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Many artists lead pretty solitary lives when it comes to producing art. They may spend hours and hours alone in their studios, hashing and re-hashing their efforts. If an artist has a question about process or technique, they can usually find references from the internet. And, that is fine, but unless you can actually ask questions about what you are researching, you can fall back into the same rut. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to have a personal mentor at your side when you have those questions? Sure there are plenty of professionals out there who offer mentoring programs, but prices can be exorbitant.

An alternative to researching your question online or joining a mentoring program is to join an online art community. These groups can be free or cost very little to join, depending on what the host offers. The artists in the group generally consist of all skill levels, and approach their art in a variety of ways, which is why these groups are so valuable. A good group will stay focused on providing informative and generous support. If you have questions, you can bet someone in the group was faced with the same questions and found a solution they are willing to share with you. And likewise, you will be able to offer some suggestions from your own experiences, as well.

This is just the tip of the iceberg, as they say. A strong group of artists will share information they have gleaned from workshops, introduce you to artists who inspire them, share information about gallery or museum exhibitions, and provide constructive criticism when asked. You might even be lucky enough to get into a group whose members come from other countries, which expands your learning even more.

If you know a group of artists who get together in person on a regular basis, by all means look into that. If one online group is not right for you, I encourage finding another that aligns with your goals, or start your own community. Make sure the group you join sticks to the discussion of art lest it becomes just another tea party. The important thing is to find your support group by whatever means possible. The benefits to your growth as an artist will more than make up for the time you spend sharing your experiences with other artists.

Happy Arting!
--Cheryl

Aside: If you have not yet found your support group, you might consider trying out the MFA Monthly Art Challenge--a community of artists who draw, paint, experiment and share their art twice a month during live Zoom calls. The cement that keeps artists working are the challenges offered each month. The artists work in various mediums and styles, from realism to abstraction and beyond. There is a limit to how many artists can join this group. Building trust is best done in smaller groups where artists have a safe space to discuss their successes, as well as their frustrations. You can access this group by going to https://patreon.com/cmagellen.

As artists, the questioning of our abilities can come from many directions. Oftentimes, this feeling of inadequacy comes from feeling guilty for not having had “proper” training. We are constantly looking at artwork online and telling ourselves “there is no way I could ever be that good.” Or, perhaps a friend, family member, or other artist has discouraged you from continuing your pursuit of art.

This social anxiety can cause artists to feel like impostors or that their work has no value. They can feel they will fail no matter how hard they try, and may eventually give up entirely. Expressing our feelings through art can be a very vulnerable act, especially when you first decide to share it publicly. I am reminded of an analogy presented by a friend who shared this thought with me many years ago…. “If you tell someone you are a banker, no one will ask to see your portfolio, but if you tell that same person you are an artist, they want to see your work so they can decide for themselves if that is true.” Does anyone’s opinion mean you aren’t an artist?

The beauty in creating art is the journey itself. Most artists pursue art because the act of creating something from nothing is a powerful feeling. It can be meditative, it can take away the outside pressures of life, and it can provide them with a time and space to express their feelings, no matter what those feelings are. Sure. Not everyone will love your art, but not everyone will hate it either. What matters is how YOU feel about it.

That is why, if you are feeling your art isn’t good enough, you need to change your perspective. You may not even be producing art at the moment, but that does not mean you are not an artist. Artists view the world differently. If you are at a sporting event and everyone in the audience is screaming and shouting, you might be focused on the feeling of the moment, or the way the bright lights create deep shadows on the faces of the people next to you. Those feelings are stored and then released the next time you begin your creative process. The life around you spurs your creative process and no one can take that away from you, unless you let them.

Building self-confidence.

• If negative, self-doubt begins to creep in, nip it in the bud by trying something new with your art. Be a risk-taker. You are less likely to be critical of your work and give yourself some slack if you are trying something new.

• Don’t compare yourself to others. You may like or not like the artwork other artists, but remember, everyone is on a different path. And the same is true for you. Go your own way, keep trying, and realize everything you do now is all you can do. Your improvement will come with practice, and that practice will make you better.

• Everyone is a critic. Only pay attention to those who support your process and be grateful for it. Likewise, if someone asks your opinion, be kind and offer creative suggestions when asked.

• When someone recognizes your work, you get invited to show, or when someone has something nice to say about you or your work, write down what the accomplishment was, how it made you feel, why it was a success, and what lead to the success. When you are feeling you aren’t good enough, go back and review these successes.

• Remind yourself why you wanted to be an artist in the first place. Go over the reasons and continue on.

The bottom line is “keep at it” no matter what. Your self-confidence will start to show in your work and others will notice it, too.

Keep Arting,
--Cheryl

If you are interested in joining a supportive community of artists, click here.

For me, any excuse will do, but generally my best excuse is the weather. Today, we are in the middle of a late, heavy snowfall. Upstairs in the studio, I can look out over the garden and watch the juncos flitting around in an effort to find little morsels of seed that are invisible to me. I am soothed by the snowflakes continuing to cover the already accumulated 2 feet of snow. A perfect day to paint.

It is easiest to find reasons why we CAN’T paint and the main reasons for that are basic survival. Let’s face it, there are things that NEED to be done in order to make the world go round—our families, friends, jobs, exercise, studying—the list goes on and on. Let’s debunk some of the excuses you may have.

A friend pointed out to me once that “we all have the same amount of hours in our day and it is our choice how we use them.” In other words, set priorities for the things that are the most important to you. Identifying your priorities takes time. If creating time for your art is important, you need to find the time to do it, even if it is only a few minutes a day. Those few minutes will keep you focused on your goal.

Have your sketchbook at the ready.

The first step in keeping focused is to get one or more sketchbooks and keep them on hand. One of my favorite things to do is to keep a sketchbook with me so if I am stuck waiting for something, I can use that time to do some quick sketches of my surroundings. I also use this time to plan out personal deadlines to keep the workflow going.

Create a personal space to do your art.

I hear many people say they would like to make more art but they have no room to do it. You might think that all the extra space at home has been taken up, but if you think about it hard enough, you may find there is a little corner of a room that you can fit into. A place to store your supplies, a fold-up table and a table top easel can work well if you are sticking to creating smaller works. The size of your finished art will be the determining factor of the size of your studio space. As your desire to create larger and larger work arises, you will soon notice how the size of your studio space will change along with it.

Paint with friends.

Having a group of artists to share ideas, thoughts and experiences with will keep you inspired and accountable toward your artistic goals. These artists can be found in your local area or online on a global scale. The best thing about having a group of other artists around is for building self confidence in your work. Everyone has to begin their art journey somewhere and you will find artists at varying levels of experience in the art world. And, your group will be richer by having you in it.

Start now to keep records of your work.

You may think you won’t be creating that much work, or at least work you feel is worth documenting. This isn’t further from the truth. You may have a small closet of your work, or you may have a garage full of it. In either case, if you haven’t already done so, start keeping an electronic file of your work that includes the images, dates, titles, mediums, sizes, and other details. It is a lot easier to see what you have and where it is located electronically than it is to try to dig through an overstuffed closet.

I can’t express enough the importance and rewards of keeping your artistic flow alive. Staying consistent in your practice, having a personal space to create in, connecting with other artists, and recording your progress will serve you for a very long time. Here is a list of my favorite resources:

Artwork Archive for documenting work and planning work schedules. https://www.artworkarchive.com/?ref=b9a1d7

Fine Art Studio Online for an easy-to-use website platform: http://faso.com/ref/58874

The MFA Art Challenge group through Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/CMagellen

I hope this has inspired you to get busy, be challenged and keep creating great art.

Happy Arting!

--Cheryl