3 Real Artistic Fears.
I’ve been doing this for what seems like a long time now. And one thing I know is that people have deep-rooted fears about creating art. I know I do.
It’s a really brave thing to create art.
There are 3 real artistic fears that I know come up again and again for those thinking about diving into photo encaustics but are a little gun shy.
I’m really not an ARTIST is the one that I hear most often……I can’t draw, and I can’t paint.
My answer to that is phooey.
Now it’s true, you might not know the difference between an oil pastel and an oil stick. Or you might not be comfortable using paint brushes and palette knives. But these tools and materials aren’t what make you an artist. An artist is someone who makes art. Someone who expresses a vision. Believe me when I tell you, if you make photographs. You are an artist.
Here’s another one that comes up all the time, ‘What if I’m no good at it?” There is this little voice in most of us that is really chatty that says ’Who are you to be doing this? Who do you think you are? You shouldn’t be doing this. You are CRAZY.
I’m here to tell you that little pesky voice is always going to be with you. There are always moments when you are going to doubt yourself and say, ‘Who are you to be doing this? You shouldn’t be doing this.’
But the good news is as you learn the techniques and start to create images, as you become more proficient, that voice, that pesky voice is easily silenced. So, although it still comes up for me, I can quiet it down pretty quickly when I stand back and look at my images and the success I’ve built over the years.
And finally, some of you are going to think, but I don’t have a dedicated studio. I hate watching a video and somebody is teaching their amazing process and they want to show you how wonderful and big their studio is. You know the images…..hundreds of brushes lined up in canisters, art materials piled high, and a huge table set in front of big windows. I’ve seen this so many, many times that it makes even me feel so uncomfortable.
Indeed, who has the resources for that when just starting out? Just remember, we all have to start somewhere, and it’s usually on a much smaller scale.
If you’ve been holding back on learning this process, my online course might just be the perfect place for you to dive in. You see, not only am I here to teach you all of my tips and techniques to photo encaustic, but I’m also here to make it as easy as possible to break down these fears so you can be successful.
Does any of this resonate with you? What fears come up for you and stop you from creating?
Be well….be creative,
Let me be a cheerleader for Clare. Before taking her online course I thought all of these things about myself. Not only wasn’t I an artist, I wasn’t even a photographer! I was quite sure I would be terrible. I had no gear, no studio, no nuttin.
But I registered and bought what Clare said to buy. She takes you into the creative process gently and smoothly. And I started working. I knew I loved the look of encaustic and I wanted to try it. I also knew that I had something to create. I didn’t know what it would look like or how I would make it, but that drive was within me. I never ever saw myself as a visual artist, and yet I now have a wall of work. I even feel proud of some of it. Alright, more than half of it.
So, take Clare’s class. Working with wax is more wonderful than you can imagine.
Awwww, I love this Kathleen. Thank you for posting! I love your work. I’m so glad that you took the plunge and just started working.
This article really hit home for me. I fought this I’m not an artist thing my whole adult life. Back in the day when I went to art school, I actually studied photography. And, over the years, I’ve had so many people say something like… “That’s not art!”
I beg to differ. I have a degree from an art school, studied all the same color theory, and art history that everyone else did. Learned airbrush techniques, retouch techniques with various mediums, composition, and all of the other standard “art” classes.
Even after a wonderful career in photography, and actually winning awards, I still find that I doubt myself, and I hear that little voice say… Yes, but that wasn’t art. And the same little voice keeps questioning my ability to do encaustic.
The other day I was showing some of my new pieces to a couple of people. One made a comment about when was I going to start showing my work and selling? That little voice burst forth with, ” oh, I’m not that kind of artist!” And my friend replied, well what kind are you?
I guess I’m still the kind that listens to the negative self-talk. The kind that needs to benefit from Clare’s article! Thanks Clare for sharing.
I still struggle with it all the time Michael…..let’s have a pint of Guinness over it in Ireland and hash through how we can change some of that negative self-talk!