the exams. I have kept to this decision and have thus posted good grades all through because I always have enough time to prepare for exams. I also know that keeping promises is one of the best ways of keeping relationships alive and healthy. I normally do all it takes to keep a promise irrespective of who I make it to. I do keep even as simple a promise as that of sharpening my younger sister’s drawing pencil every morning before she goes to school.

I am an open-minded Christian who values relationships and I act on my decisions and promises. I am accommodative to diverse views and opinions even when they sharply contrast with mine. I pursue my life goals and keep relationships through action. I also have many friends since I believe that genuine friendship is highly beneficial to humans. This personality and values enable me to live a fulfilling life as I am capable of accomplishing my goals and at the same time live harmoniously with others.

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How to Write a “Who Am I” Essay: Free Tips With Examples

11 December 2023

last updated

Essay writing is an exciting and challenging academic activity that helps students to develop essential writing skills, such as creative thinking, reflective, and analytical skills. When writing an essay on the topic “Who Am I,” students should understand what is required of them before writing a paper. Ideally, educational departments and tutors provide instructions that dictate the approach that students should take when writing academic texts. In principle, a “Who Am I” essay should reflect the first-person language because this prompt requires learners to tell the audience about themselves. In this respect, writers can use narrative, philosophical, college application, or autobiographical approaches in writing a paper. Hence, learners need to understand how to write a “Who Am I” essay to provide high-quality papers and achieve desired outcomes.

General Guidelines for Writing a “Who I Am” Essay

Essay writing is an academic activity that exposes students to conventions of formal writing and enhances their critical thinking, analytical, and reflective skills. Although there are different types of essays , there are no significant differences in essay structure , essay outline , and applicable academic writing rules. Basically, the only areas where essays seem to be different are essay topics and their content. For example, an argumentative essay advances the writer’s perspective on an issue, while a narrative essay provides the author’s life story. In the former, students intend to persuade the audience by considering specific arguments, and, in the latter, they inform readers about personal experiences with life lessons. Therefore, in writing an essay on the topic “Who Am I,” writers should first understand what is required of them. Ideally, this type of essay asks authors to talk about themselves.

Differences Between a “Who Am I” Essay and Other Papers

In principle, essays that ask writers to talk about themselves tend to be different from standard formal papers. Basically, one point of difference is that students have to use the first-person language, which is discouraged in formal writing. By considering that a “Who Am I” essay requires learners to talk about themselves, such a paper takes several forms. For example, these structures include formats of narrative, philosophical, college application, and autobiographical papers. Although an essay topic is in a question form, it does not necessarily mean that writers are unsure about themself. In turn, such a format means that they intend to answer this question in a paper by following a particular way to the audience’s benefit.

1. Narrative Format

A narrative essay is one where the writer’s focus is to provide the audience with a life story. Basically, this life story can take many forms, including personal or family experiences. In short, a “Who Am I” essay in a narrative format utilizes personal anecdotes as a means of communication. Moreover, one of the strategies for writing these essays is adopting a “show, not tell” strategy, which means using vivid descriptions rather than informative statements. Therefore, a narrative essay on the topic “Who Am I” should focus on the writer’s personal experiences that help the audience to understand an author. Since a topic is a question, one expectation is that students use personal anecdotes to provide an answer that benefits the audience more than them. When it comes to grading, what matters the most is whether writers have used narratives to educate the audience about who they are.

2. Philosophical Format

Philosophy is a discipline that focuses on unraveling the mysteries of life and nature. As such, a philosophical essay is one in which students engage the audience in a topic of discovery. In this case, one can argue that the essay’s type is informative. Since the topic “Who Am I” denotes an aspect of an investigation, learners who use a philosophical approach focus on telling the audience things about themselves that advance an understanding of human nature. On expectations, the essay’s content should not dwell on the writer’s demographical background or personal experiences but on who an author is in the context of human nature and its strengths and weaknesses. When it comes to grading, what matters is whether writers have applied a philosophical lens to describe themselves. In turn, a good example is unraveling what makes them strong, vulnerable, or weak.

3. College Application Format

College or university application is a type of essay that potential students write to the admissions board or committee of their choice institution. Basically, a “Who Am I” essay for colleges aims to convince and persuade the board or committee that applicants have all that it takes to be a student. To achieve this goal, learners provide essential details that are likely to advance their courses. For example, these details include personal attributes, academic performance (grades), work experiences, and future aspirations. Therefore, the expectation of a college application essay on the topic “Who Am I” is that it should inform the audience what makes writers outstanding and appropriate students for a higher learning admission. When it comes to grading, what matters the most is whether writers have emphatically made a case to college boards of why they are the best candidates for admission.

4. Autobiographical Format

By definition, an autobiography is a life story that captures the subject’s entire life. However, since it is hardly possible to write an individual’s life story – every detail about themselves since they were born – writers focus on what is relevant at any one given time. Therefore, when writing an autobiographical essay on the topic “Who Am I,” the expectation is that students provide details about themselves that help the audience to understand them better. For example, such details include their family lineage, demographical (race, ethnicity, gender, language, and nationality) background, academic credentials, and professional accomplishments. In this case, indicating one’s marital status and life’s philosophy are also crucial details in such an essay. On grading, the thing that matters the most is whether authors have offered a wholesome picture of who they are, from childhood to a present moment.

Essay Structures for “Who Am I” Papers

Academic writing standards require students and researchers to adopt a structure and an outline appropriate for their text when writing any academic paper . Typically, essays assume a three-component structure of introduction, main text (body), and conclusion. Also, when writing an essay on the topic “Who Am I” in narrative, philosophical, college application, or autobiographical forms, a student must use a structure that is appropriate for that paper. Besides a structure and an outline, there are other features that students must consider when writing a “Who Am I” essay in one of the formats.

1. Narrative Outline Format for a “Who Am I” Essay

When writing a narrative essay on the theme “Who Am I,” a student must follow an outline below:

I. Introduction

• Topic introduction (Significance of a topic).
• Thesis statement .

II. Body Paragraph(s)

• Setting or background of an event.
• People involved.
• Short anecdote.

