ART DENIAL, PRICE TO PAY FOR THE SAKE OF ART

As the saying goes, every artist most suffer for his art; this statement remains valid throughout the history.

Start with creativity...
It’s no doubt that children have clearer sense of creative imagination they live in a dream free from doubt, fear, worry and challenges. It’s a place where they can really be their real self and not influence by external factors; like parent, peer or environmental pressure. Without any doubt this is applicable to all children, but most especially a child with a passion for art. Passion for art is so deep and unexplainable in children even adult.
As they grow…
As we grow the pressure of live evaporates this God given gift and we get trapped not knowing what we are here on earth to do, driven first by survival and later fear. For example, while I was in primary school many of my friends that we use to be passionate about drawing comic after sometime we lost contact upon seeing again as a grown up, this people I believe have greater art talent had make a switch to studying business administration or other course different from art, where there true love is. Most time I could not remind them or stress that I’m studying fine art, because it might just bring back memory or even hurt their feelings.
But I keep wondering how many opportunity this talented artists would have had if only they had studied or stay in connection with their childhood love for art.

So what…
In live until we fulfill our purpose we will still be feeling empty, regardless of the amount of money we have, or success on job we enjoy and too often we would wish we had followed our childhood dream at the later end of our live,
This is why I keep urging parent, teacher, well wisher not to discourage children from studying or following passion, be it is art or any other field. Studying art most especially in Nigeria or Africa is like a taboo, most of us are being called name by parent, friend and even teacher for studying art.

Happy ending
At the end we artist have this joy and free spirited life style because we have not held anything back or shy away from following our God given passion as we have let loose all out imagination to make our world beautiful, historic, education and relaxing.


By: Onuorah O. Benjamin