The world we live in is constantly moving forward with its technological advances, and while they may seem incredible, an important concept keeps getting left in the dust: visual arts. While it may seem to be a minor issue, the amount of disrespect the art community receives is absolutely appalling.

Art used to be something that was once cherished, something that was deemed intricate and respectable. The sheer amount of time, determination and love that goes into an artist’s work is immense, something viewers can never truly understand. Now, art is taken for granted, stolen, and stepped upon.

To start, the term “starving artists” is a very accurate word to describe the majority of the artist community these days, compared to the times where artists were seen in a positive light. Many find themselves having to part from their passion to seek a “better job” in order to just put food on the table. They abandon their skill and learn to only use it as a “backup plan” when times get tough.

It’s not just food people refer to with the word “starving.” It’s mainly recognition. Artists strive to put their work out into the world as soon as it’s finished, hoping to gain credit, acknowledgment, and — more importantly — criticism in order to improve their work. The lack of exposure is incredibly pathetic.

Something people seem to complain about is the fact that many artists these days have gone into digital art, which is basically when an artist creates pieces through their computer. Those who don’t know how the process works see this as “cheating,” when really it allows an artist to branch out and explore farther than ever before. Digital art is done through a tablet that simulates paper and a tablet pen that simulates a pencil. The friction between the tablet and pen is then displayed on the computer screen in whatever brush, texture, and color the artist chooses.

As time goes on, no matter how advanced we as humans get, we should never let something as unique as art go to waste. Encourage your fellow artists to keep striving forward and practice, allow beginners to branch out and explore and perhaps let yourself doodle a bit here and there.