Forget Everyone Else. Just Be The Best Artist You Can Be
Have you ever found yourself browsing Pinterest or Instagram admiring and envying the work of other artists? Wondering how on earth they achieved that result, and berating yourself for not being good enough?If so, join the club. We've all been there.I call it 'compare and despair' and it's a familiar ritual.We look at someone else who we deem 'better' than us in some way, make the comparison, and sink into depression about our own inadequacy.Sometimes, some of us do this in reverse - we seek out someone who we deem 'worse' than us and then we make catty remarks (either out loud or just in our heads) which can make us feel better.But the truth is that comparing ourselves with anyone else is a road to nowhere. Making ourselves feel better at someone else's expense doesn't work - and looking at people we think are more accomplished only makes us sad.Instead, why not focus on being the best possible version of ourselves?This is a lot more difficult than looking at pictures on the Internet, but it's also loads more fun!Because it means we get to play with paint, try out ideas, make our own mistakes, learn new techniques, expand into new media, and above all grow into ourselves.Our benchmark becomes not other people, but the past version of ourselves.The question is not 'am I better than x artist?' It is 'am I better than I was 6 months ago?'And the beauty of this is that we can be in control of our own happiness. Once you are focused on your own journey, your work becomes endlessly rewarding.
Does this mean we don't look at other people's work?
Not at all. But it does mean we look at it differently.When I see an artist who has achieved something I love, I think two things:1) It is possible to do that (this is good news!)2) What is it that I love about this? Maybe I can bring some of that into my own work.So if I love a painting because it has a sense of space ... how can I bring that into my own work? Or maybe I love the bold use of colour... that's something I can explore in my own paintings.In this way other people's paintings don't feel depressing to me - they feel exciting and expansive.
Build yourself up rather than dragging yourself down
Remember this: You are not a 'bad' artist if you can't yet produce work that you love. You are simply not there yet.So many of want to rush ahead on our journey, but don't! Savour the view. Enjoy the sights around you. Don't let beautiful art bring you down, use it to feed your own creativity - see it as a signpost letting you know the way.Aim not to compare yourself to others, but to be the very best possible artist that you can be. Do that, and you will be both happier and more productive.If you're interested in developing your own unique voice, consider joining me for my 8-week program "Find Your Joy" which will launch again in August. Click here to learn more and to register your interest. (Anyone on my mailing list will be offered an early bird discount, making this a very affordable way to jumpstart your creativity and your happiness).