III. Conclusion

• Lesson learned

Essential features. Students must address all the critical features in a “Who Am I” essay as applicable in these three sections. In the introduction, learners must briefly introduce themselves and clearly state a thesis of their papers. In the paper’s body, writers must use several paragraphs to tell the audience about themselves. Since the communication should be in a story form, authors can use each paragraph to tell a personal anecdote that enables the audience to understand them better. Besides, one of the features that writers must capture in the paper’s body is a “show, not tell” method, being an aspect of providing vivid details or descriptions. In turn, the most significant features that students should capture in the conclusion section are a restatement of a thesis sentence and a lesson learned. Also, the audience must see this lesson as a moral of a narrative story.

2. Philosophical Outline Format for a “Who Am I” Essay

When writing a philosophical essay on the theme “Who Am I,” students should follow an outline format below:

• Thesis statement (The question that a writer intends to answer).
• Clarification of this question.
• A reason why this question is critical.
• Answer a question through a topic sentence in one or several paragraphs.
• Qualify and defend a thesis in one or several paragraphs.
• Thesis restatement
• Summary of the main point(s) in the body paragraph(s)

Essential features. In each of the three sections, learners must address crucial elements. Firstly, the introduction must be opened with a thesis statement that introduces a question that an author seeks to answer. Basically, learners should make the audience understand a question and explain its importance to them (writers) and the audience. Then, students can use one or more paragraphs in the body section, depending on their paper’s length. In the case of a one-page paper, there should be only one paragraph that opens with a topic sentence. In turn, this sentence should answer a question that forms the essay’s theme. Moreover, learners need to qualify and defend their thesis. In the conclusion section, writers must restate a thesis and summarize the main points.

3. College Application Outline Format for a “Who Am I” Essay

When writing a college application essay on the theme “Who Am I,” students must follow an outline that helps accomplish their objective- convince the admission committee that they are the best candidates among many applicants. Hence, such an outline should be as follows:

• Thesis statement.
• First supporting idea.
• Second supporting idea.
• Third supporting idea.
• Restate a thesis.
• Reflect on the main ideas.
• Closing remark.

Essential features. When writing the introduction for a “Who Am I” essay in a college application format, students should provide a hook to grab the attention of the audience. For example, this aspect should be an interesting fact or a quote from a famous personality. Then, another essential feature is contextualizing an essay by stating the purpose of writing concisely. Basically, this statement is what should be a thesis of such a paper. In the main body, learners should use body paragraphs, each introducing a critical idea. However, if a “Who Am I” essay is a one-page document, authors should write specific ideas in a single body paragraph. Also, these ideas are what help writers to strengthen their cases before the admission committee. In turn, such elements can be personal attributes, academic performance, or work experiences. In the conclusion section, learners need to restate a thesis and reflect on the main ideas, closing with a remark that impresses the audience.

4. Autobiographical Outline Format for a “Who Am I” Essay

When writing an autobiographical essay on the theme “Who Am I,” students should follow an outline below:

• Introduce yourself to the audience.
• Early years.
• Future plans.
• Restate a thesis statement.
• Tie up all the experiences.

Essential features. Essential elements that students must address in the introduction of a “Who Am I” essay by following an autobiographical format are a hook that grabs the readers’ attention, a brief self-introduction, and a thesis statement. In this case, writers should use several body paragraphs in such a paper. However, if an essay is a one-page document, authors should use one body paragraph. Moreover, components of a body paragraph should be details about the writer’s life, such as childhood, early education, cultural orientation, and aspirations. In the conclusion section, learners need to restate a thesis and tie up all the details about their life addressed in the main text.

Effective Writing Strategies

When writing a “Who Am I” essay in different formats, students should use strategies that guarantee a high-quality product. For example, the first strategy is utilizing transitions to create a natural and logical flow from one paragraph to the next or section to section. In this case, common transitions are “therefore,” “additionally,” “put differently,” “hence,” “thus,” and “however.” Then, another strategy is subjecting an essay to a peer review. Here, writers give the first draft to a friend, tutor, or mentor to read and identify errors and mistakes. Also, if there are any mistakes, students revise and edit their papers to eliminate them. In turn, another strategy is proofreading the final draft to ensure that mistakes are not made during typing, or writers must revise and edit it accordingly.

Example of a Narrative Essay: Who Am I?

I. introduction sample.

Adults say that adolescence is a period of development full of dramatic episodes. For me, it is a stage that saw my childhood friends become a significant influence on my worldview. The topic “Who Am I” focuses on investigating aspects of my life that define how I see myself and how others see me. As such, I can say that I am an individual who loathes social gatherings but is always willing to let my friends push me out of my comfort zone.

II. Example of a Body

For me, friendships are not only social relationships but concepts that define how I view and relate to the world. Since when I was a child, I have never been a person who loves social gatherings. I get irritated quickly when people try to dictate what I should be doing or saying at any particular moment. For example, on one occasion, I caused a violent commotion when a friend tried to make me dance with a stranger in a nightclub. However, life is not that easy. We cannot avoid social interactions. For this reason, I have a few friends who are also introverts but who are willing to push themselves to the edge. As a result, they always come up with plans to take themselves outdoors to, at least, interact with others as human beings.

III. Conclusion Sample

When I look at my life, I can confidently say that I rarely interact with people. However, I always let my friends push me from my comfort zone. In turn, what I have learned so far in life is that close friends fundamentally and significantly influence how individuals see the world around them.

Example of a Philosophical Essay: Who Am I?

Although I am an insignificant player in the theatre of life, I hope to become an influential person one day. Basically, the question “Who Am I” underscores the fact that human nature is complicated, and it takes an entire lifetime for individuals to understand themselves fully. In particular, the essence of this question is that, despite sharing humanity’s title, people from all walks of life express themselves in diverse ways.

On the question “Who Am I,” I can confidently say that I am an individual in the process of “becoming.” For example, when it comes to talking about human beings and the world, the discourse that attracts a significant audience is a discussion about men and women who have made a mark in the world. Moreover, these aspects include war heroes, successful businesspersons, influential political leaders, and controversial personalities. In this case, my contribution to the world stage can only be defined as insignificant. Nonetheless, I do not allow this reality to define my self-concept. I believe that “human life is a journey of a thousand miles,” and even those that we celebrate today are once insignificant personalities. Besides, I believe that a secret is to remain focused on what one desires to be in the coming future. In turn, I have a habit of volunteering in healthcare settings because I would love to become a nurse after college.

