Artwork by Luca Mulligan
When I was five years old, my first ambition was to become a painter. As I grew older, my interests shifted, but they were always art-related, whether I wanted to be an art teacher, a comic artist, or an illustrator, for example. I had my first opportunity to learn to paint when I was in second grade, but it was unfortunately cancelled after two sessions due to low enrollment.
My second artistic opportunity came in the ninth grade. I was overjoyed at first, but quickly became disappointed. The teacher only showed me how to trace and provided no traditional skill training. My parents were unable to afford the class fees, and I was once again forced to leave. …