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There is a challenge in bringing your "heart work", the creative work that comes from a very deep place in you, out into the world.
There is an inner voice that is very judgmental and says, "it is arrogant to want to be seen, it is selfish to want notoriety and appreciation for your work, it is arrogant to think that your work is worth that and you are trying to take up too much space." Yikes! So painful and destructive! OK, I get it that you want to be conscientious and not be a hog or arrogant. This is good. Don't block others or be so self-focused that you are not appreciating the gifts of others. But let me say something radical here: It is a disservice to not to put your work out. It is a disservice to you and it is a disservice to me. This is the thing, as humans we are collective creatures, we learn from each other. It is how our cultures are resilient. Each person has a particular perspective and way of thinking, and a particular set of gifts, and we need all of it in order to continue to grow and develop. If you have been making art and having a hard time getting it out and some of it you like a lot, it is time to get it out! Don't worry about liking all of it. If you are reaching and growing as an artist, you need to be making some crap - it is part of the process of discovery. Show the work that you are proud of. If you are making art from the heart, following what is compelling and allowing yourself to work at the edge of discomfort and the edge of understanding, this is very vulnerable work. And it is the most important work for us to see. As a culture we need that work. That voice that says don't be arrogant or a hog of space is not trying to hurt you! It is trying to protect you, but its technique is not working in your favor any more. As collective creatures we need to belong- it is a basic human need. That inner voice is trying to keep you from saying or doing anything that will cause you to be ostricized; judged and excluded from the community. So don't try to shove that side of you away. Instead turn to it and thank it for all the effort in protecting you. Let it know that you have done the work of developing really solid work and that you are not going to be ostracized. You are going to be OK and you want it to stay with you. There are people who need your work! I would love to hear from you! Warmly, Val
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No really- what does it mean to you?
The reason I ask is that I think many artists and creatives are not even aware that they are holding an image of success as a standard that only makes them feel bad and is not anywhere close to what they really want in life. What if you defined your own sense of success based on your own values and desires? You might feel a weight lifted and a sense of possibility and hope come creaping in! Success might be more attainable if you really look at what matters to you and don't get lost in what you think it is supposed to be. Today these are the things that I am thinking about that define success for me:
I would love to know what success looks like for you when you base it on your true values. Please comment below!
Can I interview you? It would be so helpful for me to hear what is going on for you so I can understand how to be of better service to artists and creatives and I would be happy to offer a coaching session in exchange. For more information CLICK HERE. What if getting your artwork out into the world does not have to be so painful?
What if in fact it was a joyous act. I know, I know it seems a little nuts. For many of us artists, it is just so confusing about why it is so difficult. I have been working on this issue and I'm excited to be working with artists and also leading a group of artists and creatives in dealing with this issue. I just want to plant a seed about this. This is the thought: if you are making art that is in alignment with your purpose, values, strengths, and your temperament and you are putting it out there in a way that is also in alignment with your purpose values, strengths and your temperament, then there is flow. You can have ease in this process. There isn't all that friction of feeling like you are off from yourself. I believe so strongly in the value of your artwork getting out into into the world. If you are someone who makes work from your heart, from your depths, your sense of discovery and process and unknown, it's so important to get this out in the world and I have been working on "what would it take to get the work out there?" It's about getting in alignment, setting up structures, understanding about connection and the exchange. I welcome you to join me here more and follow my videos. If you'd like to talk about the group. I'm doing interviews right now to understand what people are going through.
 I dropped "Persephone's Dream: A Prayer for Peace" off at Parkhill Orchard the other day. What a pleasure! Russell met me and gave me a golf cart tour of the place, (including drive by berry sampling- Yumm! I'm going to the market today to get some of those berries!), and showed me where all the sites where new pieces are going to be installed- including my own. And then we looked at the stones he had to mount her on. She is going to look great. The picture here is trying out one of the the stones, but not in its real location. I have an admission to make. I have a history of having a fear of galleries- a fear of approaching them- like they are the big bad wolf for artists. I tell you this in the off chance that you know someone who has had a similar fear. Because it has become abundantly clear to me, with experiences like meeting Russell, that my fear was ill founded, and maybe yours, or your friend's is too.  You dream up a creative project that feels right on, and gives you a lot of joy to imagine it, but it never really gets off the ground. In fact after dreaming of it for so long, not only does it lose its joy, but it can actually begin to be a drain on your confidence!
I have so been there, and it is painful! The thing is that you are an adult and you have a ton on your plate. It is really hard to prioritize a creative project when you need to pay the bills, tend to the kids, get the car fixed, buy groceries, and have some sort of a social life. Not being able to get past that first hurdle of getting the project firmly in the line-up of priorities can be what keeps a person from doing their creative work for years and years, and this is a travesty. The world needs your creative work! If you have a creative itch it is because it needs to be expressed and if you need to express it there are others out there who need to be able to connect with it! It is part of the collaborative project of our human culture- we are all in it together and we need each other’s wisdom, questions and creativity. I believe firmly that each of us has something very particular to offer the world and it is our job to do it. And it is not always easy to know what that thing is and to find the energy to make it happen. |
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