Life is like a river that can carry an individual to familiar or strange destinations. In my case, I am hopeful that it will relocate me from a place of insignificance to a place of significance. For this reason, I always remain cheerful, optimistic, and hopeful, and, one day, I will be influential like those we celebrate today.

Example of a College Application Essay: Who Am I?

Ever since I was a child, I have always loved to visit hospitals and other healthcare settings. Also, I believe this is why I love sciences and why I have always performed remarkably well in these subjects. In turn, my present application is an effort toward a realization of my dream to become a healthcare professional.

My healthcare career journey started when I was a child, and all along, I have maintained this pursuit. When you look at my GPA, I have performed remarkably well in sciences, which, I believe, makes a perfect case for a healthcare career. Besides education, I have had opportunities to work closely with medical personnel in diverse settings, including first-aid simulations in community healthcare centers. Moreover, I have volunteered in local hospitals, experiences that I consider to have shaped my perspectives on patient care significantly. In this case, I believe that you should consider my application because I am a self-driven individual who always looks for opportunities in challenges. Hence, my admission into a Bachelor of Nursing Degree will orient me to nuisances of healthcare delivery. With such knowledge, my dream to become a healthcare professional would be within reach. 

Applying for a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing is an effort to realize my lifelong dream of becoming a healthcare professional. As you consider my application, I implore you to consider the far I have come in preparation for this career. Thus, given an opportunity to study a program in your college, I will learn to become an effective healthcare professional.

Example of an Autobiographical Essay: Who Am I?

People say that the only way to know an individual is to know a personal heritage. As an African American, I take pride in being part of a race, being so rich in culture, and one that leans on traditions. Talking about “Who Am I,” I can confidently say that I am a child of a world that takes pride in cultural heritage.

I was born about three decades ago in a town famous for its natural beauty. As a whole, the State of Virginia is more rural than urban. Basically, this characteristic has played a significant role in defining my naturalist tendencies. Also, I am a lover of nature. For example, I habitually take walks every evening just to see nature – trees, birds, and butterflies. About education and career, I attended an Ivy League college and have built a career as a legal practitioner. In my family, I have three siblings – one sister and two brothers. In turn, I am yet to marry as my career seems to take all of my time. What I prize the most is the fact that I am an African American young adult with a promising career in a world that seems intolerant to successful individuals of African heritage.

Being a successful African American in a world that seems to prejudice successful people of African heritage is a blessing to me. When I look at my life journey, I can only say that my cultural heritage is among the things I prize the most.

Defining Characteristics of a “Who Am I” Essay

A thesis statement appears in the introduction section of a “Who Am I” essay, thus setting the entire paper’s tone and theme. What follows is a body paragraph that opens with a topic sentence. Moreover, the body paragraph’s content revolves around a topic sentence that advances the essay’s central idea. Then, one of the defining characteristics of examples of “Who Am I” essays for different formats is the use of the first-person language. Basically, this aspect helps writers to “show, not tell.” Also, this aspect is evident in the body paragraph. In a narrative essay, it is an example of the nightclub commotion, and, in a philosophical essay, it is the habit of volunteering in healthcare settings. In a college application essay, the feature is evident in a story about working with medical personnel in first-aid simulations. In an autobiographical essay, it is about evening walks to appreciate nature.

Summing Up on How to Write a “Who Am I” Essay

Essay writing is an exciting and challenging academic exercise for students across all levels of education. Although there are different types of essays, structure and outline formats remain the same: introduction, body, and conclusion. In essence, what students need to understand is the essential features that enrich the content in the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. When writing an essay on “Who Am I” students need to know that such a paper is different from a standard format. Moreover, the central point of difference is that such an essay requires students to use the first-person language in a paper, which can take formats of narrative, philosophical, college application, or autobiographical essays. In writing such an essay, students must master the following tips:

• use the first-person language;
• make use of personal anecdotes;
• “show, not tell” by providing vivid descriptions;
• develop a thesis in the introduction;
• use topic sentences to introduce ideas in a paragraph;
• observe a maximum length requirement and a minimum length requirement of a “Who Am I” essay by considering a word count.

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How Beyoncé Fits Into the Storied Legacy of Black Country

Randall is an award-winning professor, songwriter, and author of My Black Country: A Journey Through Country Music's Black Past, Present, and Future

O n March 16, 1983, the Country Music Association (CMA) celebrated its 25th anniversary, and I was invited. Buddy Killen, the song publisher who pitched “Heartbreak Hotel” to Elvis Presley, thought “the Black girl from Harvard” might just be the second coming of that hit’s songwriter, Mae Boren Axton. He put me on the guest list and paid for the tickets.

It was a complicated night. The event was held at the DAR Constitution Hall, built by the Daughters of the American Revolution, an infamous venue whose management had refused to allow Black opera star Marian Anderson to perform on its stage in 1939. I took special pleasure in seeing guitarist and singer Charley Pride stride onto that stage—in a building named to honor the U.S. Constitution, but run to exclude Black artists—and stake his claim as part of that “We the People” that document claims to represent.

At one point in the ceremony, singer Roy Acuff announced that “country music is a family.” Then he proclaimed Jimmie Rodgers “the father” of that family. But he did not mention Lil Hardin Armstrong, the pianist who played on Rodgers’ hit “Blue Yodel No. 9.” Acuff nodded to Will Rogers, the comedian, but shamelessly omitted DeFord Bailey , the Grand Ole Opry’s first superstar.

My idea to name and spotlight the First Family of Black Country was conceived in that moment. It was nurtured in the silence of missing names. Quiet as it was being kept, country had Black founders. I knew it; Buddy Killen, who arrived in Nashville playing bass for a blackface comedy act on the Grand Ole Opry, knew it; Roy Acuff, who had played on stages with Bailey, Ray Charles, and Pride, knew it. And more than four decades later, Beyoncé knew it when she broke the internet on Super Bowl Sunday by surprise—releasing two country songs and announcing an album, Cowboy Carter , which has her devoted fans in the Beyhive buzzing about line-dancing into the summer of country.

