First things first, I should start off with an introduction. So...my name is Joetta Triplett, I am 12 years old and I’m a 7th grade girl who attends Roosevelt Middle School of the Arts in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. My school is a Turnaround Arts school! Because you're reading this it’s probably obvious I’m blogging for Americans for the Arts for Arts in Education Week!

To get me started writing, I asked my brother a question: “What is art to you?” He gave me a very simple answer: “An artist.” And he explained that an artist is someone who is very good at drawing. I asked myself the same question and I won’t lie to you, my answer was also simple. But the explanation, not so much. My answer is CREATIVITY. My explanation: There wouldn’t be anything to do on earth without creativity! For example, a phone. The creativity is in all the technology put into the phone to make it what it is. You can be talking to someone all the way in Canada while still in the United States! C’mon, we all know that’s creative. Don’t deny it!

The arts and creativity can take on many different forms and be important to everyone in different ways. Most people don’t even realize that art and creativity are everywhere and can come in so many forms. Examples can be music, arts-integrated learning, drama, singing, instruments, and dancing. That’s just 6 examples. If art and creativity are everywhere and in everything just imagine how many more examples there are!

I personally have a true passion for music because it calms me. It motivates me. It helps me. And I see ways it can help others. One day I went to the library to pick up something to practice Spanish. But I got books. My brother and sister wanted to practice also but had a hard time practicing with just books. So the next day I went back to the library again and got Spanish in music form. I noticed it was easier for them to practice. They memorized some of the songs and could sing them without the CD. Music helped them learn!

The point I’m trying to make is, people can encounter art in so many different places and understand it in so many different ways. Everyday things can be put in a category with art. Something you were just doing 5 minutes age was probably art! Art has so much life to it. Just because you notice illegal graffiti on a side of a building doesn’t mean it’s not art. Art can be everywhere and everything. Where did you last encounter art?