Updated College essay by Joshua

Updated College essay by Joshua - July 2026 Scholarship Essay

“Every child is an artist; the problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” – Pablo
Picasso. Nowadays we see lots of children expressing emotion through different forms of art.
Ever since I was a child, I was always the artistic creative type. From drawing on my homework
to playing with Play-Doh and clay, my mind was always racing with new ideas. My dad and
brothers, who were obsessed with sports, thought that I would follow in their steps and start
playing football and basketball. Trying to fit in, I began to play sports like baseball and
basketball but from the moment I stepped onto the court I knew it was not for me. I tried coming
up with any excuse to quit but my dad would not let up.
Around this time Covid 19 began and being newly in middle school I wanted to try something
new, so I joined the magnet program with a concentration in visual arts. This class began to
expand my conception on what the word “art” is. Growing up, most kids think of art as simply
painting on a canvas or drawing. But through this class I began to see multiple forms of art such
as cyanotypes, film, graphic design, creating portraits with oil pastels and more.
Throughout my years of transition at Parkville Middle School I was able to form my own
meaning for the word “art”, From my point of view art is anything or anywhere or any action
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that has some kind of significance in your life. Something that expresses who we are as
individuals.
Growing up in a household centered around sports, finding myself in art came with its own set
of challenges. Although my dad continued to pressure me to play sports, when he realized that
sports weren’t for me our relationship really started to grow. He stopped trying to limit me to
athletics and began to make an effort to understand me and my interests. Art has shaped who I
am as a person and what I believe in; it has given me space to explore who I was outside of other
influences. During the challenging times of Covid 19, art became by sanctuary, a way to escape
the unsureness and keep myself calm.
Looking ahead I plan to pursue a future in graphic design, not only as a career but as a
way to influence others to be the most creative and authentic version of themselves they can be. I
believe art is more than a hobby; but a lifestyle, a complex idea that can be used as a form of
expression. Through my skills I want to help others realize that the word “art” isn’t limited to the
canvas but can be used in many ways; a way of understanding the world, a way to find joy in the
experiences. My goal is to use art and design to communicate ideas that challenge people, move
them and remind them that art can reveal truth without words and connect us as people despite
our differences