The Process of Becoming Yourself
What do you do when your friends and/or family don't appreciate your art? How do you call yourself an artist if others don't think of you that way?
I often hear from artists whose loved ones are not supportive and I know how crippling it can be. Last year I had the opportunity to chat to abstract painter Nicholas Wilton about this and I absolutely loved his answer.
"The process of making your work actually bolsters your momentum ...it carries you along. The work is the thing that creates you. Art-making is the practice of becoming your authentic self. Sure there might be people out there who are going to say you shouldn't be doing that... but that's just so unrelated to what we're talking about. There are small people in the world, but we're talking about something very, very important. It's about finding out who you are in the world and contributing something ... This is your life's work! This is you! You only do this once, and in a hundred years we'll all be dead anyway. So, "oh well, my brother-in-law doesn't think I'm an artist" ... that's so small compared to the task at hand."
YES!
We spend all this time worrying about what someone else thinks instead of focusing on what we think, where we're going, what we're interested in.
I think it's particularly stressful when our spouse or partner doesn't get our art - because we can let it feel like that means they don't care about us. But that is simply not true. It just means that you are on a journey of your own to a place he or she can't understand. And if you are becoming your authentic self - how could they understand? Even you don't know where you are going!
Also, other people bring their own baggage to every situation they encounter. Some people feel stuck in a rut, and it can be frightening for them to watch a loved one grow and blossom. Some people live their lives ruled by fear and want their loved ones to avoid risk of any kind. Other people have all kinds of reasons for reacting as they do ... none of it is your concern.
All that matters for you is to make your work and let it help you to become your authentic self.
If you'd like to learn from Nick (and really, who wouldn't?!) come and join me for the annual free Art2Life workshop. You'll get everything you need to take your art to the next level - and you can join me in a free Facebook group for extra support and coaching. Sign up AND join the group HERE.