Osman Ahmed Column: 'Art like everything in life is not perfect'

When I’m running an art session; I will often ask students to not use a rubber. It invariably has a response of “what!” I am passionate about teaching progression and layers within art as well as creating art that has meaning and reflects your identity. For me, if we think of every little imperfection as a mistake; you quickly start to tear apart confidence and direction. Some might say this is too far-fetched but add up every little one of those instances and you quickly build up a pattern and learnt behaviour. The younger students may not like to draw lightly or plan their art and we can go into art skills separately but knowing how to deal with the situation is more important than enforcing a method. When you are sketching or experimenting; there is a very low probability that the result will be “perfect". Art like everything in life and I mean everything; is not perfect. Therefore stop trying to see a mistake as an imperfection. Instead, embrace it and learn from it. Transform that mark or that situation or experience, event, or relationship, into what you actually want it to mean or become. The answers you are looking for are there and perhaps yet to be found.

When you start to make changes that actually matter to you; the way you want things to be, I am fairly confident that you will see a positive change. November has a focus on men’s mental health as well as remembrance. For all the inequalities and prejudices and “unfair” things people talk about; I wanted to refer back to my view that each and every one of us matters. We want equality and yet in truth; we are not and never will be equal. We are unique and we should be proud of it and embrace who we are. Be or become who you want to be. Look forward but do not forget the past.