Read More: Beyoncé Has Always Been Country

That evening back in 1983 was constructed to be country’s coming-out party as a musical genre worthy of exceptional respect because it was a reflection and celebration of America at its best. And that best was being defined as a family having only white founders—and not a single Black woman in sight. It was a fallacy that could only last so long.  

The way I see it, modern Black country was born on Dec. 10, 1927, when Bailey, descended from enslaved Tennesseans, lifted his harmonica to play “Pan American Blues” on the Nashville radio show Barn Dance. Fast forward to July 16, 1930, in Los Angeles, where Armstrong made country music history as the first Black woman to play on a hillbilly record that sold a million copies. And Lil didn’t just play on the session—her piano drove the session.

Country is not as many have posited: a genre with Black influence but without Black presence. Black women have been present since the earliest days of country’s existence as a recorded and commercially marketed music form. But a custom of cultural redlining has not only kept Black women out of country writing rooms, off country airwaves, off rodeo stages, off the country charts; it has also worked to keep the few Black women who managed to evade the gatekeepers off the entertainment pages, and out of the history books.

This would change. Nobody sitting in the room that night knew it, but there was a little girl toddling around a two-story house in Houston who would bring the long era of -erasing Black country sounds and stories to an abrupt end. The calculated erasure that began at one large public party with expensive tickets in 1983 ended during another, Super Bowl LVIII, when Beyoncé released “Texas Hold ’Em” and “16 Carriages.”

Along with “Daddy Lessons” off of 2016’s Lemonade, these songs have established Beyoncé as heir to a Black country musical tradition that dates back to the 17th century, when the first banjo was strummed by Black hands on American soil. Like DeFord Bailey’s, Beyoncé’s country songs are grounded in aural rural realities: the screech of the passing train, the sound from the local bar where folk are dancing. Like Lil, she understands the power of a costume and a trumpet. Like Ray Charles she brings a whiff of the Black cosmopolitan. Like Charley Pride she exudes a radiant Old Testament Song of Songs sexuality that is at once hot and holy. Like Herb Jeffries she embodies the cowboy who stays close to nature and guns.

The erasure did not end just because Beyoncé Knowles Carter became the first Black female artist to top the country charts, though she did that, on Feb. 24. And there are many others who have laid the groundwork for this catalytic moment: Linda Martell, the Pointer Sisters, Rissi Palmer, Rhiannon Giddens, Mickey Guyton, Brittney Spencer, Reyna Roberts, and O.N.E the Duo, to name just a few.

The erasure ended when she started a sustained national conversation, getting America to talk about and celebrate neglected Black country legacy. The question of “Who can be in country music?” often masks a deeper query about “Who can be a real American?” Beyoncé’s was a loud announcement of a reality long denied, that she was “We the People.” And so were people who looked like her.

I’ve often said that country music is three chords and four truths: life is hard, God is real, whiskey and roads and family provide worthy compensations, and the past is better than the present. That last truth is one of the places where country often experiences a racial split. In much of white country, the past that is better than the present exists in a longed-for and lost mythical Dixie. In Black country, the past that is better than the present exists in a longed-for and lost Africa before colonization.

Country music is commonly defined as American folk music with Celtic, African, and evangelical Christian influences. My ancestors come from Cameroon, Nigeria, and Mali, from Scotland, England, and Ireland. I am country music, embodied. I started songwriting sitting under a Motown cherry tree, about the age of 5, in 1964. I would eat candied cherries, watching a sea of cars flow by on the John C. Lodge Freeway, and let country songs—from my grandmother’s lips, my mother’s radio, my aunt’s -stereo—roll ’round my head. I started off singing other people’s words then one day I started singing my own, the auspicious beginnings of a career that would land me in the top spot on the country charts.

Read More: Black Artists Helped Build Country Music—And Then It Left Them Behind

My daddy hipped me to the fact that it was Lil Hardin on Jimmie Rodgers’ biggest hit, and that there were probably a lot more Black folks passing for white on country records. He would look at some sheet music or hymnal, then ask, “What you bet Traditional was a colored girl?” 

I write country music because it is a way to make what is too hard to bear somehow bearable. Beyoncé in “Texas Hold ’Em” does this same work, squaring off against tornadoes, heat waves, and lovers losing courage, as DeFord had squared off against a sense of being relentlessly pursued in “Fox Chase.” Both songs transform hardship into a particular flavor of playful and hopeful joy I recognize as country.   

To close out the CMA anniversary show, Ray Charles sang “America the Beautiful.” Listening to the man behind what has been called the greatest country album, 1962’s Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, it struck me how entwined he was in the legacy of Black country. This was Armstrong and Bailey’s genius child. Next to him was country-as-corn-bread Pride, a spiritual love child to Bailey. On the other side of the family tree, Herb Jeffries, who wasn’t present in the auditorium but should have been, was Armstrong’s stepchild. 

Among a sea of white people, including the President and Vice President of the U.S. and the presidents of every major country-music label, I had an inkling I was the only person in that room worried about singing Black cowboys, worried about Jeffries, wondering why he wasn’t there.

Now Beyoncé has changed that room entirely. Cowboy Carter is poised to be a brilliant new beginning and a culmination. As I see it, Beyoncé is the genius child of Ray Charles. The daughter who eclipses the father. The reflected light of her triumph makes visible both the lineage from which she aesthetically descends and the reality that Black country is a big tent with many entry points: from banjos, harmonicas, and cowboy songs to movies and Motown cherry trees. Beyoncé raises this question: If country owes a significant debt to Black culture, what in America doesn’t?

Adapted from My Black Country: A Journey Through Country Music’s Black Past, Present, and Future . Copyright © 2024 by Alice Randall. Reprinted by permission of Black Privilege Publishing, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, LLC.

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Essay on Who Am I for Students and Children

500+ words essay on who am i.

In this world, many people surround us. Though we all apparently look similar, yet we all are unique in our own ways. The uniqueness gives us an identity. I am a teenage girl. I am like most teenage girls but I am also different from others. Those differences make me who I am.

I am a girl in mid-teenage. From childhood, I always loved to interact with people. I like to know people and make friends. I am a social person and go out with my friends and family. Also, I like to visit new places. Nature attracts me. Therefore, whenever I get the vacation I always insist on my friends and family for a getaway in nature’s lap.

