Oct 28, 2021 Katelyn Rodriguez
Will I ever be able to “make it” as an artist? Will people see me as a fraud? When I was a young girl, and throughout my young adulthood, these were the recurring questions that rustled around in the back of my mind and settled themselves like a fungus woven through my subconscious. Were my love for art and my passion for crafting beautiful things worth owning? Maybe it was because at a young age I didn’t know any creatives with successful careers, or maybe it was because of whispers in my ear of the inevitable challenges of pursuing the arts—either way, I grew up dismissing this innate bent of mine as a trivial hobby to be enjoyed. Yet I couldn’t escape the fact that something just “felt right” when I was in my creative space.
I have since discovered that to be an artist, designer, creative—whatever you call yourself—takes a certain amount of reckless faith, a resilient hope that with hard work and persistence you will pave your own way.
As I sit here now, having worked my way into a fulfilling career, if I could share anything with that young girl of my past who was so unsure of her future, I would simply let her know this: You are strong, you are worthy, your true self has value—and your resilience will pay off.
VISUAL ESSAY CO-WINNER
Symbolism Index
- Gladiolus: Strength of character; honor and conviction.
- Marigolds: Known as the “herb of the sun,” marigolds symbolize passion and creativity.
- Magnolias: They are not delicate flowers, even though they may seem like they are.
- Dandelion: Surviving through all challenges and difficulties. Life is both tenacious and delicate, and we have only one chance to make the most of it, so let’s hope fervently and dream big.
- Fungus: A place of chaos, of transformation, and often of ancestors; tied to rebirth and the recycling of everything that has died.
- Cocoon and butterfly: Metamorphosis into true self.
This visual essay is a co-winner of our 2021 employee writing contest and appears in our book, Aren’t We Lucky? Stories of Resilience from the Inkhouse Community. Download your copy here.
