I hope that by expressing myself through art, that other people will want to try expressing themselves in creative ways as well. I’m thinking particularly of my children, but it goes for everyone.
Art can be intimidating. I think this is because we have expectations for the work. We judge whether it is good enough. Is it good enough to show to someone else? Is it good enough to hang in a public show?
I hear people talk about staring at a blank page, and the difficulty getting started. That blank page could be a sheet of drawing paper, a blank canvas on an easel, or a blank page in a writing notebook.
I’ve often heard people say “I can’t draw a straight line.” Of course you can’t. You use a straightedge for that. Straight lines and circles are hard to draw. Don’t judge your art based on that.
I sometimes watch an abstract painter on YouTube, and she always begins by making marks all over a blank canvas. She has a box of various mark making tools – pencils, crayons, charcoal. She gets her body moving and puts something on that surface. These are marks that won’t be seen in the finished piece.
Writing was more intimidating, I think, when we used typewriters. Now, you can start writing anything to get your juices flowing, and it’s simple to delete whatever you don’t want to keep.
Creative expression doesn’t have to be for public consumption. You can benefit in many ways by drawing, painting or writing even if no one else ever sees it. You will make discoveries, not only about how to use your chosen medium, but also about your inner truth and the symbols that will form your visual language and artistic style.
I find that when I stop worrying or trying to appeal to someone else, when I find meaning in an image myself, and the story behind it, I create my most satisfying work.
We tend to judge ourselves the same way. We wonder if we’re good enough, or what people think of us. You are good enough. You are enough, exactly as you are. And you are a treasure trove. All you have to do is let go of the expectations and begin to explore inside yourself. Besides, I’ll let you in on a secret… people aren’t thinking anything about you. Everyone is busy being concerned about themselves. If someone criticizes you, understand that they are actually criticizing themself. Their own self esteem is low, and they haven’t taken the time to understand. It’s easier for them to pick on someone else than to face their own issues.
I recently read an autobiography that I wrote almost thirty years ago. Throughout the first half of my life, I hated everything I did, and everywhere I went. It took me a long time to love myself and begin to understand what was important to me.