A student sits in class drawing grotesque drawings in their notebook. They suddenly heard their name on the loudspeaker. They go down to the office and are lectured on their art style, and told it isn’t appropriate and they are concerned. All this student wanted to do was express themselves, and now they are being shamed and put in trouble for their artwork. 

Art shows itself in many ways. Certain forms of art should not be considered “wrong” or “not real art”. All art is helpful in many ways for many people. 

One of the ways art is important is by being a therapy for many people. It helps many people get their feelings out in the open, and is a creative outlet for those struggling with many issues people face today, such as depression, exclusion, anxiety, bullying, and abuse. Art can help many people just by allowing these people to show their feelings in real life.

Another way art is important is by being a way for people to express themselves. Art can help show who you really are, which is great for students and young adults preparing themselves for growing up. Knowing who you are and what you like is so important, especially now when things are tough. Choosing colleges with a knowledge of what you’re interested in and how you like to present yourself is so much easier than not truly knowing yourself. Growing up in general is much easier when you know what you like and are interested in.

Another thing that makes art so important in our world is it connects people. Art is one of the few things that can grow relationships with people on a very deep level. Sharing feelings and thoughts is easier when your artwork expresses it. People who use similar art styles and references can relate to each other and share ideas.

Some people may think you can’t make a living off art, but you can. Many people have very successful careers in art. Even if art is not a career choice you want, it is still very useful for expressing yourself and discovering who you are. Career also doesn’t determine the value of having the skill in your life. Many things are valuable that have no career options, but we still do them, such as taking a shower or brushing your teeth in the morning. These things have a lot of value in our everyday lives, but aren’t used in choosing a career.

It’s easy and lazy to judge people based on your first impression of their art. But when you take time to understand different people and perspectives, you can understand how valuable art is and how beautiful artwork and the artist’s mind can be.