Travelling gives me immense pleasure. I always capture beautiful moments and places in my camera. Whenever I am sad, I revisit my photo album to look at the beautiful places and moments. The thought of those happy moments and beautiful places makes me happy.

I am serious and disciplined about my studies and read many books other than my textbooks. Reading autobiographies and detective storybooks are what I like. I am involved in extra curriculum activities. I am learning music and love to sing.

Also, I listen to all genres of music but Hindustani classical , semi-classical, Bollywood songs are my favorite. Melodious songs are close to my heart. I always participate in musical and cultural events organized in my school. I also take part in the inter-school competition and have been a winner at an inter-school competition a couple of times. Those are cherishable and proud moments of my life.

Every person is a mix of good and bad qualities. I am not an early riser by nature. I understand that waking up early is very important to become productive. Still, during my holidays I take the liberty of waking up late.

I am an ambitious person and a dreamer. My dream is to become a teacher. I think a teacher is a big motivator and guide. I would like to motivate people and guide them to do good for society.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Me in several roles

While growing up I have realized that I am an individual but I play several roles throughout the day. As per these roles, my behavior and attitude keep altering. This variation adds various shades in my personality.

In my home firstly, I am a daughter. I try to listen and follow what my parents teach me. When I do well in studies, they become proud. Yet when I do not obey them, they scold me. I get lots of love, care and attention from my parents.  I also care, love, and respect them. My parents are my first identity in this world.

Secondly, I am a sister. I have an elder brother. He takes care of me and guides to follow the path to success. My brother is also my friend. We spend quality time together playing, laughing at jokes together, and watching our favorite cartoon shows. The love, care, the fight makes a beautiful bond between us.

Thirdly, I am a student. Our teachers always try to guide us to realize our path of life. They want us to be sincere in studies and build a successful career . They also instill in us the values of a good human being. I try to be a sincere and obedient student and always do my homework and do well in studies. I also respect my teachers and am an obedient student. My teachers are patient and they always guide me to overcome my mistakes.

Fourthly, the role that we all love is that of a friend. I have many friends. I love moving out and spending time with my friends. We help each other in times of need. We live happy moments together. Friendship is very beautiful. I love to make my friends feel special, and never miss wishing them on their birthdays.

Conclusion             

Life is full of experiences. Every moment we meet different people and face different situations. In this course of life, we not only get to know different people, but we also get to know ourselves in different ways.

As we grow, our likes dislike interest changes. Our perception and outlook toward life also change with time and experience. Thus, the search to the answer to the question of who I am is a lifelong process.

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Joan Baez: I Am A Noise goes beyond adulation to uncover the artist's true, often tragic story

Joan Baez has achieved a lot in her 83 years.

She's made dozens of albums that have sold millions of copies, their commercial success belied by the cultural and artistic impact the 60s folk singer and her work had on the music world in decades to follow.

Her friendship with, and admiration for Martin Luther King Jr set the standard for her ongoing work in the civil rights and nonviolence movements, not just in the 1960s but throughout her life.

Despite this, recent documentary Joan Baez: I Am A Noise is not a self-aggrandising laundry list of the folk singer and countercultural icon's greatest moments. It's a portrait of a woman with complex struggles, and the many fractured relationships that have, in a way, shaped her life.

It begins and ends with her treatment as a child, Baez alluding to memories of childhood abuse she uncovered while under psychiatric therapy in the early 1990s. Those memories regrettably impacted her relationship with her father until his passing.

We hear about the lack of connection with her sister Mimi, who never came to terms with the alleged abuse, Joan's enormous success, nor the untimely death of her husband Dick Farina, before she died of cancer in her 50s.

She speaks openly of her infamous dalliance with Bob Dylan, a relationship that made headlines at the time, and that Baez says was "demoralising" when it ended.

Decades of distance gives her perspective on why her marriage to fellow anti-war campaigner and father to her son David Harris failed — "he was too young, and I was too crazy" — and Baez reveals a sexual awakening she had at 22 when entering a relationship with her friend Kimmie.

Perhaps saddest is the brief interjection from her son Gabriel Harris, who admits having to reconcile past issues with his mother.

"She was busy saving the world," Harris says. "No kid can understand that."

There's nowhere to hide in I Am A Noise, as Baez reveals letters, sketches, pages from diaries, and even recordings of past therapy sessions to give context to the telling of her story.

Through this material, Baez's fragile mental health sits at the forefront of this story. Her anxiety attacks, her sensitivity to the suffering of others, the racism she experienced as a child, and the abuse she repressed for many years are all clear to see.

It's a fascinating angle, given that the public image of Baez was that of a hugely successful recording artist and powerful countercultural figure. Beneath the surface, she struggled with endless mental health issues, manifesting in a regrettable addiction to quaaludes in the 1970s.

The other main takeaway from this portrait of Baez is her addiction to fame. It's never framed that way, but there are numerous moments where the singer admits that she doesn't know what it's like to walk away from adoration and adulation, because she never has.

She speaks about having to adjust her singing style as the curse of age roughens up her voice. She admits that, following the Vietnam War, she became "addicted to the activism".

There's still plenty here for music fans. The footage of a teenage Baez playing at Boston coffeehouse Club '47 in 1958 is worth the price of admission alone: her perfect voice is so singular and absorbing that it's very easy to understand why her star rose so quickly.

While footage of Dylan denying his relationship with Baez is angering, the way she speaks of her maternal connection to the young singer-songwriter makes it apparent how influential they were on one another.

"We changed each other's lives and outlooks on music and careers" she says.

For every glorious moment of Baez at her best, we see just as many regrettable moments.

She beams about the success of her brilliant 1975 album Diamonds & Rust, which put her back on the map and made her a bunch of money, while lamenting the awful front cover of 1977's Blowin' Away.

Being part of Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue in the mid-70s helped her profile, but as we see her stagger off the bus at one stop, it seems the tour may have done her as much harm as good.

We hear her struggle while warming up for a concert on her final ever run of shows, but also see her perform stunningly for famous fans and people who's lives have been altered by her voice and her work.

Joan Baez: I Am A Noise is a staggeringly honest account of an extraordinary woman's life. It's also a reminder that, beneath the surface of even the most enviable of careers, something very dark often lingers.

