Charcoal Tree was one of those pieces I created on a whim and just really loved at the end of the day. I remember tat this point in my life, I was still a studio art major, and most of my focus was centered on a lot of mixed media work.

Part of the reason I switched to a graphic design major was because I was tired of feeling stressed out with mixed media. I was still figuring myself out, as well as my art style, and I just felt so lost for some reason with my studio art major. I didn’t know if I saw a future career. I was in a dark place, and didn’t believe I had the talents and skills necessary to find a career or even myself in studio art.

Unfortunately, that low self esteem manifested in my work, and I found it difficult to enjoy the end result of many of the pieces I created as a studio art major. They were all too rushed, and they didn’t feel like they represented me or my style. Nothing felt quite right with my work for a while.

Charcoal Tree was one of the few pieces that I felt proud of during this time of my life. I didn’t overthink it like everything else. I just remember thinking that I wanted to make a tree. Charcoal was a new medium for me, but I liked the way you could smudge it around. It didn’t feel so permanent.

It’s a simple piece, but I’m proud of it. It felt like a reminder to myself to not give up on myself or my work. I had time to figure myself out, as well as my art style.

I don’t regret changing my major from studio art to graphic design in the end. I still would love to create and improve with different mediums outside of the digital world, but I think it might be a better idea to do that on my own time. I’m proud of my growth in graphic design, and I see a future worth exploring both on a personal and career level.