I don't normally consider myself an inspirational person but I found out recently just how powerful it is to share my story. Last week I was the keynote speaker for the Scholastic Art Awards: South Jersey Regional Ceremony held at Appel Farm. Afterwards, students, parents, grandparents, and administrators came up to individually thank me for the speech that I had given and what they had taken away from it. I was so moved that I thought I would share the speech with everyone here on my blog:
Good evening, I am Kimberly English and I was asked to share with you my story of how I became a professional artist and art educator as well as provide guidance to encourage you to begin your own path into the arts industry. But first, I would like to congratulate you all on your outstanding artistic accomplishments being acknowledged tonight. Your talent and hard work deserves this special recognition and I commend your dedication to your craft. This is just the beginning to your promising futures.
It is a true honor to be speaking to you tonight in this capacity and I am experiencing a full circle moment. I grew up locally in Pittsgrove Township and my student art career began here at Appel Farm. When entering high school, I was chosen to be in the first class of the Salem County Vocational Technical School’s Art Academy held at Schalick High School. In my freshmen year, we had the opportunity to work with international artist Ava Blitz, here at Appel Farm where we helped plan, carve, mold, and construct the permanent installation: “Beauty and the Beast” ·A couple of years later, we returned to Appel Farm to work with artist Candy DePew to sculpt and create the clay installation now above Schalick’s auditorium doors. These were just a couple of the unique experiences I had while in the Art Academy that I will never forget.
How amazing is it that I am able to return to share my story and advice to encourage you to reach your full artistic potential? I am truly humbled. I believe that sharing my story and advice with you at this pivotal moment in your life will give you the clarity and inspiration to share your talents with the world.
After graduating 11th in my high school class, I received the NJ Stars Scholarship; two years of free tuition to my local community college. Since I was financially responsible for paying for my college education, I was extremely grateful for the scholarship. I began at Salem Community College where I studied Liberal Arts and focused on the sciences. I LOVED science almost as much as I loved art. I always knew I wanted to be a teacher but I never thought that I could obtain a job as an artteacher. I wanted to take the “safe” route that would provide me with a better chance at being hired.
When I transferred to Rowan University, I was awarded the NJ Stars II Scholarship: two additional years of free tuition. I declared as Biology & Education major.I will never forget this moment: Two weeks into my first semester at Rowan I was sitting in my Chemistry class when I literally asked myself: "What am I doing!?" It was almost as if I had woken up from a dream and realized I was not doing what I really wanted in life: Art. Right after that class I found out what I needed to do to become an Art & Education major. I had a portfolio interview and was accepted into the program.
After that moment, everything fell into place. I met amazing faculty members and friends who shaped me into the artist and art educator I am today. During that transitional time was also when I met my husband, my biggest inspiration and supporter of my artwork. While working as a bank teller to support myself financially, I also poured all of my time into my studies. In 2010, I graduated from Rowan University with highest honors. One month after my graduation, I was hired as an elementary art teacher in one of the top school districts in the state of New Jersey; 50 miles from my home where I knew no one. Out of 175 qualified candidates, they chose me. After settling into my new role, I asked the principal who hired me, “What made me stand out from the other candidates?” I was expecting to hear it might have been my GPA, Praxis score, or resume. He simply replied: “Your artwork.” In that moment I was so glad that I had taken the chance to follow my heart to become an art educator and that all of my hard work was recognized.
Although the commute was long, it was a dream come true to be teaching art and I LOVED the school where I worked. The years flew by with lesson plans, meetings, and professional development. I went on to become tenured and I also worked at Gloucester County College’s summer art program. During that time I had also gotten married and later was expecting our first child. I took my year maternity leave and we welcomed our daughter, Courtney, into our lives. With my new role as a mom, I knew working and commuting was going to be extremely difficult. With the full support and encouragement of my husband, I resigned from public school teaching. It was the hardest decision of my life but I knew it was the best for my family and myself.
But my story doesn’t end there. In the fall of 2014, when my daughter 10 months old and when half of our home was ripped off during renovations, I naturally thought it was the perfect time to start an art business. So I did. I began by offering painting parties, workshops, and started to develop a body of artwork that I entered into galleries. Less than a year later I was voted Best Art Business in Salem County. As it often does, time marched on and after a couple of years, we welcomed our son, Kent, into our family and finished our home renovation.
