Blog

There are literally thousands of artists creating millions of works today. I believe it is a result of the most recent economic downturn that people have turned to various forms of art as a means of stress-relief, monetary supplementation, or simply keeping their minds busy. Among these are multitudes of creative professionals who work hard to make a living. It seems, sometimes, that the average person often doesn’t recognize the difference between a hobby artist and one who is dedicated to his/her craft. And, although the economy continues to improve, it has left in its wake a tidal wave of art flooding the market.

As an artist today, I sometimes feel like a canary in a coal mine. If you haven’t heard that phrase before, or wondered what it means, here are some insights from Wisegeek.org: Life for an actual canary in a coal mine could be described in three words: "short but meaningful." Early coal mines did not feature ventilation systems, so legend has it that miners would bring a caged canary into new coal seams. Canaries are especially sensitive to methane and carbon monoxide, which made them ideal for detecting any dangerous gas build-ups. As long as the bird kept singing, the miners knew their air supply was safe. A dead canary signaled an immediate evacuation.

As a creative person, it’s easy to fall into the trap of telling yourself “I’m not good enough” or “other artists have much more talent than I do.” It's easy to let toxic self-talk get in the way of you and your work. In reality, everyone has some kind of talent. And each person's talent is as unique as the individual. How you express it is your choice. Artists who are true to themselves know that it’s not a competition.

Being creative is a gift in itself. It doesn’t matter why you create, or what you create, but THAT you create. It is through consistent self-expression that you will eventually find yourself. Yes, it’s true that some artists don’t become known for their work until they are long gone. I won’t let that thought stop me from painting. I create for the pure joy of losing myself in my work. I work on each painting as though it’s a mystery novel, turning each page with wonder, fear, and excitement. I have an idea of how it might end, but I won’t know for sure until I get there. What I do know is that I have a purpose, and am compelled to paint, no matter what.

And I know that if I give up, if I choose to believe that my work is not good enough, that it’s too hard, frustrating, depressing, or just not worth it, then I become the canary that succumbs to deep, internal fears. Wiktionary describes it perfectly: Something whose sensitivity to adverse conditions makes it a useful early indicator of such conditions; something which warns of the coming of greater danger or trouble by a deterioration in its health or welfare. (For the purposes of this blog post, I interpreted this statement as: "If fear keeps you from doing what you love or feel you are meant to do, and you chose to do something 'safe' instead [e.g. pays the bills, doesn't get you laughed at, etc.] then you are headed for a life of misery.")

Don’t allow yourself to go into that deep mine of doom. Instead of succumbing to the dangerous negatives that plague you as an artist, sing like a canary -- show off your work -- and let the world know you are alive and well!