A Diverse Art
An expression is done in many ways, and for each person, they may choose their own varied form. Some choose it as a hobby while others opt for doing it full time. Rae Daugherty is one of those talented individuals who has focused her life around art. Her specialty of choice is anime, which is characterized by colorful graphics, vibrant characters, and fantastic themes.
“My specialty is widened every day,” Daugherty said. “From drawing in pencil and ink/markers, graphite, painting, photography and digital arts, even a little bit of writing. I’m always doing something new, but I will always draw anime no matter what. I love drawing anime and even more so when I’m creating my own characters.”
She began her journey almost 20 years ago. “I’ve been painting for almost two years, photographing and writing two to three years, give or take and digital art two years.”
She didn’t really fall under any direction with her exploration of art. The craft came naturally to her. Once the writing piece touched that first piece of paper, she knew there was no turning back. “I am self-taught, so I’ve been drawing my whole life. But I think what gave me the right nudge towards art started when I saw my first episodes of the animes Dragonball Z & Sailor Moon. After that, I was like, “yes! that’s what I want to draw” and what I drew first was my very own Original Character or “OC” for short, and over time I’ve gotten better and even found my own favorite style of anime. Even though I’ve been doing other art media forms, I will always have a hand in the world of anime.”
Creative outlets are common knowledge to most. For these people, they cannot live without their favorite past times. She added, “It’s not so much why I draw, but that I have to. Drawing is like breathing, I have to draw, whether it’s something goofy or a rough sketch, to my more complex drawings. So for me, drawing is on a need to basis, it is not a switch you can turn on and off.”
There are pros and cons, however. Not all days are the same when it comes to art. It is important to find that fine balance between the real world and the world of art.
She said, “Pros: I can express myself in so many ways with art, more than I ever could using just words. Artists put every emotion you can think of into every piece of art, and I am a firm believer in that. Cons: It’s hard to make a living as an artist. Not everyone wants to buy from artists, even after they pour their hearts and time into. It’s also not easy to deal with the critics. Especially the more persistent ones who are always pushing your buttons. Nothing you draw/paint/etc. is ever good enough for them and that can hurt. All you can do though is ignore and just keep doing what you love.”
The market for art and culture is very diverse and it is constantly evolving. An estimated $150 billion is spent on art and cultural goods in the United States. Federal arts and cultural spending were about $1.94 billion in 2013. Organizations that profit from that spending includes art museums. This puts together exhibitions that attract more than 30 million visitors per year. Hence, the possibilities are endless for artists if they just believe. The drawback though is that not all make it to that level.
“A dying trade, would be an understatement, and what’s falling faster than a sack of bricks is “Traditional” art,” she explained. “Hardly anyone draws/paints by hand anymore. It’s all “Digital”. Yes, I do some digital art too, I’m not against it, but I would love to see more artists drawing/painting with their hands on paper/canvas, not just on a computer screen.”
Daugherty’s art can be found at the Butler County Arts Guild building in Morgantown. She hopes to have more pieces on display at the Butler County Public Library soon.
To find out more about the additional talent found in Butler County, visit the Butler County Arts Guild Facebook page. There is something for everyone to enjoy.