During that time I had continued to consistently produce artwork and grow my art business. Through creating and writing about my work, I found the purpose behind the beautiful landscapes I create. I now use my artwork to promote the active agricultural community here in southern New Jersey. I am passionate about creating artwork that honors the hard work and sacrifices that farmers make everyday. I hope to connect the larger, non-farming population and the people that choose to dedicate their life to agriculture.
My path to where I am today was not without it’s difficulties. I lost people in my life who didn’t agree with what I was pursuing or the changes in my life that I made in order to achieve my dreams. I also had to overcome many challenges that come with starting a family, transitioning to a stay at home mom and being a business owner. Through all of these hurdles, I kept coming back to the thing I needed the most: my art. Creating was my way of working through these issues and finding my purpose.
Anything is possible if you believe in yourself and your abilities. Everyday I am so grateful that I made the decision to change my path and follow my dreams of becoming an artist and art teacher. Which leads me to my favorite quote from Jim Carrey: “So many of us choose our path out of fear disguised as practicality. You can fail at what you don’t want so might as well take a chance on doing what you love.”I hope that by sharing my story you are able to find connections and inspiration for your own life. In the next portion of my speech I will be sharing some tips and advice that I feel are very important for young artists such as yourselves, just starting out.
5 Tips for a Successful and Productive Art Career
College
If you decide to pursue higher education after high school, no matter what you major in, do not discount the value and opportunities that Community College has to offer. Most adjunct university professors also teach at local community colleges which gives you the opportunity to learn from the same qualified instructors. Dedicate yourself to your studies and the class credits will transfer to the university of your choice. When you enter the real world after graduation, no one asks where the first two years of your college education took place.
Your financial future and stability is extremely important and should be considered when making the decision of where you begin your college career. Student debt is huge problem many people face well into their thirties. Save yourself, or your parents, some money by taking your liberal art prerequisites at a more affordable per credit rate offered through community colleges. Thankfully, through the decisions I made and scholarships I received, I was able to pay off my minimal student loan less than a year after graduating. I strongly advocate for community colleges and know from my own experience how valuable they are.
Volunteer for Art Organizations
Take the time to help others in your journey of establishing yourself as an artist. Volunteering will often open doors and opportunities that wouldn’t be offered to you otherwise. By becoming apart of an art organization you will network with people in higher roles that can give you experiences to learn from and positions that will help further your career. Offer your services and time freely because what you give by serving others will come back to you ten fold. Some examples of organizations to look into joining are your county art league, education associations (if you plan to become a teacher), local art tours, art centers, galleries, and chambers of commerce.
I regularly volunteer my time to help promote the Salem County Arts in Bloom Studio Tour. By sharing my knowledge and helping to plan of the event, my artwork has been used in commercials aired on Comcast, in county wide tourism campaigns, and I have been offered numerous video and newspaper interviews. All of these opportunities would not have been awarded to me without volunteering.
Establish consistent time to work and write about your artwork
Life will become complicated and busy in each season of your life. You need to make the time and commit to your art practice to improve your skills. A small amount of progress each day adds up to a lot over time. You need to be creating artwork and exploring new ideas by establishing regular studio times throughout each day.
One of the most valuable tips for establishing a consistent time to work in the studio is recognizing when you are most productive. For me, I work best early in the morning. I wake up early to get a couple of hours in the studio before my kids get up for the day. However, you might be a night owl so working in the night might fit better into your life. Find what works best for you and stick with it.As your life progresses and changes, try to adapt to your needs while still striving to accomplish what you want creatively. Understand that it will definitely be a work in progress that constantly needs balancing.
Writing about your work is just as important as making it. Through this thoughtful reflection you will be able to articulate the meaning and purpose of your art. Blogging about my own work was when I discovered my passion for advocating for farmers with my paintings.
Online/ Social Media
In the history of man, there has never been a better time to be a freelance artist than right now. Having the capability to showcase your artwork online and on social media makes it affordable and easy to get started. These platforms provide you with the opportunity to share your story and connect with a supportive audience. Be genuine with your approach and share your process. Not everyone is gifted with your talent of creating artwork and most people find it fascinating to watch.
Using specific hash tags on social media can also get your artwork in front of influential people such as galleries and art supply manufactures. This in turn can result in features of your artwork to a much larger audience. For example, the paint brand, Liquitex, and art surface manufacturer, Ampersand Art, has shared my work multiple times because of my use of their hash tags.
