There is a hesitance among many people to create art. They think they don’t have what it takes. They see themselves as lacking skills or any one of a number of other limiting beliefs that all come down to the same thing, “I’m just not good enough.” If that’s you, this is ordinarily this is where I would coddle you and encourage you and cheer you on, Today I’m not going to do that. Instead, I am going to meet your “not good enough,” with a hearty, “SO WHAT?”
You might be thinking that’s not very nice. No, what’s not very nice is you depriving yourself of the creative outlet you could have, because you’re so worried about what other people will think of your work. What isn’t very nice is that you are depriving the people who would love your work and appreciate you for creating it. And why, because some self appointed critic, finds you unworthy??? Forget them.
Look, I’ll just admit it. I can be judgmental. Take me to an art museum and I will be able to quickly identify pieces I don’t think are good enough to be there. You know what those people have that I don’t. They have work in a museum and I don’t. They didn’t sit there in their studios, wondering what Dave Weiss will think of their work. They created something and put it out for the world to see, and someone, not everyone, but someone took a look at their work and loved it enough to show it to the world. They have that for one single solitary reason. They did the work, punched fear in the face and showed their work to the world. May we all do the same.
Look I’m not saying you’re good enough to be a professional, but then again I am not saying you’re not. Art is subjective. I’m convinced there is someone out there who will love just about any piece of art. The trick is to make your work and find those people who will love it. DO that and you will be blessed beyond measure.
On the other hand God did not make us all to be professional artists, but that doesn’t mean there is no room in the art world for you. Who said you had to be a professional? I ran on that treadmill for a lot of years and it was exhausting and it stopped being fun. Then I began using it as a tool to communicate a very important message and weird things started to happen, namely, I got better, my work became more important and it started to be fun again. There are a lot of ways to be artistic, and even make a living with art that don’t involve selling your art.
Sometimes making art is for nothing more than getting the stuff that’s going on in you out, giving voice to your emotions and passions. And if that’s all you get out of it, I have to tell you, that’s enough. Making art can be very therapeutic, and it’s cheaper than therapy. Stop worrying about what other people will think, make your work, the best you can, share it with others and let the One who gave you your talent show you why He gave you the gift and how He wants you to use it.
AMOKArts 