Stand By Your Art – Not behind it.
It took me a while to realize that I was doing this, and more than a while to do something about it. I have been hiding behind my art for years. I was pushing “it”. I wanted to give “it” the spotlight. I was sincerely thinking I was doing great service to “it”, by viewing “it” as enough. Enough to stand by itself.
As artists we love our work. We are immersed in it. It’s our baby. And by hiding behind it, it means that we are not yet ready to receive love. We want the love to come through our work, through our art, through our contribution. But not directly to us.
It is just like that: It is always easier for a mother to accept a compliment about her child than about herself.
Can you relate?
The benefits of NOT hiding behind our art.
When you stand by your art, and not behind it your art becomes more visible, more interesting, it immediately has a story to tell other than what is obvious. Usually we count on our art to communicate everything. We count on our art to communicate our beliefs and our passion. Some of it is transferred but some of it is not. Our art gets a whole new dimension when we stand next to it. The experience becomes richer. More memorable. Multi-dimensional.
What can you do about it?
By getting more out there. Getting more exposure about your personal self. Saying what you believe in, what your thoughts are, what your point of view is. And then when you show your art next to you, your art will be placed in a different position and a different light.
Another way to go about it is to let the art lead the action.
Make your art bigger, more provocative of its kind. More visible and more revealing. Change its scale . Change the focus. Or even better: sharpen the focus. While you do that, you become more clear about who you are and then you can show in a different light. The most important thing is to eventually get to the core of You. See it, show it and be comfortable in it. And come to this place that is yours. Only when you are be able to see and show your Self-Magic, you can really achieve your life’s work.
Goddess of Creativity
In the Tarot there is The Empress card which is exactly that. She is the Goddess of Creativity and also the Goddess Mother, the archetypal Mother. She is exactly the one who is giving birth to babies as well as to ideas. And beauty.
So this whole creation thing is very much related. That’s why I believe that to live is to create. It’s challenging, it’s changing and amazing. So any form of creation that works for you should not be given up. We are not all painters, we are not all mothers. But we can all create something in our life. By creating, you create yourself.
To live is to create. By creating, you create yourself.
So now you see that hiding behind our art is something that makes no sense. And while it is understood what and how it happens, and often too, by the minute you realize it, you also understand your responsibility to snap out of it, and stand by your art, in no matter what form that takes!
So, what steps can you take today to Stand By Your Art?
Let me know in the comments below!
You know today… I was thinking I need something to inspire me, and facebook wasn’t doing it. So I hopped on instagram and someone has a picture of your post on how to create a Tarot Deck… WOW. Now that would be cool I thought(I collect unique tarots and oracles)… it led me to your blog, then your website. I am inspired and excited.
My art is different and I don’t think it’s worthy of anything… and I know that is wrong. I have a ton of white canvas, where I’m afraid to waste it by creating something ugly. Seeing you posts I know I need to change that thought process because it’s something I enjoy doing… and there is beauty in that. So thank you…. and I like what you said right off in the first sentence on the audio of how to create a tarot… I have arrived here for a reason, so thank you. I am looking forward to reading your blog and setting myself in motion to sell my stuff.
Dear Kat,
I must have missed your comment!
So glad you wrote what you wrote–I know it’s not always easy to share. Our relationship with our work is as complex as any other… and even more so.
In the near future I will be sharing a lot of things about the creative powers and the creative process through colors, but since you mentioned the white canvas, I want to give you this thought now: The whole purpose of WHITE in this blank canvas, is to UN-WHITE it. This is what it is for, and this is the nature of white. If you will never do anything with it, it will NOT stay white. It will become dusty and gray… So there is not waiting with it. And besides, you will never know what you will create, unless… you do!
I really appreciate your comment here. Thank you for “fueling” me back!