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what is art?

What is art? Honestly, I never thought I would be asked this question. And although I wanted to be an artist when I grew up in Elementary school (I was never the astronaut wannabe) and I’ve taken a few art classes, I never contemplated art on a deeper level. Like many things, I see it as a big gray area. Sometimes, I look at the essentially splatters of paint I called art in my childhood (all so nicely framed by my parents). Is that art? Can the meaningless brush strokes formed by a three year old really constitute as art? Can it be even in the same category as the items in art museums? When I look at pieces made by Georgia O’Keefe, Banksy, or even the illustrator of my favorite children’s book, I would definitely remove my artwork from the list of examples of art.  But then, I start to wonder - does it really matter? If my parents found sentimental value in the every slab of paint, should it be discounted? I think, at the end of the day, whatever makes you tick, whatever art empow...
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Recent posts

attempting to plan out my life

I can't lie - I don't know how likely I am to really come back to this list. Regardless, here are the books I hope I read in the next ten years: 2026 - The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X and Alex Haley I'll be honest - my dad has been begging me to read this for the last few years, and I think it's finally time I listen. This will be my first year of college, meaning it's time to really get educated beyond just the subdued version of history I am exposed to at school. Especially because I will be spending so much time in Detroit during my freshman year, I think it is imperative that I learn about black history and its ties to the city. 2027 - American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins I've heard a lot about the life-changing nature of this novel, and by 2027, I truly think this issue will be a prominent focus in American politics, culture, and society. When I was a freshman, I vaguely remember listening to a podcast episode featuring Cummins during a long drive,...
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race plays a role

Elham: "They like English accent French accent not your accent not my accent" This line stuck with me as I read the play, especially when you mentioned your inability to relate to it because you are two generations deep, almost fully assimilated into "American" culture. I am also 2 generations deep, a second-generation American. So why is my experience different? It's because: - The sub spells my name when calling attendance instead of attempting to say it. - My first-grade teacher refused to believe I celebrated Thanksgiving. - No history textbook has a picture of someone like me. It's because I've had the following conversation more times than I can count: Them: "Where are you from?" Me: I live in Michigan, I'm American. Them: "No, where are you really from?" And as much as I feel the urge to respond passive-aggressively, I’ve come to realize that these questions often come from kind, well-meaning people who are simply curious. ...
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My Story

I'm an overthinker. I'm an overthinker to a level you can't even imagine. Every minute left on delivered, every slight change in tone, and every period in a text message means something to me. I'm constantly asking myself: Are they mad at me? What did I do wrong? How do I even begin replying to this? Amidst this constant anxiety, I do my best to remind myself to be present, put my phone down, and worry less about the outcome. And yet, this often causes further tension: Am I living in the moment enough? Am I missing something important? Am I doing this all wrong? The poem A Story by Li-Young Lee resonated with me because of this constant internal conflict. Throughout the poem, the father, so focused on the possibility of the son's future, cannot express his feelings of love in the moment.  With just one more quarter of the life I have known for the past thirteen years left, I find myself caught in the same trap. I worry when I enjoy something so much that I lose tra...
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Becoming? That sounds absolutely terrifying.

This act of "becoming" is scary. I mean seriously, it's kept me up at night. Am I achieving the right goals at the right time? Am I growing into a good person? Who is the person I want to be? These questions have taken up way too much of my brain capacity over the last year and have become even more relevant as the prospect of moving away from home looms closer. As I suddenly have to think about the person I am becoming outside my parents' shadow, I am left questioning who I am on my own.  This process of growing up has been interesting thus far, and it is certainly nowhere near an end. Physically, I have grown the capacity to stand, walk, and run. Mentally, I can now solve more complex math problems, write better essays, and do more challenging puzzles. Emotionally, I have developed stronger empathy skills, I can better understand my own feelings, and I learned to control my immediate, emotional responses to stress. In every moment of doubt and triumph, I’m reminded ...
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Rudolph is the Worst Reindeer

Prompt #6: Explain how Santa got run over by a reindeer... Honestly, Santa really should've expected this. I mean, who puts an egotistical, self-obsessed, and obnoxiously glowing reindeer in front of the pack? They were bound to get lost.  You see, Rudolph was not like the other reindeer. He struggled to listen to Santa, believing himself to be the better navigator. So naturally, when Santa pulled the reigns on Christmas night, directing his reindeer toward the International Date Line, Rudolph pulled the other way sending them spiraling toward Africa, believing himself to know the direction in which to go.  Santa tried to regain control but the chaos had already ensued. Before long, the sleigh was spinning in circles and upside down (thank goodness Santa was wearing his 6-point harness) with Donnor and Blitzen kicking their feet wildly in the air. Meanwhile, Rudolph's insufferable nose grew brighter as he continued to push down, diving straight for the South Pole....
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The Best Sapphic Artists (in my professional opinion)

Since we read "The Three Girls" this week, a very queer-coded piece, I made a list of my favorite sapphic artists: 5) Chappell Roan It seems impossible to compile a list of sapphic artists without including Chappell Roan. After her viral Coachella performance in April this year and her subsequent release of "Good Luck, Babe!" Chappell seems to have come out of nowhere. She is known for her love of drag and won Best New Artist at the VMAs. In some ways, she reminds me of the Marilyn Monroe we studied in "The Three Girls," especially in her desire to escape fame in some moments. However, she is also the opposite, incredibly vocal about her queer identity in every aspect of her life. I can't list her as my favorite, simply because I have not listened to her music enough, especially because she is so new to the spotlight. However, I absolutely love her unapologetic nature and can't wait to see what she does next! 4) LYVIA LYVIA is definitely the smalle...
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