Allowing Art with I AM Art House
By Zoe Kim
“valid”. Sharpie on paper.
August 9, 2021
Until recently, I didn’t make space for art in my life. I pushed through a STEM degree I chose at eighteen because I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I thought that if I stuck with science, I would grow to love it. Unfortunately, I was wrong. The more hours I put into studying, the more frustrated I became when passion for the field never materialized. Burnout ensued. Sketches and scribbles cluttered and increasingly overshadowed my lecture notes. I missed internship application deadlines, accidentally busy drawing spontaneous comics. Art was leaking into my life despite my stubborn refusal to acknowledge my need for it.
I still hesitate to call myself an artist. For most of my life that word has seemed out of reach, or only belonging to people who adopt it as their entire identity. Artists in my mind were skilled beyond belief, dedicating their whole selves to “serious” creating. As someone who viewed art as something to do “for fun” and not the focal point of my existence, I felt unworthy. I feared that becoming more involved in art would only lead to embarrassment and failure. I had no training or professional experience, and felt intimidated by seeing many people my age with plenty of both.
But thanks to social media, I discovered that my creative output could be appreciated as much as anyone else’s. On Instagram, my last minute sketches garnered both positive feedback and emotional responses that I’d never expected. Currently, I’m figuring out how art fits into my career and life as a whole. Science wasn’t the path for me, but I’m not sure I want to be a full time artist either. What I do know is that making art has consistently brought me joy, and I want to share that feeling with others.
This fall, I’m excited to help I AM Art House elevate art and its accessibility. I’ve met plenty of people with experiences similar to my own, and know that art’s perceived mystique and prestige can leave deserving creatives undiscovered. I will be working as I AM Art House’s marketing communications intern, using social media to promote its online presence and events, including classes and exhibitions. By working to make art more familiar, I hope I can help others love and create art— in whatever capacity they find enjoyable.