Joan Baez: I Am A Noise is available to stream through DocPlay.

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Twin artists, and the healing power of art

By Jim Axelrod

March 31, 2024 / 9:14 AM EDT / CBS News

There was no way Mark and Jan Lawrance could have known what life would hold for their adorable twins, Will and Joe.

"You couldn't tell one from the other," said Mark. "Joe and Will. Who's Joe? Who's Will? So, they just very quickly became 'JoeWill.'"

No way to know what was coming, and perhaps no way to go on if they had.

Jan said, "These guys weren't just close; there was almost an interconnectedness. When they were little, if Will fell, Joe cried harder than Will did."

In high school the boys discovered art. Their teachers, Basil Smotherman and Vicki Ayres, were stunned by the way they expressed their individuality, while also remaining tightly connected to each other.

"They were living, breathing and drinking [art]," said Smotherman.

Ayres said, "I would walk in on them working and they'd be looking at each other's work, but they were not saying a word. And I remember joking with them once: 'Are you talking telepathically?'"

Their senior self-portraits – Will's, a teenage boy with spikey hair and pimples; and Joe's, made from thousands of magazine fragments – left no doubt the twins were special.

Smotherman said, "On average, you wouldn't see this work coming from a high school kid."

After high school, Joe moved to New York City to study at the Cooper Union, while Will was far away at the Art Institute of Chicago. Their parents said they did not foresee issues when it came time for the twins to separate. "We just thought they were going to get their own identities and create their own little worlds," said Jan.  

But in the fall of 2004, it became clear those worlds were filled with suffering. Joe's roommate called the Lawrances to tell them that Joe had attempted to take his own life.

Mark and Jan, who'd watched their boys' interconnectedness from infancy, knew what threatened one, would also threaten the other.

Jan said they thought they'd better keep an eye on Will, "but Will basically stomped his foot and said, 'I would never do that. I would never do that!'"

But JoeWill were in the grips of depression. Jan and Mark tried everything. Joe would attempt, and fail, to take his life again in 2006. Five years later, Will would succeed in taking his. He was 26.

Jan recalled when a police officer and a chaplain came to their door: "And Mark standing with them, and he said, 'It's Will. He died.' And I fell to the brick entry and just started screaming."

Joe's reaction? "He said, 'Oh, I knew he died. The second he died, I knew it,'" said Jan.

Joe said he felt as if half of him had died.

In 2017, six years after Will's death, police were once again knocking on the Lawrances' front door. Mark knew: "Yeah, I just said to them, I said: 'It's our son, isn't it?'"

Joe was 32.

Axelrod said, "The degree to which you two must have been shattered is incomprehensible."

Jan said, "It literally is the very beginning. You feel like: I wonder how come my arms are so heavy? I mean, you don't even feel [you] can lift up the glass of water."

"A half a dozen years later, where are you with your grief?" asked Axelrod.

"You go forward, then you come backwards," Jan replied. "The thing is, you're shattered in a million pieces and then you rebuild your wholeness. You're not gonna ever be the same."

Part of the Lawrances' healing was found in their sons' work. They'd been prodigious: sketches, sculptures, paintings. Hundreds and hundreds of pieces, stored in closets, under beds. "Stuff keeps surfacing that you think, wow, I thought I'd found it all," Jan said.  "It's like we always go: Hi Joe, Hi Will. When you know something happens, we call them God winks, or little winks. So, we get winks all the time."

The Lawrances felt those winks had power in them – power they wanted others to feel. Last April, an exhibit opened at the Indianapolis Art Center: "JoeWill: Better Together."

Short videos told their story, and spread awareness about depression.

More than 100 of JoeWill's works were curated by exhibitions manager Alex Moore.  "If you walk into a space digesting certain struggles of your own, and you see those reflected in the objects, it's validating," Moore said. "It tells you that you're not alone. It tells you that your experience is human."

Mark and Jan found enormous comfort there. "The boys are here," said Jan. "They're filling the halls. They're talking to us."

They said it was therapeutic to visit with them again. "It was beautiful," Jan said. "We went almost every day for the two months. I mean, I feel like I was not even walking on the ground. I felt elevated, not just emotionally and spiritually, but physically. I thought: Am I levitated? "

"It was pure joy," said Mark.

Which is why, outside the art center, in front of a sculpture called "Confluence," the Lawrances spread some of their sons' ashes. What was supposed to be a limited run of JoeWill's work will now have a permanent gallery.

In death they will continue to educate, inform, and – hopefully – inspire.

Axelrod asked, "It's almost inconceivable that any mother and father could carry this burden. Why are you telling their story?"

"I want to celebrate their talent," Jan replied. "I don't want to focus on how they died. We want to celebrate their accomplishments and their enduring legacy and the artwork that they left behind. They aren't suffering; they're together, and they are one."

If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or a suicidal crisis, you can reach the  988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline  by calling or texting 988. You can also  chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline here .

For more info:

• "JoeWill: Better Together"
• "The Artistic Journey of Joe and Will Lawrance"
• Indy Art Center , Indianapolis
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

       Story produced by Jay Kernis. Editor: Lauren Barnello. 

Jim Axelrod is the chief correspondent and executive editor for CBS News' "Eye on America" franchise, part of the "CBS Evening News with Norah O'Donnell." He also reports for "CBS Mornings," "CBS News Sunday Morning," and the CBS News Streaming Network.

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AT&T says a data breach leaked millions of customers’ information online. Were you affected?

FILE - The sign in front of an AT&T retail store is seen in Miami, July 18, 2019. The theft of sensitive information belonging to millions of AT&T’s current and former customers has been recently discovered online, the telecommunications giant said Saturday, March 30, 2024. In an announcement addressing the data breach, AT&T said that a dataset found on the dark web contains information including some Social Security numbers and passcodes for about 7.6 million current account holders and 65.4 million former account holders. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)

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NEW YORK (AP) — The theft of sensitive information belonging to millions of AT&T’s current and former customers has been recently discovered online, the telecommunications giant said this weekend.

In a Saturday announcement addressing the data breach, AT&T said that a dataset found on the “dark web” contains information including some Social Security numbers and passcodes for about 7.6 million current account holders and 65.4 million former account holders.

