Feb. 24, 2010
By Michelle Turli, Penn State Athletic Communication Student Assistant
Melissa Klein is both an athlete and an artist. While she loves to draw with ballpoint pen, perhaps more intriguing are the correlations she draws between art, gymnastics and life.
"Life is a continuum and I don't think I should split myself up as a gymnast or an artist," said Klein. "I am Melissa--I am a human being--and all of these things contribute to my complete experience and who I am."
Klein, a junior gymnast who excels on the beam, vault and floor, is an honors student through the fine arts program at Penn State. Through a variety of arts classes, whether focused on technical drawing or art theory, Klein is able to explore and express herself.
"There is a big focus on imagination and these classes want you to think," said Klein. "Art is based on confusion--you have to be confused about what you are doing and then your work allows you to sort through that confusion."
Klein has engaged in art since preschool and been passionate about it ever since.
"My mom said when I was little she could leave me with art supplies and count on me being content by myself for hours," said Klein.
She also reflects back on flipping off the furniture as a child, ultimately pointing her in the direction of gymnastics.
Klein's mental state while engaging in art is similar to her mindset while practicing gymnastics.
"The state I am in with art has to do with being connected to what I am doing and being totally in the present moment," said Klein. "This is the same for gymnastics in that the idea is to train your mind and body to be completely in the present moment, without worrying about the outcome."
Klein expands on this idea by discussing how her coaches give her cues to help her accomplish this. Gymnastics is about performing in the moment, as worrying about the evaluation can affect the performance. In both art and gymnastics, it is important to let go of outcomes and expectations and focus on the present in order to achieve better results, according to Klein.
"If I think too hard about my art and get stressed out about the outcome, I can't make it," said Klein. "But, if I just let it flow, my art always comes out much better."
In order to be selected for the prestigious fine arts program, Klein had to submit a portfolio of art for numerous professors to evaluate.
Klein's favorite part about the fine arts program is her close relationship with the professors, as each professor works to help the students achieve their personal goals.
"There is no space between teachers and students," said Klein. "We are just people who they want to help and we both learn from each other."
Though Klein is unsure of what she wants to do in the future, she knows what she is interested in and focuses on classes that intrigue her.
Her main focus is consciousness, spirituality and art, and how all of these aspects intertwine. The fine arts program has given Klein the resources she needs to make the artwork she has always envisioned.
"Melissa is an amazing artist who has intellectual curiosity, the central requirement for an artist," said professor Helen O'Leary. "She observes our world carefully and has the heart of a poet."
Aside from art, Klein enjoys music and writing. She plays the flute and understands that all of these are similar means of expression in different forms.
Though Klein pays particular attention to the way art influences her view of gymnastics, she also notes how gymnastics has a similar effect on her art.
"Gymnastics has taught me discipline and focus," said Klein. "In both gymnastics and art, you must learn patience."
Through Klein's love for art, she has learned that great things can't be forced.
"Ideas have to be seeds in your mind that gestate for a long time," said Klein. "If you are into patient and do not respect the things you make, you will never really get to the place you are going."
She notes that sometimes she understands her art better once it is complete.
"Things aren't logical--there is no cause and effect," said Klein. "Art is non-linear and works in mysterious ways that may not make sense until later."
In terms of balancing her life as a student and an athlete, Klein understands that it is important to take care of her body and health to maintain happiness and create her best art.
"Right now, I am a Penn State student-athlete," said Klein. "While my priorities are school and learning, I need to also recognize that I am involved in gymnastics which requires extreme body-maintenance."
Klein discusses her art class on healing on the quantum level, which focuses on how art is related to certain concepts of religion and spirituality.
"We talk about how the world isn't actually finite and how at the tiny quantum level, particles don't act like you think they would," said Klein.
She relates this to life and how people are so attached to how they think things should be instead of living in the moment and seeing them as they truly are. She notes that it is important to be more open to understanding that things are not always under control and to be more aware and conscious of how the world really works.
"Melissa defies conventions, makes things with invention, knows her history and is really grounded and ambitious as a person," said O'Leary. "Her acute intelligence, her diligence, focus, sensitivity of hand, makes her one of the top students I have had the pleasure to know at PSU."
Klein draws correlations between her love for art, passion gymnastics and her vigor for life. She understands that some things can't be separated and are perhaps better when viewed together as a whole.
"There is a lot we miss by looking at the world in such a narrow view," said Klein. "If you let go a little bit and start to see everything going on around you, you realize that each moment is really precious. There is really a lot to the world."