Facing Your Fears as an Artist


swim caps on and running for shore.

Being afraid and having fear is I think one of the worst possible things ever. Your art is something so extremely personal, that it scrapes the essence of your individuality. It is really the core of what makes you, you.

I have been showing and selling my work for nearly 7 years. I can't believe it has been 7 whole years! I am still deathly afraid, that my work is not good enough. I'm now at the point where I think maybe that fear will never go away or at least will it always be lingering around the corner. Can I dig deep enough and be brave enough to love what I make?

I have been on this amazing journey of making art and sharing it everyday. Since I had my 2nd baby back in November 2014, I wanted to have a small art challenge everyday because I felt this urge to hold on to my inner artist. I love being a wife and mother, it is one of the best experiences of my life, but I am an artist too. The inside of my heart is that I am a maker.

Realizing that I have to share my work everyday, made me realize that I have to face my fears in sharing work that wasn't perfect, isn't completed and not everyone was going to get. That it is ok to share my journey of discovery as an artist because it is always evolving. I'm proud to be an artist.

One of my biggest fears is sharing "not good enough" artwork especially on Facebook.  Why not? I love FB. I love snooping around and looking at everyone's photos and seeing what everybody is up to. What can I say? I just love being a snoop

I am completely terrified of sharing myself on FB. Terrified. I have all of my college, high school, grade school, new friends, old friends, my mother, my sisters, curators, art friends, blog friends on FB. Just thinking about updating my FB page worries me.

It's my 15 year self coming out and caring about what people think of me. I had a terrible time in high school and was not the cool kid. Now looking back I realized that I struggled with the fact that I am an artist and like to walk on a path less traveled. And that creative spirit doesn't necessarily fit into a box or have to.  I wasn't brave enough to think, learn and fall in love with art until after college.

Through my daily art challenge, it is slowly teaching me how to face my fears. My first fear was- Could I share my art everyday? Even the ugly art. Yes. Now I am choosing to face my fear and be brave enough to say I am an artist... even on Facebook.

Through my making art everyday challenge, I have realized that I am worth being creative every single day. You are worth every ounce of yourself to be a maker and creator. What ever your medium is. You are a being that is meant to create and be inspired everyday. You are worth it and you are brave and talented enough to be an artist. If you live your life for what other people think, then what kind of life is it? This is your life. This is your life. So go make something.

Follow along on Facebook.

I had my second baby in November of 2014 and I felt this over whelming need to make art.  I am painting art everyday in 2015! This is Day 147. If you want to read more about this project click here.

3 comments

Lauren said...

See? I knew I needed to read this right away and push everything else to the bottom of the to-do list! I feel much the same way about facing fears. And having fears. Do they really never go away? Darn it! ;) Sharing my work is scary. Feeling that I may never find my voice as an artist is scary. Thinking my work isn't worth hanging/selling/promoting is scary. I'm working on all of those right now. I get it with the whole FB thing, totally, and I don't even think you mentioned ex-boyfriends! Right now I'm working on getting brave enough to share, and I do feel like I'm finding my voice and learning to trust it. Next step is being brave enough to try to sell some of this stuff, and you're my inspiration. If you can face your fears everyday, I can too. XO

Micheline said...

Thanks for sharing this - so appreciated!
I am coming to terms with sharing my art as well - even the ugly stuff!

moongirl said...

This is your life. This is your life. So go make something.

Love those words. Wonderful post as I struggle every day with finding time for art and the longer I go without the harder it is to just sit down and do it.

I love your work and it amazes me every time I see the daily work you post. You do it every day. And you put it out there. And it's wonderful!