Being an Artist at Duke (and in life)

Ever since I was a toddler, I have been an artist. In sixth grade,

I created my first portrait (of Taylor Swift), which sparked

my passion for portraiture and other drawings. Every time I

finished a new drawing, I brought it in for my classmates to

see. There was something so exciting and gratifying about

the way their faces lit up after seeing my work.

Since then, art has been a central part of my identity. At some

moments, it becomes a priority, something at the forefront of

my mind; at others, it acts as more of a hobby. I attended a

very academic private high school, where my main focuses

were good grades and STEM-related activities. But every

Saturday, I found solace at my 3-hour art classes, where I could

express this essential side of myself.

People have always been surprised to find that my two main

interests are math/computer science and art/music. When I

explain how much I enjoy both sides of myself, most people

say that they haven’t met many people so drawn to both

quantitative studies and art. But I have always loved using

both right and left sides of my brain. Honestly, I think that

my interest in math has helped my art, and vice-versa. Years

of drawing and painting classes have given me patience and

attention to detail, which I apply to problem solving in more

quantitative areas of my life.

Coming into Duke this year, I promised that I wouldn’t let

myself lose my love for the arts. Through playing violin in

the orchestra and taking Intermediate Drawing, I have kept

this promise. I’ve also made an effort to experience art forms

outside my comfort zone, like Hoof ‘n Horn musicals and

dance performances. Going to these performances makes me

so happy; it’s amazing to see how incredibly talented Duke

students are. I always encourage my friends to go to these

performances because I do think art is an important part of

the Duke experience. Dance showcases like Street Medicine

and DefMo are always packed for a reason: Duke students are

just so talented and it’s important to celebrate and appreciate

that.

The community of artists at Duke is, at first glance, almost

hidden. But through closer inspection, I’ve found that there

are artists everywhere. When I talk about my love for music

and art, I almost always find people who share these interests

in some way. Not everyone chooses to participate in the arts,

but most at least watch. And from watching, even just one

orchestra concert or dance performance or visual art

exhibition, students can become involved in the arts.