This week I went to the Shelley High School Graduation. I have been teaching some of these students every year for the past 4 years. Some of them I have become very close too and despite what I usually tell them, I will miss them a little.

There are many things that I have learned over the years working with teenagers. Usually by their example are these lessons taught. Sometimes I learn things by their good example and sometimes their not-so-good example. I’m happy to say that the lesson I am going to talk about today is from a good example.
This year Shelley High School picked two valedictorians and asked both to give a speech. The picture above is me with these students. Apparently this is the first time this has happened in the history of Shelley High School. It is interesting to note that these two valedictorians were also best friends. I have had the privilege of having both of these young ladies in my classes a number of times over the years. Needless to say they were both very hard workers and as such excelled in my classes. In fact they excelled in just about everything they did. Of course they both had different strengths they were also very much alike.
Is it any wonder that they chose to give their speech together? And the topic of their speech was the importance of friendship? They stood on the stand together and alternated who was speaking. The speech was smart, thoughtful, funny, and inspiring. My favorite quote was:
“There is beauty in imperfections.”
Not taking credit for anything but that does sound and awful lot like something I often say to my perfectionist students.
These two girls make me wonder how things would have been different if they weren’t friends. Would they have excelled the way they did if they didn’t have each other? I like to think that we become what we surround ourselves with. These girls chose to be around each other and as such they both benefited and became better people. In my years teaching I have also seen the reverse. Students who always complain about all the drama in their lives while simultaneously spending time with dramatic people. I could go on and on giving good and bad examples of different groups of students and people who have turned into the people they surround themselves with.
I know it isn’t always that easy. But I believe that we need to not only surround ourselves with people but also things that will help us become the person we want to be. There are many ways we can do this but I am going to talk about some of the ways more specific to artists.
 
Art
This should be a given for artists and art lovers but we need to surround ourselves with great art, as well as strive to make great art! People are affected by they art they view. Find artwork that is well done and beautiful and display it in places where you will see it regularly. Let this great art, work its magic in your life. If you want to be more relaxed find art that is relaxing and it will wear off on you. I was once contacted by someone who wanted to commission me to make a sculpture for him. He was wanting me to recreate The Thinker sculpture by Rodin but instead of the sculpture resting his head on his fist he wanted the man to be holding a gun to his head. I rejected the commission for many reasons. One major reason was because I strive to make my artwork have inspirational and positive messages. This was the opposite. Another reason came from my communications with this man. I got the feeling that he may in fact be suicidal. I was not willing to create something that could influence anyone to have those types of thoughts. It surprises me that anyone would want to surround themselves with Art that gives them negative feelings.
Other Artists
It is important as an artist to make friends with and spend time around other artists. Hopefully you can find artists who will inspire you and help you in your skills. You also need to make sure you are spending time with artists who are encouraging and not discouraging. The starving artist myth is strong and even artists will try to discourage you from following your dreams. I have met these types of artists and that is not a relationship I perused. I know a number of artists who are wonderful and encouraging who I know want me to succeed. These are the relationships I try to cultivate. The question now might be “where do I find these kinds of artists”. The answer is simple. You go where those kinds of artists are. In general the artists that are involved in your local art organizations will be a good fit. In Eastern Idaho where I live there are four great organizations to be involved in. In no particular order we have the Idaho Art Lab, The Idaho Falls Arts Council, The Eagle Rock Art Guild, and the Art Museum of Eastern Idaho. I have yet to become fully involved with all of these organizations but have been very involved with the Idaho Art Lab and the Idaho Falls Arts Council. I have never regretted my relationship with any of these organizations and I have met many great artists through my participation.
Another great way to become friends with other artists is simply to ask. This past year I have become friends with a few artists who I have looked up to for some time just because I asked to meet them. On a business trip to Utah I contacted a few artists who I love and said that I would like to meet them and see their studio. All of them said yes and I have kept in touch with some of them since. One of my best friends locally is an artist who came to my classroom and invited me and my family over for dinner. We have been friends and helped encourage each other ever since.
It is easy to stay in touch with people through means of social media. I have also met a few artists who I now consider friends through social media. Although I have never met these artists in person they still encourage me to be a better artist and inspire me with their work.
Teachers
If you have ever been to school you know as well as I do, not all teachers are equal. I know very few teachers who are intentionally horrible. But I know there are some teachers out there that are above par. As often as possible choose the best teachers. It is getting easier and easier to do this with the internet. There are tons of online resources to help you with your artwork. In my experience the best resources are rarely free. If you really want to learn a new skill, find a teacher who can teach that skill very well. Look up reviews or read testimonials. Make sure their work reflects the skill level you desire. Make sure they are good at teaching also. Not every great artist is a great teacher. I myself will be releasing online sculpture classes in the near future. If you are interested in taking an online sculpture course from me or an in person workshop please sign up for my newsletter. The sign up form can be found in the right sidebar on this page.
Music and Movies
While I sculpt I often listen to beautiful instrumental music, sometimes classical, sometimes contemporary acoustic guitar. Listening to beautiful music helps me sculpture more beautifully. When I am not sculpting I will often listen to music that is thought provoking with lyrics that utilize strong metaphors. I am naturally drawn to movies that deal more with character development and story line than special effects. Is it any wonder that my artwork themes often deal with personal growth, strength and the human spirit? If my goal was to be a comic book artist or a whimsical artist my choice in music and movies might be different.
This by no means is an extensive list of everything you can do to surround yourself with worth while people and things. I’d like to know what you think. What are some things you do to surround yourself with things that help you become the person you want to become?