Becoming An Artist

2019 was the year that I became an artist.

This statement may be strange for others to hear because I've been doing art ever since I could pick up a crayon! What I mean by this is that I owned up to the title of being an artist in 2019.

I struggle with a lot of self-confidence but last year was the year I said to myself "You know what Niko? YOU are an artist and YOU are going to show the world what you can create!" And so I did.

I began to experiment with different tools from Adobe Illustrator, to painting with watercolors, to making semi-realistic portraits out of graphite. I became less afraid of drawing figures and hands and using color in my paintings. I branched out and learned more about art and through that I learned more about myself too.

One of the things that used to frustrate me was that I didn't have a concise portfolio to show off to anyone. That is something that I began to put a lot of effort in last year which you can see in my art gallery on the Homepage. Maintaining this professional website is something that I am very proud of also.

When I quit my last job I was terrified! I didn't know if anyone believed that I would keep busy without employment. I was worried I'd let everyone down including myself. But I would never do that. I'm an individual that is very self-motivated and driven so when I put my mind to working on my art and writing full time I meant it, and I've come a long way just in a couple of months!

This year (2020), I have a lot in store. I have multiple projects and installations I cannot wait to work on and release. I'm going to experiment with Sumi-E ink creations and origami. I'll be finishing some long-term written projects I'm passionate about. I'll be entering contests and going around to cafes asking if I can display any of my pieces.

2019 was when I became an artist. Now I am an artist, and in 2020 the world will find out about my work.

Happy, Healthy, and Safe New Year Everyone!