How many of us were/are in the Arts in school?

[Ravensong]

I'm just curious.... How many of us were drawn to/participated in the Arts in some form in school?  I would make sense that a lot of us would be, as it is a great way to release the pressure/frustration/emotion/what have you from inside and stay sane.  I know for me, if it wasn't for my music department, I wouldn't be alive today; I'd be just another suicide statistic.  I also think many would be drawn to theater, as we are already quality actors/actresses, just from pretending we are who we're not (whether we know it or not at that point).

For me, it was Band, Choir, and Theater, all three (we didn't have an orchestra or I would've been in that too).

[KaylaMadison]

I played percussion in Band, was in the International Thespian Society, Art Club, and played cello in the orchestra. Probably the only reason I'm still here today was the creative outlets i was able to find and enjoy.

[katiej]

I sang in choir all through high school and did musical theater as well.  I learned to play several instruments during my teenage years and even played bass guitar professionally for quite a few years after college.  So yeah, the arts are in my blood.

I really wanted to be better at sports and be a jock...I just wasn't.

[Nicole]

I did 5 years of photography studies, the last 2 were part time while I was working in he field

[Madeline182]

Music major over here ^_^
Trombone and baritone were my two main squeezes
I always loved how gender was irrelevant to the creation
of beautiful sounds on an instrument. 

[ImagineKate]

Choir in primary school and that was it. I was pretty good too

[EmmaMcAllister]

I graduated from Graphic Design, top of my class. I later taught in the same program for 2 years.

[Kaylin Kumiho]

My first year of college I was an art major aiming for a degree in video game design... but I was awful at drawing so I changed to anthropology/sociology and got my minor in English.

I still do a ton of writing though.

[QuestioningEverything]

I was in theater for a few years in high school mostly did backstage work since being dyslexic got in the way of acting and reading scripts. I had to stop theater because of family health issues . about 5 years ago I started taking dance classes pretty much any and all kinds of dance which i also stopped about 2 years ago once my life and self image started spiraling out of control. I really miss it and want to get back into the performing arts at some point but I feel like I should probably figure out my gender issues before i start up again...

[Wynternight]

Drama club, art classes, and a lot of writing. Depression has killed my interest in all save writing and even that is sparse. I'm hoping HRT helps me derive some pleasure from things again.

[Lauren1]

I was not involved in arts at all, and haven't been since 10th grade of high school.

Somehow I wound up with two masters degrees in engineering and business. Engineering is a creative side, but I wound up in analysis rather than design

[Ravensong]

I was not involved in arts at all, and haven't been since 10th grade of high school.

Somehow I wound up with two masters degrees in engineering and business. Engineering is a creative side, but I wound up in analysis rather than design

So what were you involved in before? and was it voluntary or school required?  Would you rather be in/trained for design? or is that the path that you picked?

Music major over here ^_^
Trombone and baritone were my two main squeezes
I always loved how gender was irrelevant to the creation
of beautiful sounds on an instrument. 

  Sweet!  Euphonium is my primary instrument, followed by tuba, trombone, tympani, aux percussion, horn, and then trumpet. 

[Lauren1]

So what were you involved in before? and was it voluntary or school required?  Would you rather be in/trained for design? or is that the path that you picked?

Throughout college I got to work on projects and internship jobs where I was designing really awesome things. People were actually envious of my jobs back then. But I moved into this job for long term stability very voluntarily (misguided maybe). Less fun, can't even leave the work at work most days. Analysis is one aspect of design certainly, but its not the creative imaginative side I really do yearn for.

[Serenahikaru]

I've done art every year in high school and after I graduate I'm going for art and design. I've also attempted voice acting.

[Emjay]

I was heavily into visual arts and music in high school, went to college as a fine arts major in ceramics.  I played guitar in several bands back in the day (i was and still am kind of a metal head)....  I'm just now getting back into playing again the last few years and have started back to school seeking a degree in visual communications...  I'm hoping to jump from manufacturing to web design some day. 

[Lady_Oracle]

I had a really tough time trying to be a part of the art programs my schools offered cause of my crippling depression and dysphoria throughout those years. I was in band in middle school but that quickly went to crap as soon as puberty hit. Coincidentally I caught the guitar bug around the same time I started my transition and been playing everyday since, which has also been my lifesaver.

[Alesium]

Hello, fellow Noncomformants.

I was in a small choir by my uni.  It was the "amateur" choir that anyone could join.  Can you sing melody?  Can you read music?  If not, this choir'll get you fixed up real nice.  I really, really, really miss singing in that choir, but I was bass!  I'm hoping that when I'm done with voice changing techniques I'll be able to sing alto (which is very, very similar to bass).  I always sat beside the altos in practice and helped them out, so I'm familiar with that style.  Plus, almost every alto is skiddish - I'd be proud to sing that part!  Most alto sections in choirs need more volume and sound (probably because most alto parts in music are dull, repetitive, and boring to sing).

I also do a heavy amount of graphic design.  I mesh around (hehe) quite a bit with Blender, making 3D models that I use for a business I run in Second Life.

Toodles from TN,
Ales the (Hopefully) Alto

[Jayde70]

Loved art class it was favored classes so visual you can express your imagination all the pretty colors and shade and you can scotch your self the way you want to be

[Michelle G]

In high school I took photography, ceramics, school newspaper, welding, and I took pretty much all of the "out and about" candid shots for the yearbook in the "annual staff" class, that was a fantastic way to get out of classes and have fun being creative with full access to school events

I am a successful professional artist with customers all over the country now, my artistic touch is 100% the real me! I love that

[Sammy]

I spent 6 years playing piano - loved it and hated it at the same time. Loved, because it really helped to express emotions in very subtle yet convincing way. Hated, because I got picked out and bullied at school a lot because of being that "pianist boy". I graduated music school with grades which gave me an option to switch to music-oriented highschool without passing exam and afterwards it was then road to the State Conservatorium... Most of my childhood coursemates and friends (girls mostly) went that route and studied and concerted in European conservatoriums.
I discontinued, spent more than decade in martial arts and weightlifting, and nobody ever tried to bully me anymore in my life. But it did not really provide that sort of internal satisfaction as performing Mozart, Bach, Liszt, Shopen and others... Dont get me wrong, there are no regrets and I can still and love to play and improvise a bit, but... I wonder if life would have been different had I decided to pursue that road .