“Yellow” by Nathan Sawaya
I admit it. Sometimes, when my own Art frustrates me, I compare it to other artist’s work. So many artists seem so much further along than me. Their work is stronger, they are more successful, and they all seem to have better galleries. Maybe if I tried to make my work more like theirs, I too would be more successful, more saleable, and happier.
I know I am not alone in sometimes having these feelings.
Interestingly, when you are thinking in this way, it never makes you feel any better. It is almost a way of distracting yourself from doing the actual work of making your work better. It rarely helps you improve your work because you are actually not even thinking about your art. You are thinking about someone elses.
Here are several ways of thinking about your art/career so that you will feel happier.
AUTHENTICITY IS KING.
Accepting your work, no matter what stage it is in, is ultimately a reflection of your own self-acceptance. There is no single, more potent approach to making amazing work than trusting you own originality. Those who refocus their awareness more on what they are creating, instead of what everyone else is making, will generate art that is more personal, and as a result, more unique. Pay attention to what you are doing and what feels right to you. Everything you need to make amazing, breath-taking work is already within you. It is just a matter of giving it the attention and focus it needs to become visible. And that success we all imagine? Another word for that is Authenticity. They are one and the same.
DON’T SKIP STEPS.
There are many steps in the process of becoming a successful artist. Making something you genuinely like is possibly one of them. Maybe selling or giving your art to someone who recognizes your value is one too. Galleries, teaching others, breakthroughs in the middle of the night, inspirations…there are countless incremental steps that will lead you to the creative success you desire. Each successful step taken should be celebrated and savored. Each step informs the next. You wouldn’t want to miss any of them. There is a logical order to your unfolding as an artist. It is not possible, even if you could, to jump ahead to a step without taking all the previous ones. Every artist before you has taken most of them. If you are solidly in this step-by-step process then you are already being successful.
OTHER ARTISTS’ SUCCESSES ARE YOURS TOO.
We are not involved in making widgets. We are not involved in figuring out a way to perfectly repeat ourselves. We are making Art. And yes, it is harder than merely perfecting one thing, one time. Thankfully, there are other artists who have gone before, who have achieved what we too would like to achieve. Do not let the success of others limit your happiness. We need others to succeed, to confirm again and again, to demonstrate the promise that exists within us all.
Another artist’s success merely collectively adds to the inevitability of our own. We just must be willing to savor and celebrate each of the sequential natural steps in our own journeys.
These three ideas have helped me when my work isn’t going so well.
How do you think about your Art when you are struggling with it?
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14 Comments
Hi! I’m
Nicholas Wilton
the founder of Art2Life.
With over 20 years experience as a working artist and educator, I’ve developed a systematic approach that brings authenticity, spontaneity and joy back into the creative process.
Join me and artists from all over the world in our Free Art2Life Artists Facebook Group or learn more here about Art2Life.
Thank you for so perfectly saying what I’ve been trying to communicate with my many truly fine artist friends who don’t see their work in this way. Comparison to others, false competition, and failing to trust their brilliance are losing strategies. Celebrating the steps is a wonderful way to reframe some moment of frustration. Thank you.
Trust your brilliance is very good. Can I tweet that?! Love it-thanks for your comment.
So true, in the beginning as artists we look at others art . Say yes, this is my goal I want my work to
Achieve that level of success .As time goes on stepping back and creating your own process and results.
The questions begin and more questions . your article is so to the point.
Hope you are planning a book with your wonderful Blog.
Hey thanks for posting the image…is that pastel or paint? cool…
Thank you for reminding me! I am in the early stages of creating my art (photography and “some type of writing”.) Sometimes I feel like too much of an amateur to take myself seriously, and other times I see glimmers of something interesting just around the corner. Your blog is always very spot-on in what I need to hear. Thank you!
Especially in the beginning you have to keep reminding yourself of that hunch you are following.it is there alright…send something along so I can see what you are making sometime…I like the combo of writing and photography.
Thank you! I have begun organizing my photos at dklworks.weebly.com
The writing is more difficult to share (on many levels). How could I get it to you (if I’m ever brave enough to get to that point)? It’s the endings that I find most difficult in writing.
Nicholas, I just rediscovered your blog and I love what you’re doing with it! This post is particularly timely for me. Authenticity IS King! It needs to be nourished and cultivated. Thank you so much for sharing your insights with us!
Diane-welcome back! Hope your work is going super ..
Thanks Nick. Looking at others’ work – especially the well known artists – is so important and at the same time a crutch. We all imitate. But having faith in your own voice and sticking to it, no matter how tempting it is to try something that looks like someone else’s – when your own “voice” is a disappointment – now there’s the challenge. I say, keep your eye on the prize. YOU and your self expression. No matter what.
Great post Nicholas. Don’t skip steps, accept where you are in your progress and don’t compare. Thanks for sharing and reminding us of the good stuff, our authenticity and ou ability to focus on creating the work we are meant to be creating .
thanks–how is ur work coming?
Sometimes I have made something and then later realized I was channeling
someone else’s work a little…we all do influence each other.
perfect timing…this really triggered inner forgotten knowings and validates my process as finish up my 10 panels. How do you know what I need to hear?!! thanks Nick!