ever since I could remember, I loved writing stories of my own. my earliest memory of storytelling was in elementary school, where I wrote about a girl filled with wanderlust who traveled to the Grand Canyon and touched the star-filled night sky.

after that, I wrote my second book, titled The Tombellies, which was a fictional story about a young girl whose family moved into an uncanny and mysterious old house. she and her new friend from next door encountered and befriended these tiny mystical fairies living in her new home, called tombellies, which adults did not have the capability to see. throughout the story, the main character struggles with the constant fear of growing up and seeks the tombellies for advice. retrospectively, this story mirrored my own feelings through a fictional character.

ensuing continuously writing imaginative stories, I felt the urge to branch out my storytelling hobby through methods other than writing. at first, I was horrible at drawing, but I enjoyed the realm of fantasy and escapism enough to keep doing it. after a couple of years, it became my favorite hobby. when I couldn’t find the words for my perfect story, I’d sketch it out.

that was the beginning of my artistic journey. eventually, in 7th grade, my older sister bought me a full art kit, which introduced me to watercolor, oil, and acrylics. throughout the years, I indulged in all forms of art as my favorite hobby. even now, as a sophomore in college, I find serenity in a blank canvas.

my artistic skills will never reach textbook perfection, but that’s what makes art so special to me — it’s all in the eye of the beholder.