I Believe In Art By Victoria Lynn Hall: Express Yourself

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Express Yourself

The more things change, the more they stay the same. When I was a teenager I used to draw and write poems and song lyrics on the walls in my bedroom. Now here I am years later and I have essentially done the same thing on the new giant chalkboard Hippie helped me make and install in our living room.

My Classic Rock chalkboard mural

I worked on it all week and I can't tell you how much fun I had listening to music and creating something that was mostly just for me. Of course, Hippie likes it too, as evidenced by his breaking out his air guitar upon first seeing it completed the other night.

Hippie's Impromptu Air Guitar Concert in progress

This probably won't shock you but I am somewhat of an intense person. At times this has resulted in my being misunderstood or made fun of but I have never let that stop me from expressing myself because that is just who I am. I think as a teenager I used song lyrics and quotes from my favorite books to convey things that felt difficult or awkward to express in my own words. Now as an adult I have learned to channel my stronger emotions into and through my own art.

Unfortunately, this doesn't mean that I can hide behind my work. I never feel more vulnerable as I do when I show someone something I have created. And it often annoys me that my best work seems to be that through which I have shared more of myself than I ever intended or wanted to.

I guess the bottom line is it takes courage to express ourselves no matter how we do it. It's hard enough finding the words, sounds or visual forms to describe our innermost thoughts and feelings without the risk that we will be ridiculed for sharing them. Ultimately, however, I think we risk more when we allow our fear of what other people may think to silence us. Just think of all your favorite music, books and art and imagine how much more lonely the world would seem without them. Chances are no matter what we're feeling, somewhere, someone is feeling the same way. Imagine the relief they would feel to know they aren't the only one. I think that is worth the risk, don't you?