Inside Perspective – Making Art… Even If It Sucks

Sarah Holub Schrom.

I was raised in Loudonville, NY and am an alumna of Russell Sage College and Hudson Valley Community College. I’m a former osteopathic medical student who returned to the passion of my youth, my art and my music, when health issues forced my withdrawal from medical school.

I’m an avid composer of Contemporary/New Age piano music. I recorded my first EP, Emergence, in June 2015 at Imaginary Road Studios. I’m currently working with Grammy Award winning musician and producer, Will Ackerman, on my first full length album, Awake.

Make art even if it sucks. That’s right, I said it…make shitty art. Why you may ask? Because research has shown multiple health benefits from creating art including a reduction in stress and anxiety, a decrease in negative emotions and increase in positive ones, and a reduction in depression.

I first coined the phrase, “Make art even if it sucks”, during an inpatient stay for my bipolar disorder. I was constantly working on art and sharing my art supplies with the other patients. Many people didn’t want to create art because they were self-conscious about their drawing skills. It was this response that inspired me to come up with the saying about making art even if it sucked.

I did inspire several people to start creating art, which was wonderful for me to see. It was this experience that helped me really see what a powerful therapeutic benefit art affords its creator. I am proud to say that the inpatient unit also realized the same thing. They decided to start offering art groups because their interaction with me and my art.

Even though I am an artist, I still make my fair share of shitty art. My shitty art is still very therapeutic and helps me manage my bipolar disorder and anxiety. I notice an increase in my symptoms when I don’t work on my art.  I go nuts if I am not creating art. I literally need the catharsis of making art to keep myself balanced and sane.

Above and beyond the health benefits of art, art makes the world a more beautiful place and helps to nurture imagination and creativity. So, re-awaken your inner child and make some shitty art. You will thank me for it…

Sarah Holub Schrom’s artwork has been featured at the Fence Select Show, Albany Barn, BUILT, The University Club, Art de Cure, Stockade Station, Upstate Artist’s Guild, Proctor’s, and she also painted one of the street pianos for Play Me, I’m Yours through Albany’s Sculpture in the Streets.

She also enjoys writing poetry and short fiction in her spare time as well. She currently resides in beautiful Hoosick Falls, N.Y. in a magical little house.