Inspiration Fridays! You can name your fear but don’t feed it
You can name your fear but don’t feed it
As an artist, it’s not uncommon for me to experience creative blocks from time to time. Some blocks dig in, and seem to linger, uninvited. These hanger on’s feed on my fears. Left unchecked, those blocks will mute my artistic expression and even stunt my creative growth.
“The more scared we are of a work or calling, the more sure we can be that we have to do it.” – Stephen Pressfield
Mindset is everything in art. Obstacles are there for a reason. Training ourselves to lean in and push through our resistance is the secret to tapping our full creative potential. It can be pretty hard to break through our blocks if we don’t see them for what they are. Blocks are fear. It might be a fear of failure, fear of rejection, or even, just the fear of being stuck. If we can’t even name our fears, how can we expect to be able to move beyond them?
Great art is imperfect because great artists are imperfect.
Perfectionism kills creativity. The fear of not being “ready” or “good enough” can feel paralyzing. If we continue to nurture that kind of thinking, we may never start at all. Instead of waiting until you have an acid-free, archival surface, that’s museum ready, try working on some old cardboard. Embrace your imperfections. View them as an essential part of your creative process. Allow yourself room to make mistakes, experiment… grow. Don’t be afraid to paint beyond what you think you are capable of.
Gabriel Mark Lipper – Mixed Media on Panel – 24″x24″
Clinging to the same medium, subject matter, or style can lead to creative stagnation. Again, blocks and fear. Nourish that part of you that dares and risks.
Big words? Ok. Now let’s break it down. Set some specific goals. Fabricate a deadline. This fuels our focus and motivation. Learning to draw or having your first gallery show can feel huge. Start with some quick sketches or thumbnails of your show. Break the process down into smaller, more manageable tasks. Give yourself something doable. Overwhelm can stop us. Little steps steady our progress and make our goals achievable instead of scary.
Finally, surround yourself with supportive people. Community can make all the difference when you’re wrestling with blocks and fears as an artist. They’ve been there too. I guarantee it. We all have.