Whether the data “originated from AT&T or one of its vendors” is still unknown, the Dallas-based company noted — adding that it had launched an investigation into the incident. AT&T has also begun notifying customers whose personal information was compromised.

Here’s what you need to know.

WHAT INFORMATION WAS COMPROMISED IN THIS BREACH?

Although varying by each customer and account, AT&T says that information involved in this breach included Social Security numbers and passcodes — which, unlike passwords, are numerical PINS that are typically four digits long.

Full names, email addresses, mailing address, phone numbers, dates of birth and AT&T account numbers may have also been compromised. The impacted data is from 2019 or earlier and does not appear to include financial information or call history, the company said.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I WAS AFFECTED?

Consumers impacted by this breach should be receiving an email or letter directly from AT&T about the incident. The email notices began going out on Saturday, an AT&T spokesperson confirmed to The Associated Press.

WHAT ACTION HAS AT&T TAKEN?

Beyond these notifications, AT&T said that it had already reset the passcodes of current users. The company added that it would pay for credit monitoring services where applicable.

AT&T also said that it “launched a robust investigation” with internal and external cybersecurity experts to investigate the situation further.

HAS AT&T SEEN DATA BREACHES LIKE THIS BEFORE?

AT&T has seen several data breaches that range in size and impact over the years .

While the company says the data in this latest breach surfaced on a hacking forum nearly two weeks ago, it closely resembles a similar breach that surfaced in 2021 but which AT&T never acknowledged, cybersecurity researcher Troy Hunt told the AP Saturday.

“If they assess this and they made the wrong call on it, and we’ve had a course of years pass without them being able to notify impacted customers,” then it’s likely the company will soon face class action lawsuits, said Hunt, founder of an Australia-based website that warns people when their personal information has been exposed.

A spokesperson for AT&T declined to comment further when asked about these similarities Sunday.

HOW CAN I PROTECT MYSELF GOING FORWARD?

Avoiding data breaches entirely can be tricky in our ever-digitized world, but consumers can take some steps to help protect themselves going forward.

The basics include creating hard-to-guess passwords and using multifactor authentication when possible. If you receive a notice about a breach, it’s good idea to change your password and monitor account activity for any suspicious transactions. You’ll also want to visit a company’s official website for reliable contact information — as scammers sometimes try to take advantage of news like data breaches to gain your trust through look-alike phishing emails or phone calls.

In addition, the Federal Trade Commission notes that nationwide credit bureaus — such as Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — offer free credit freezes and fraud alerts that consumers can set up to help protect themselves from identity theft and other malicious activity.

AP Reporter Matt O’Brien contributed to this report from Providence, Rhode Island.

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Opinion Guest Essay

An Idyll on the Shores of a Toxic Lake

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Text by Jaime Lowe

Photographs by Nicholas Albrecht

Ms. Lowe is the author of, most recently, “Breathing Fire: Female Inmate Firefighters on the Front Lines of California’s Wildfires.” Mr. Albrecht is a photographer based in Oakland, Calif.

• March 29, 2024

There are two ways to experience the town of Bombay Beach, Calif., as a visitor: gawk at the spectacle or fall into the vortex. Thousands of tourists cruise through each year, often without getting out of their cars, to see decaying art installations left over from an annual mid-March gathering of artists, photographers and documentarians known jokingly as the Bombay Beach Biennale. When I went to the town for the first time in 2021, I was looking for salvation in this weird desert town on the Salton Sea south of Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park. I dropped in, felt vibes and left with stories. I stared at the eccentric large-scale art, posted photos on Instagram of ruin porn and a hot pink sign on the beach that said, “If you’re stuck, call Kim.” I posed in front of a mountain of painted televisions, swung on a swing over the edge of the lake’s retreating shoreline and explored the half-buried, rusted-out cars that make up an abandoned ersatz drive-in movie theater. On that trip, it felt as if I were inside a “Mad Max” simulation, but I was only scratching the surface of the town.

I returned in December to try to understand why Bombay Beach remains so compelling, especially as extreme weather — heat, hurricanes and drought — and pollution wreak ever more intense havoc on it. Summer temperatures can reach 120 degrees Fahrenheit, tremors from the San Andreas Fault strike regularly, bomb testing from nearby military facilities can be heard and felt, and the air is so toxic from pesticide use, exhaust fumes, factory emissions and dust rising from the retreating Salton Sea that one study showed asthma rates among children in the region are three times the national average. By the end of the decade, the Salton Sea, California’s largest inland body of water, at about 325 square miles, may lose three-quarters of its volume; in the past 20 years, the sea’s surface area has shrunk about 38 square miles .

But people who live in Bombay Beach stay because the town offers a tight-knit community in the midst of catastrophe. Though its residents contend with environmental adversity on a daily basis, they’re also demonstrating how to navigate the uncertain future we all face — neglect, the fight for scarce resources, destruction of home, the feeling of having no place to go. They are an example of how people can survive wild climate frontiers together.

The 250 or so town residents live in the low desert on the east shore of the Salton Sea, which formed in 1905 when the then-flush Colorado River spilled into a depression, creating a freshwater lake that became increasingly saline. There used to be fish — mullet and carp, then tilapia. In the 1950s and ’60s, the area was marketed as a tourist destination and was advertised as Palm Springs by the Sea. More tourists visited Bombay Beach than Yosemite. There were yacht clubs, boat races and water skiing. It became a celebrity magnet: Frank Sinatra hung out there; so did the Beach Boys and Sonny and Cher.

Eventually, as agricultural runoff kept accumulating in a body of water with no drainage, it became toxic and created a lake with salinity that is now 50 percent greater than that of the ocean. In the 1980s, dead fish washed up on the sand, car ruins rusted in the sun, tires rotted on the shore. Tourism vanished. But some in the community hung on. One way to define Bombay Beach is through environmental disaster, but another way is as an example of how to live through disaster and how to live in general.

Candace Youngberg, a town council member and a bartender at the Ski Inn, remembers a very different Bombay Beach. When she was growing up in the 1980s, she’d ride bikes with neighborhood children and run from yard to yard in a pack because there were no fences. But over time, the town changed. With each passing year, she watched necessities disappear. Now there’s no gas station, no laundromat, no hardware store. Fresh produce is hard to come by. A trailer that was devoted to medical care shut down. In 2021, 60.9 percent of Bombay Beach residents lived below the poverty line, compared with the national average of 12.6 percent.

