January 16, 2006

All artists must learn how to handle criticism. It comes with the territory of sharing yourself and your art with the world.

Julie Mitchell, Kissed by a Sunset. Mixed media.  © The Artist http://juliemitchell.ebsqart.com

A while back, I touched on this subject when I wrote about listening to the critics. And while it's important to listen to what others have to say, it is also important to know how to filter the comments. For this, you have to be prepared.

Recently, my coach had me come up with a series of questions to deal with any potential criticism. I had no idea it would come in handy less than 24 hours later when I was being evaluated at a Toastmasters meeting after one of my speeches. This is the same format at every meeting, but I felt my evaluator just didn't get the purpose of my speech and that his comments were unhelpful. Then, I remembered: I put the words out there. His opinion is valid. I have to listen to it, and then I can decide what to do with it.

So, how did I cope? I went through the questions. I had just written them, so they were fresh in my memory. After he was done, I thought through them in my head, which kept me calm and focused. It also helped me separate the criticism from the critic. His wasn't a personal attack. His was constructive criticism. While I still don't think it was helpful within the parameters of my goals for the speech, it will be valuable for future speeches and presentations.

The first question in my series is the most important: "Is it true?"

To read the rest of the questions I formed for dealing with criticism, check out today's Art Biz Blog. I'd love to hear your secret coping mechanisms.