Elizabeth's Artist Statement

The curtain opens for a college graduate…

Hi, my name is Elizabeth Etmanski. I am an artist with a disability and this is my proposal:

I did not know that I was going to Art School when I was younger than I am now, but I do remember that I loved art. I did it all the time. That’s all I wanted to do. I thought art was something fun, but when I got the opportunity to go to Art College it turned my life around. I became grown up, and at the same time I feel that I did something with my life. As well, I did it with my disability. Doing art with others makes me feel like the others, but I am not. I think slower than them, but in my heart I feel like the other students.

I love art and doing art with other students I accomplished something big in my life, and that is my education. My older sister got there. She is now Dr. Etmanski. I am almost there. My media is painting and drawing, like pastels, charcoal, oil and acrylic. I do art because it is my love of my life. My art is my passion, like the passion I have for living my life the way I want to live it. I’ve got to think that way because I’ve got to show my mom and dad that I can make it on my own.

I also work in an art store downtown.I love it there. Just working there is so fun. I get to sell all kinds of groovy things. Just working around the art there makes me feel good because that is what artwork does to me.

Being at Emily Carr saved my life and I turned my life around. Now that my education is over, I will keep doing my art and working hard at my job and I am hoping to go on a trip. I didn’t want my education to end but at the same time I am still working at my art. I am just thankful that I got to go to Emily Carr.

…and that is when the curtain goes down.