As painful as it was to witness the town of her youth disappear and as deep as the problems there go, Ms. Youngberg admits that adversity bonded those who stayed. She wanted to return Bombay Beach to the version of the town she remembered, to recreate a beautiful place to live year-round, not just in winter, not just during the art season, not just for the tourists posing in front of wreckage. She wanted people to see the homes, the town, the community that once thrived thrive again. With the art came attention and the potential for more resources. She got on the Bombay Beach Community Services District, a town council, and started to work toward improvements like fixing the roads and planting trees to improve air quality.

It might just be that Bombay Beach is a small town, but when I visited last winter, there was something that felt more collaborative, as though everybody’s lives and business and projects overlapped. I’m not sure the community that’s there now started out as intentional, but when fragmented groups of people come together as custodians of an enigmatic space, responsible for protecting it and one another, community is inevitable. Plus, there’s only one place to socialize, one place to gossip, one place to dance out anxiety and only about two-thirds of a square mile to wander. Whether you like it or not, your neighbors are your people — a town in its purest form.

When I was there, I walked the streets with Denia Nealy, an artist who goes by Czar, and my friend Brenda Ann Kenneally, a photographer and writer, who would shout names, and people would instantly emerge. A stranger offered a handful of Tater Tots to Czar and me in a gesture that felt emblematic: Of course a complete stranger on an electric unicycle would cruise by and share nourishment. I was given a butterfly on a stick, which I carried around like a magic wand because that seemed appropriate and necessary. I was told that if I saw a screaming woman walking down the street with a shiv in her hand, not to worry and not to make eye contact and she’d leave me alone; it was just Stabby. There was talk of the Alcoholics Anonymous meeting on the beach, the weekly church sermon led by Jack the preacher (who is also a plumber), a potluck lasagna gathering.

Last year Ms. Kenneally created a trash fashion show/photo series for the Biennale in which she created couture designs out of trash collected from the beach, enlisted regulars in town to model the outfits, then photographed them. (She exhibited a similar series at this year’s festival as well.) The work was a way to showcase the people and the place. Jonathan Hart, a fireworks specialist who slept on the beach, posed like a gladiator; a woman who normally rode through town with a stuffed Kermit the Frog toy strapped to her bike was wrapped in a clear tarp and crown, looking like royalty emerging from the Salton Sea. The environment was harsh, the poses striking. Each frame straddled the line between glamour and destruction but also showcased a community’s pride in survival. Residents were undaunted by the armor of refuse; in fact, it made them stronger. The detritus, what outsiders might think of as garbage, became gorgeous. The landscape that is often described as apocalyptic became ethereal and magical. And that’s because it is.

On my second day, we went down to the docks at noon, and I found myself sitting on a floral mustard couch watching half a dozen or so people taking turns riding Jet Skis into the sun. The sun was hot, even though it was the cool season. Time felt elastic. Mr. Hart told me that he and some friends had fixed up the water scooters to give everyone in town the chance to blow off some steam, to smile a little. It had been a rough couple of months in the region. In preparation for Hurricane Hilary, which hit Mexico and the southwestern United States last August, 26 volunteers made 200 sandbags and delivered them door to door. Neighbors helped secure as many structures as possible.

Most media outlets reported that the hurricane was downgraded to a tropical storm because that’s the weather system that hit Los Angeles, but it was close to a hurricane in Bombay Beach, with winds hitting 60 miles per hour, and most properties were surrounded by water. Roofs collapsed or blew away entirely. “When faced with something like that, they were like, ‘Boom, we’re on it,’” Ms. Youngberg told me. They were together in disaster and in celebrating survival.

It reminded me of the writer Rebecca Solnit’s book “A Paradise Built in Hell,” which considers the upside to catastrophe. She finds that people rise to the occasion and oftentimes do it with joy because disaster and survival leave a wake of purposefulness, consequential work and community. Disasters require radical acts of imagination and interaction. It seemed that because Bombay Beach lived hard, surviving climate catastrophes like extreme weather on top of everyday extremes, it celebrated even harder. It seemed that in Bombay Beach there’s enough to celebrate if you just get through the day, gaze at the night sky and do it all again in the morning.

A lot of the residents who live there now arrived with trauma. Living there is its own trauma. But somehow the combination creates a place of care and physical and emotional presence. People experience life intensely, as one. It’s a town that is isolated, but in spite of a loneliness epidemic, it doesn’t seem so lonely to be there. I felt unexpected joy in what, from everything I’d read from afar, was a place that might as well have been sinking into the earth. I felt so safe and so happy that if we had sunk into the earth together, it wouldn’t have felt like such a bad way to go.

On my last night in Bombay Beach, I went to the Ski Inn, a bar that serves as the center of all social activity. I’d been in town for only two days, and yet it felt as if I’d been to the Ski Inn a million times, as if I already knew everyone and they knew me. A band was playing, we danced and drank, and I forgot about the 8 p.m. kitchen cutoff. The chef apologized, but he’d been working since 11:45 a.m. and had already cleaned the grill and fryer. He’d saved one mac and cheese for the bartender, and when she heard I hadn’t eaten, she offered to split it with me, not wanting me to go hungry or leave without having tried the mac and cheese.

Bombay Beach is a weird place. And this was an especially weird feeling. I had been instantly welcomed into the fold of community and cared for, even though I was a stranger in a very strange land.

I realized I didn’t want to leave. There were lessons there — how to live with joy and purpose in the face of certain catastrophe, how to exist in the present without the ever presence of doom. Next time, I thought, I’d stay longer, maybe forever, and actually ride a Jet Ski.

Jaime Lowe is a Knight-Wallace journalism fellow at the University of Michigan and the author of, most recently, “Breathing Fire: Female Inmate Firefighters on the Front Lines of California’s Wildfires.” Nicholas Albrecht is a photographer based in Oakland, Calif. His first monograph, “One, No One and One Hundred Thousand,” was the culmination of a multiyear project made while living on the shores of the Salton Sea.

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