“You’re Not a Real Artist” and Other Falsities

“You’re Not a Real Artist” and Other Falsities…

Here’s some of the “advice” I’ve heard over the decades of being an artist:
You’re not a real artist.
My kindergarten students can paint better than you.
Are trees the only thing you can paint?
You should give up.
You must be cheating somehow.
You really don’t have talent.
You’re no good.
Don’t give up your day job.
That’s all you’re going to paint?

I have had one action that I do with my art, which has kept me going forward as an artist and honing my message to perfection which is to survey. This doesn’t have to be very major. Just take your completed piece of art, writing, music, etc. and show people or have them listen. Most all the time, a person will make a comment, sometimes you need to ask “what do you think?”

I gather the comments in order to find out:
1. Did the person receive my message?
2. Did the person like the piece?

To be honest, some of my works did not pass the test because what I intended did not arrive. Those works have gone into the trash bin. Not having my message arrive has been the minority. The majority of the time my message has gotten across – sometimes it is even more powerful that I thought it would be!

And, the point of doing this?
1. To know that the nonsense you are receiving such as “you’re not a real artist,” isn’t true.
2. To know strongly that your message has gotten across to the receiver.
3. To be able to continue creating no matter what critical remarks you receive.

To YOUR Success,
ILIA