Artistic Journey
My art career began during the first few years of my life in the mountains of Colombia, where I watched my older family members ride horses in the Amazonian Rainforest. Since I was too young to ride a horse (and too stubborn to ride with an adult), I drew these creatures at the stables. My family would genuinely praise these pieces and gift drawing supplies. That passion carried back to the United States during school, where I doodled (plenty of Dragonball Z fights) when distressed.
There was growing confidence in my artistic abilities, and the notion became concrete when I won the Best Artist Award in elementary school. I still remember the pride, the affirmation of my talent. More accolades followed during middle school, which expanded into other subjects and assignments where my creative juices were utilized. However, this came with an onerous burden: the pressure to be the most creative kid in class. And I found myself creating my best work when there was no intention to show it to anyone.
I suffered from this pressure for most of my life and constantly inhibited my creative spark with a malicious attempt to be the best. Then I met others whose talent varied in the vast landscape of Art; thus, if I couldn’t be the best at realistic drawing, then I would hone my skills somewhere else. Years later, I would discover that if I were humble in learning the different Arts, can be derived ideas from the disciplines. Unfortunately, this toxic competitive attitude made me afraid to finish my best work because I began to question whether it was good enough.
But, now, in my late 20s, writing this segment, I could say the monkey of being the best is off my back. So, now, I am allowing that creative spark to spread to unknown territory. Where it goes, we shall see.
With love and sincerity,
Jose Michael Rubio