I had my official commencement ceremony from the Academy of Art University on May 25, 2012, earning my BFA in Illustration. Art has always been a passion and a favorite pastime of mine, but it is a brand new feeling to be able to call myself an "artist," knowing that I have finally achieved my lifelong dream of being able to do what I love as a career. Art school wasn't all fun and games- it was challenging, exhausting, and expensive (you can ask my husband all about that one). But in the end, the skills I learned, the inspiring people I met, the confidence I gained, and the lasting joy that comes from admiring and creating beauty every day make it worth every dollar spent, every critique endured, and every hour of sleep lost.
In the commencement ceremony, one of the speakers summed it up perfectly when he said that said
we as artists are paid to do what we would do for free.
Thank you to all of my dear family, friends, and teachers who always supported my dream of being an artist. I couldn't have done it without you!
Lesson Learned: Follow your dreams- you won't regret it!
