While I was listening to a webinar on teaching data science in our schools - a speaker discussed how we need to let our students experience the "productive struggle." This is the first time that I heard the concept, and as a woman in research with advanced degrees in engineering I screamed "YES" in approval. I am new to learning how to deliver STEM education to children but I remember the times that I wanted to struggle, to wrestle with a design solution, to brainstorm, prototype, and be creative. I wanted the challenge. Instead my "teachers" said no, don't even bother, do it this way. Looking back I can see that at that moment I was lost in the joy of creation and in the following moment I was taught that I needed permission and that instead of failing I should only ever attempt "the right way."

Technology is rife with "the right way to do things." It put cracks in our confidence and it took away an opportunity for learning that I needed at that young age. I had many more experiences such as that as a female engineer, but the one thing that could never be taken away from me was my creativity.

And now, as a blossoming artist, I face the productive struggle daily. There's times where I embrace it with excitement and there are times that it feels like failure and for a brief moment, like I don't belong. Upon some reflection I realized that, of all of the disciplines, art really is the devotion to the productive struggle. If you are constantly pushing yourself and your art into the unknown or perfecting a technique by practicing over and over and over again, what is that but the productive struggle. And what gifts we receive but perseverance, flexibility, grit, and problem solving to name a few.

So here I leave you with my piece titled "Productive Struggle". It is not one of my best pieces by far. There are parts of it that I adore, the glowing blue, and bright pinks, and that rainbow section that makes me smile. It's not what I envision my final work to be, but it was a very important step to other dahlia series I made at the time. For example "My Heart Sings." The print ended up making beautiful wearable art and I especially love wearing the scarf that reminds me to keep embracing that productive struggle, to keep learning, growing, and mastering my work. I hope that it encourages you to do the same.