Telling Yourself Stories to Win
Lately I keep running into “former” and “future” artists. Their stories are diverse, but these former artists have all given up their practice because they didn’t make a profit. I had a chat with a white guy in his 40s getting his MFA in Design because there’s just “no mural work for white men.” I ran into a successful marketing consultant who gave up painting portraits because “we all know artists aren’t sales people.” After these interactions, something felt just a little bit off. I wanted to empathize. I wanted to acknowledge their struggles. But, I found it all a little hard to believe. Same for the people who have plan to make art when (fill in the blank). When they’re done paying their kids’ college tuition. When they are empty-nesters. When they have more space. When they think they can actually get a grant. When they retire.
I don’t mean to sound judgmental. I’ve only been thinking about this because the scared critic in me is wondering if maybe they’re right. But, I get the sense that they’re telling themselves things that seem true on the surface, but are deeply untrue. Art is a tough practice. It’s vulnerable. It takes a massive amount of discipline. And no, the sales piece isn’t obvious. Your work has to have a message. And the message has to have an audience. That’s why I’m so fortunate to have you, reader.
Since you’re here, I want to make sure that you’re not one of these former/future people I keep bumping into. Even if you’re not the least bit interested in making art, I need to be sure that you’re not telling yourself stories that are keeping you from expressing yourself or keeping you from pursuing your passion. These stories always have some truth in them. That’s what makes them so damn dangerous. But, that doesn’t mean that they can’t be changed and that you can’t create a little more room in your life for what you want- and need- now.
We choose what we believe. That’s the energy behind my work these days, anyway. Check out the piece above entitled New Vision. To me, this piece means to me that I can choose to think differently. I can choose to look at things in new ways and use those new beliefs to inspire and inform what I do next. It means that when so many aspects of our lives seem far out of our control, we can be in control of what we think and believe, and that often makes all the difference in what I choose to do next. Does any of this resonate with you? Send me an email or DM me. Tell me why or why not. I’d love to know what you think.
Wishing you were painting or working in another medium, but not able to make that fit with your current life? Let’s chat. I’ve been there, but I didn’t stay there. And I sure as hell don’t want you to either. I bet I could help you find your voice, or at least a set of beliefs that had you feeling more powerful.
Be the creative force in your life. If you’re not sure how, let me help you. Until then, let the words in this post percolate a bit.