I can’t tell you how many times, when I’ve asked someone to draw or sing something, that I’ve received the response, “I can’t.” There seems to be this concept we’ve all bought into that only a select few people are born with artistic talent.

Talent is a very real concept. Some people have the innate ability to be artistic, lead groups or complete complex mathematical equations. 

However, everyone deserves to express themselves artistically. There are endless ways to do so: drawing, music, acting, architecture, makeup, writing or any number of the various art forms that exist.

Perhaps your art teacher in high school convinced you that your art was worthless? Believe me, they were wrong.  Maybe your singing voice is monotone, and more than enough people have told you so? I’ll admit, that’s a little more difficult to fix. But trust me, with very hard work, you’ll start to hear tones more easily.

I’m not saying everyone doesn’t have strengths and weaknesses. After all, some of us are capable of understanding and applying physics and math to their careers. Others can write essays several pages long because words come easily to them. It takes all kinds of people to make the world go round. But everyone has the capability to create art of some kind.

You may not be the next Picasso, Shakespeare or Mozart, but what is really stopping you from trying? Apart from the arts and self-expression, what else would be possible if we broke free of our personal limits? It couldn’t be more important to support and encourage one another, especially when it comes to how people express themselves.

Consider joining a community band or choir. Try out for Capers this January to display your talents. If you’re really ambitious about exploring your artistic side and need some elective credits, ask your advisor about registering for an SDSU art class.

Push your artistic limits and tell yourself, “I can.”

Alison Simon is an agriculture communications major at SDSU and can be reached at [email protected].