Border Art Residency

Choosing a career in the off beaten path of art, was a very difficult decision to make. When I was younger I personally didnt know too many artists first hand. I had heard of artist making it big, or on the opposite end of that, practically starving. Just because you are a good artist does not mean you will make a good living at it. It takes whole soul dedication and the desire to never quit.

I chose to take art directed classes in grade school because I loved to draw and paint, but as I got older and enrolled in college I really had to ask myself if I was making a smart career move that would be able to support not only myself but my family if I decided to have one. Living in Texas I had the opportunity to choose between many different forms of higher education. Texas offers great colleges and universities along with nationally ranked community colleges, trade schools, art institutes and vocational schools. The information was there, all I had to do was decide the route I would take.

I opted for a fail safe route. I had known art my entire life and loved it in every way, but still feared being able to make a living while pursuing what I loved. I chose to attend a community college close to home that offered both art classes along with many different trades and technical skills. Ive always been fascinated with the human body and considered x rays a form of art. I felt in this way if I had to choose a different career path, I could keep art still close to my heart. I then enrolled in a 2 year program to earn my degree as an x ray technician.

The field of an x ray technician is wide and can go many directions such as, ultrasound technician, radiology technician, and mri technician. They are all similar and would provide me with a feeling that was as close to art as I thought I could get. I finished my schooling in a little over two years and took my knowledge of art along with me. I landed a job quickly at a small doctors office in Southern Texas as an mri tech. Quickly earning over $30,000 a year I was extremely happy with my mri technician salary and started saving money right away.

My good income and lack of bills allowed me to save money very quickly, and within 5 years I had saved over $100,00 dollars. With this money saved I decided it would sustain me for several years while I then pursued my love and passion of art once again. From there I moved into a small efficiency apartment close to the border of Mexico behind an older woman who allowed me to maintain her yard and do other tasks for her in exchange for part of my rent. It was at that very moment I felt happy and fulfilled, that I knew I had made the right decision to go after my dream once again.

The years have passed quickly and I have never been happier. My art has more than payed for me to live and has even allowed me to save a little more than I had before I quit my job. I am grateful to be in the situation I am in, and try my best to take advantage of the situation given to me. I hope from this story that maybe you may be inspired to chase a dream of career that you want to pursue just as I did.

I have been interested and studying visual art for as long as I can remember. Both of my parents heavily influenced me and have both been involved in different areas of the arts for most of their adult lives. Using visual art to convey your feelings and emotions is a great way to express what you are feeling in points of your life. There are many areas you can get involved in including painting, sculpture, drawing, and photography.

All through my childhood I was involved and enjoyed any art course that was available for me to take. I even entered some of my projects in contest and received praise and awards for things that I created. When I was young my parents were an instrumental part in the growth of my artistic skills, providing me with the necessary tools to create and express myself. The best way to get better at something you love is to practice and that is exactly what I did. I would draw every chance I got.

When I was a little older the courses I took in high school were more focused on specific areas of the visual arts such as drawing, painting, and even sculpture and ceramics was available to me. Having these specific courses available allowed my teacher to hone in on my unique skills, and taught me challenging new techniques to increase my skill set. One of the courses I enjoyed while attending high school is the Photography class I took when I was a sophomore, my father was a photographer so he was able to help me with my assignments and I feel that taking the photography class helped me see things around me in a more artistic way. Everything I saw was either a photograph or possibly a new drawing or painting I would create.

When I finished high school I started to attend a community college, where I would later enroll in a one of the many career training programs they offer and along with real world skills I was learning I continued my love for visual arts and continued to take classes. The professors at the college I attended were very skilled and were actually living as artists- not just as a hobby but as a career. This was a real eye opener; you can actually make money doing something that you love. A new profession set of skills was introduced to me. While in the class we were allowed to take more time to practice and it was encouraged.

Taking these classes especially while you are young will help you develop important skills such as expressing yourself in a healthy way. These skills can also help you in your career, if you are in a brainstorming meeting or creating a proposal for the company you work for these special set of skill will give you the upper hand by helping you think in different avenues or outside of the box if you will. I am grateful for all the encouragement and training I received when I was younger.

Living the absolute lifestyle as an artist is one of the best decisions I ever made. I have been studying art for as long as I can remember and it has grown inside me. Everyday I look forward to spending more time doing what I love and loving what I do. There are so many forms of art and being able to make a living doing what I love is almost unreal to me.

I have lived in several country’s around the world, living soley from my art work, and learning the ways of the land and the traditions of the people who surround me. As a resident artist, my life is never boring, how can it be? If you got to do what you loved everyday of your life it is hard to get bored or dislike it. This is not to say however, that i do not like to take breaks from time to time.

Throughout my blog I hope to discuss some of the great times I have lived and shared with others through my experiences of learning and teaching. To me, art is a way of life and the life of art lives inside me. I hope you enjoy your visit.