James Evertsen BFA: Essay

James Evertsen
Art Education Emphasis


        As an artist, I began my college career with the desire to improve my talents and find my artistic calling in life.  I have found that I may not have one specific form of artistry that calls to me, but I have discovered when I am put in a situation of sharing my art techniques and skills by helping others that I am happiest.  Encouraging others to pursue their own artistic goals may just be that artistic calling that I have been searching for.  During my schooling I’ve been encouraged and inspired while creating my own pieces of art, and I look forward to continuing to find various forms of inspiration as I prepare to inspire others.

 I have found inspiration and influence that I can pull into my art pieces from everything that I surround myself with.  My family life is a huge encouragement and influence for many of my art pieces.  I have everything I need when I’m with them.  My sons open my eye’s to life through their many first experiences and interactions with one another as well as with their parents. I have found inspiration from that first moment of my wife becoming a mother and holding our newborn, to our sons showing compassion and love for one another. I attempted to recreate their innocence and sincerity with my sculpture “Brotherly Love”. It may not be my most perfect work as it was one of my first attempts at a sculpture using the specific medium of wire, but I loved where the inspiration to create it came from.

 I have also found inspiration in the simplicity of using one color in a variety of shades such as my still life of the beach ball, as well as combining multiple colors to create a more vibrant piece. I found I was able to capture the joy of life found only through a child’s eye when using multiple colors in my acrylic painting “First Experience”.  I also used color as an inspiration for my alphabet. I was to create a font using the words musical and messy.  I remember wanting a way to represent a sound wave and was inspired to use a rainbow of color in order to do this.

 Many artists find they are influenced by other talented and creative artists, but I have found I have the most appreciation for and have been most inspired by my instructors. Many of them have encouraged me to try new things or focus my talents on expanding and perfecting a specific skill such as with my Print making pieces.  After being assigned to create a hybrid piece, in which I came up with the “EleKat”, I was inspired by my instructor to continue etching animals that are on the verge of extinction.  I then created “Broken Circle”, with the intent of leaving it disconnected to represent the broken circle of life as these creatures become extinct.  Little did I know that the first printmaking piece I made, called “Cycle”, would also be an inspiration in making this piece as it relates to life and death.

I have had varying forms of influences for my art pieces throughout the years.  The majority of these have come from my family and instructors, but I have also found a lot of inspiration by experimenting with color.  I will continue to open myself up to influences and inspirations all throughout my life.  I am excited to hopefully one day become an influence to others by becoming an art educator.  My hopes of this program are to gain the confidence and skills I need to pursue a career in the field I love.