Empowered Women Empower Women: Stephens Art Celebrates International Day of the Girl
Oct 11, 2019
October 11, 2019: International Day of the Girl Child
Why Am I Doing This Young Artist Spotlight?
1. Because, "Empowered women, empower women."
Everything I have learned and achieved in my life, is a result from encouragement from people, men and women throughout my life. I have learned new things by watching others bravely try new things, even when they were afraid to step out of their comfort zone. The first, "encouragers" in my life were those first men and women that I met as a child. Parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, neighbors, teachers. All of you were being watched, and whether you realize it or not, someone was learning by observing your actions, your words, the way you treated others when you thought nobody was watching. I can only hope that my words and actions are providing a foundation of encouragement and empowerment for any child who observes me.
2. To Help Young Female Artists Develop Their First Artist Statement
It's soooo hard to explain why we make what we make.
When I was first creating my artist web site, the hardest part for me was, writing an Artist Statement, the one thing every art sales expert seems to think you have to have if you are going to sell art! All I wanted to say was, "I just like to make stuff! What else is there to say?"
I never really liked my artist statement, until I edited it after doing an interview with an online publication. I was able to use my answers to the interview questions to tweak my statement into something I could feel good about! My artist statement is always evolving, but it's nice to get something down on paper, that you can adjust throughout your career.
I learned that it's much easier to talk about yourself, in a Q & A format, rather than being stuck in your head! The answers can then be turned into complete sentences, and the before you know it, you've got an artist statement!
3. To Help Young Female Artists Feel Confident About Self Promoting
That's why I want to recognize these young artists, and help them develop a personal statement to help them develop confidence when self promoting. It's not always easy to come right out and say, "I am an artist!" but with time and practice, it gets much easier.
The questions in the interview are based on the same questions from my first interview! I hope you will help your favorite artist have fun with this, write in the first person, and most importantly, be herself! After all, she, is the secret ingredient to her special and unique way of creating art!
Meet 10 year old 4th grader, and my youngest niece, Maya.
We took the pictures below, back in 2017 when we went to the Figge Art Museum, where Maya received a certificate of artistic merit.
Get it Girl!!!
Maya has been creating art since she was 4 years old. Maya loves to make art, and has already, in her young life, used her talents to help out her own school! She recently learned how to make a new type of bracelet, and together, with her friends, sold them to help raise over $400 towards her elementary school's new playground!
Make Your Own Path!!!!
Nobody told her to do it, she just felt like she could help out using the skills she has! She had an idea, and turned it into something amazing that could help benefit others. I can't wait to see what else miss Maya will do in her lifetime, and I am so glad I get to play a small part in helping to encourage her along the way.
Live Out Your Passion and Share Your Gift with Others!!!!!
She saw a problem that needed solving, and she created her own path to contribute to the solution using her existing skill set, and learning new skills using the resources she had access to. Imagine what young people can do, when they are given access to the resources they need, taught how to use them, and fueled with encouragement from the people they look up to!
My Interview with Maya, and her response, in her own words:
Q: Maya, where do you think your artistic talents come from?
- Your leadership skills
- Your servant heart
- Your willingness to take time to connect with others
- Your courage to stand up and look out for the underdog
- Your resourcefulness
- Your kindness
- You are not afraid to make a mistake because you always learn something new from them
- Your ability to collaborate with your friends creatively to attain goals you are passionate about
- Your passion for art!
- Your openness for learning new art techniques and developing your own as you create
Thanks for Reading about Maya!
If you see her today, give her a pat on the back and congratulate her for letting her light shine!
Do you know a special young artist that you'd like to recognize?
Contact me and maybe we can do another young artist feature on the blog!
Looking for Help in Developing Your Own Artist Statement?
Check out the link to the questionnaire below, and answer the questions on a piece of notebook paper, or print off the form.
Answering the questions honestly and thoughtfully, will help you start to think about the who, what, and why behind your own art.
An artist statement can also help you to formulate verbal answers that can be your go to response, when you are put on the spot.
Like, when you want to have an answer that says more than, "I just like to make art!" Having an artist statement is also
helpful to have this for when magazines or newspapers want to interview you about your work, or if you need to come up with something quick for other public relations purposes.
