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I recently got a message from a dear young woman who is creative and clever and loves art.  But she was wavering—“Shall I just give up art?” she asked.

She loves art and her husband encourages her to continue, but she didn’t really like her work and felt that people always told her it was good when it really wasn’t that good.  She was struggling with 2 questions: How to become comfortable with her art?  How to find her artistic voice?

As I pondered how to answer in a way to keep her going on in this endeavor of  creativity, joy, and struggle, these were my thoughts:

“Dear Friend,

You are asking 2 questions that are related, but very different.

How do you become comfortable with your art? Lots of blood, sweat, and tears.    And hopefully you will  never feel like you’ve arrived. There’s always more to learn.  

But a more accurate question might be, “How do you comprehend what it takes  to recognize and to have a level of proficiency?”   Study the basic principles of drawing, design, value,  and color.   Read good books or take classes on art instruction that emphasize the principles necessary for fine art. Stay away from quick fixes and tricks to impress. Choose your medium and learn the “craft” of using it well. Each medium—oil, acrylic, pencil, pen, etc.—has its own attributes and must be used according to its strengths and limitations. Study the medium through research and use—  i.e. draw, draw, draw or paint, paint, paint, and do it every day if possible. 

How do you become comfortable with your artistic voice?  You don’t consciously try to do that.   Your style or voice will happen because of who you are and how you paint, draw, etc.  It will develop as you develop your understanding and craftsmanship.  It is much like your signature.  Without thinking about it, your handwriting  became yours.  If you practiced well, it is probably more beautiful, but it is still unique to you.

Your voice will be part of who you are.  Your worldview will show itself in your art by what you paint or don’t paint, emphasize or ignore.  If you find the world ugly and cruel, that will show in your work.  If you find joy in the Creator and His handiwork, that, too, will show in your work—not in overtly religious themes, but in the way you see everyday things.  

I was particularly struck by your comment, “ People told me my work was good even when I failed terribly.”   I think that is a common problem that keeps people from growing.  There is a right way and wrong way to encourage.  Flattery deceives, but encouragement causes growth.  If people honestly pointed out what you did well, even if your artwork had flaws, that would be good. If people acted like everything about it was great when it was not, that was a false hope that prevents growth.  

But if you can now look at your earlier work and see flaws, that is a good sign! It means you’re growing.  I always find fault with my earlier work, but the pieces that I like even though they were done years earlier encourage me.  The pieces I don’t like —there are many!—get tossed or painted over to reuse the canvas or board.  

Get on the mailing list of good art sites and learn from others.  I especially enjoy the newsletters from Fine Art Views.  http://faso.com    It will often give you links to other helpful sites.  I also find artists I like and sign up for their newsletters. Find artists who are good teachers, not just good artists.  There is a world of difference.  

I hope this helps!  I look forward to hearing about your artistic growth and your new adventures.”