English essay
Isabel Teoh (13) 3PR
Question: How important are the arts in your life?
According to Google, the definition of art is “the expression or application of human creative skill
and imagination, typically in a visual form such as a painting or sculpture, producing works to be
appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.” Art in some form or another has
existed as long as mankind. It is a part of our daily lives and is present in cultures across the
world. To me, the arts is a simple and joyful way to express my feelings, and it is something that
helps me reflect on my character development from time to time. Therefore I can confidently say
that the arts play a very important part in my life.
Firstly, the reason the arts are so important to me is because it makes me happy. While my
artworks may not be the best or as good as world-renowned artist, it still brings me a sense of
delight when I complete my artworks. An example was my end of year art piece this year.
Initially I was sceptical of whether I would be able to complete such a huge painting in a short
period of time, especially since the fact that I had to juggle my studies as well. However after
spending more than 48 hours on it, I finally finished the whole painting. Not only did it make me
realise that I had such capability of finishing such a large painting, it also gave me a sense of
achievement and happiness that I had never felt before. Additionally, art that surrounds me can
also create an atmosphere that I want to live in, which is something personal to me and makes
me feel relaxed.
Secondly, the arts can help me relieve my stress. Since I was young, the arts was a way I could
release all the stress and negative emotions that was bottled up inside of me. I would always
utilise the skills of drawing and painting to express my emotions, whether it be frustration or
sadness. I especially loved the way that I could doodle whatever I want by simply using a pencil
and a piece of paper. Art gave me a way to convey how I felt without having the need to use any
words or physical body language. This is also the reason why so many artists undergo different
periods in their lives. An example is a Pablo Picasoo’s blue period, where he painted many
paintings using blue tones to convey his sadness and grief after his best friend had committed
suicide. Similarly, I would paint or draw objects to express how I felt.
Thirdly, the arts have also brought me joy though the new friendships I had formed. As I take art
in school, I would have to interact with my peers that take art with me as well. Due to the fact
that we all had a similar interest, we soon bonded very quickly and would often paint together.
Art also served as a mode of communication between all of us because it was like our ‘secret
language’ that only we knew. We would always help each other out by giving each other ideas
on what to draw or inspirations of what to paint. Similarly in the past, we can see the friendships
formed between the pioneer artists as well. An example is the group Nanyang artists in the mid
1900s, where a few of them such as Liu Kang, Chen Wen Hsi and Choo Seo Pieng travelled to
Bali. It was there that they marked a breakthrough for themselves through the new discoveries
that they had discovered together. Chen Wen Hsi even posed a model for one of Liu Kang’s
paintings, showing their close relationship and how they helped one another out. This shows
that friendships made in the world of art are very precious and they do indeed go a lot way.
Hence, the arts has given me new friends and which have indeed brought a great amount of joy
into my life.
Thirdly, the arts have helped me grow and develop as a person. This year, I was given the
chance to explore the topic of insecurities as part of my arts education in school. It not only
helped me overcome some of the insecurities that I had in myself, but it also showed me that
these insecurities do not define me as a person and that everyone has their own insecurities as
well. At the start of this year, I was still ashamed of my insecurities and would not openly talk
about them. When exploring the idea of insecurity for my art pieces, I often used other people's
insecurities as a reference for something to paint. This was before my art teacher had prompted
me to explore the insecurities that I was facing instead. After facing these insecurities and
admitting that I do have them, I felt a new sense of confidence in myself. Although I am still
insecure at some point of time, I am no longer ashamed to admit them. Therefore, the arts have
helped me develop a new sense of confidence and has shown me that my insecurities are not
my embarrassment, but instead they can help me grow, attributing to my character growth and
development as a person.
Although the arts are very important, they are however not the most important thing in my life.
There are still other things that matter more to me such as my academics and studies. Since I
grew up in a society where there is very little arts appreciation, people do not value art a lot due
to the fact that they perceive as something not very beneficial, with more importance being
usually placed on one's intelligence and how well they can perform academically. As a result, I
still value my academic studies over art, but there is no denying that art has benefitted me a lot
as a person.
In conclusion, the arts do play an important part in my life. It has benefited me menatally, and
has helped me become a better person. Although it is not the most important thing in my life
currently, it does still plays a vital role in my life, and I definitely do not regret my interest in art at
all.