April 20, 2026 by Sarah Pipino (‘26)
I cannot count the number of times someone has told me, “I’m bad at art,” or “I just don’t have the time to do it like you do,” or “Not everyone was born with that talent.”
I typically write about art history, and the great artists that reshaped the world with their craft. This time, I’d like to make it a bit less of a history lesson and a bit more of a how-to guide.
Art is not one thing, constricted by rules and structures. Art is everything, everywhere. And thus, there is always a form of art that will fit you at this point in your life. Furthermore, since art is an ever-changing entity with thousands of different definitions, nobody who creates art can be written off as “bad at it.” So, with that in mind, let’s explore some of the many ways that you can incorporate art into your life!
- Traditional visual arts: When people hear art, they usually think of drawings and paintings. Because realism is treasured above all else in Western art, many people believe that if they can’t render a perfect depiction of what they’re trying to draw, then they might as well just give up. That is not true at all. This perfectionism is what brings us all as artists to the brink of giving up – you must accept that your work is never perfect. One practice that I find beneficial for letting go of the pressure of traditional drawing and painting is going to a park, finding a bench with a pretty view, and trying to draw it in black pen. I used to hate pen work because I hated not being able to redo the same lines over and over again, but now I realize how much that has helped me to draw simply for the pleasure it brings. So use your pen, make an imperfect drawing, and love it with all your heart.
- Pottery: This is perfect for those who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty, and those who like to live freely. Working with ceramics is not like most other types of art – it is messy and leaves clay under your fingernails and every time you mess something up, you can always start again. In my opinion, this is the least stressful type of art to do because mistakes are never permanent. If you want to try this out and don’t know where to start, SSHS has two semester-long courses, Ceramics 1 and 2 that are open to every student! Additionally, there are places in Saratoga where you can go to work with clay and a simple search on your phone will let you know all of them.
- Crafts: For those who don’t want to spend a ton of money on art classes or supplies, or those who are everlastingly patient, or those who are bored and want something to do instead of doomscrolling, crafts are definitely for you. My favorite places to get ideas are Pinterest and TikTok, where a simple search can get you hundreds of inspo pictures. You can refine your search by asking for easy or harder crafts which, in addition to crafts usually being made from household materials, makes this type of art incredibly accessible. I am not much of a crafts person, but I would say that my personal favorites I’ve done have been decorating an Altoid tin or making pipe cleaner flowers!
- Cake decorating: This one might be a bit niche, but as a cake decorator myself, I find so much joy and satisfaction by baking and decorating beautiful cakes, especially when they’re to celebrate someone I love! I never thought I’d pick up this hobby as a kid, but it is surprisingly easy to learn with the help of YouTube videos and hands-on practice. Not only do you get to brag about a skill that most people have never even thought to try, but you also get to eat an awesome dessert once you’re done frosting it. When you’re decorating cakes purely for the fun of it, then you get to have your cake (in skills and photos), and eat it too!
- Performing arts: In the interest of not making this article 20 pages long, I’m using this as an umbrella term for anything you could perform on a stage. That includes dancing, playing an instrument, singing, theatre, poetry, and more. Performing can be such a cathartic experience because it allows you to express emotions to their fullest extent. In all of these cases, you are usually working with other people to put on a great show, and the comfort that it brings cannot be overstated. When a bunch of people are all working together, giving 100% to dance a piece of choreography perfectly, or blend different instruments into one unified sound, magic is made.
And if none of these ideas are appealing, you don’t need to make art yourself in order to appreciate it! Check out local exhibits, follow art accounts on Instagram, critique a new movie, or go to a show of a local dance company. Art is made to be shared, and consciously choosing to experience art in your life can be gratifying. So, give one of these suggestions a try, and you just might find something you love!