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Do This! |
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| June 13, 2005 | ||
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IN
THIS ISSUE >>>Do This: Gain Confidence Artists Respond: What They Have To Say |
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DO THIS:
GAIN CONFIDENCE
I have a list that I use in some of my classes and workshops titled "What It Takes." It consists of about 20 attributes an artist must have to achieve success and public recognition. Talent is nowhere on the list. It simply isn't as important as the other stuff these days. Confidence ranks at the very top. It is, without doubt, the most critical ingredient in your recipe for success. I have several clients who, I would say, can list lack of confidence as their number one stumbling block. Why are so many artists lacking it?
Confidence isn't easy to acquire. Most people have an air of confidence because of the way they were raised. I can honestly say this is where most of my confidence comes from. My parents raised me to believe I could do anything as long as I put my mind to it. I took lessons in piano, ballet, golf, archery, horseback riding, and, yes, even art. Lots of art. In my experience, artists who lack confidence usually developed their art later in life. They didn't attend art school and this, to them, is an obstacle. They don't "hang" in artist circles, so they don't know the lingo, the happenings, the resources, or the trends. They have existed on their own for quite some time and are reluctant to test the waters. This is not to say that all artists who emerge later in life are lacking in confidence, but if this sounds like you, you're not alone. Confidence is gained when someone else gives your art a stamp of approval. At each step in your career, someone is around to help build your confidence. They may not know it, but they're the ones who keep you going. When you're young, it's a parent or an art teacher. When you're just starting to show your work to the public, it is a friend or other artist. When you're getting serious, it's a dealer, critic, or curator. With each nod of the head, you gain a little more confidence. Everyone's afraid of something. The trick is getting past or using the fear to your advantage. As the title of a popular book notes, "feel the fear and do it anyway." Show your work first to someone who visits your home, then put it in your local salon or coffee shop, then enter a juried exhibition. Every step is a big one. Every step requires a new level of confidence. |
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| KNOW THIS |
Confidence is something you can acquire. Two
of my favorite sources for overcoming a confidence mental block are:
►Cheryl
Richardson, Stand Up for Your Life (Book or Audio) ►A
Meditation to Help You Improve Self-Confidence and Reach Peak
Performance by Belleruth Naparstek (Audio) |
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| THINK ABOUT THIS | Lack of confidence can be standing in the way of your success. | |
| DO THIS |
Gain confidence. In addition to gradually
increasing the prestige of your exhibition venues, enhance your art
vocabulary. Keep a journal with your art thoughts, new terms, and ideas.
Write about exhibits you see. Read, read, read. View videos and DVDs
about art. Talk about art. Talk about art a lot.
Becoming a valuable part of your art community will help with all of this and increase your confidence. Visit http://www.artbizconnection.com to start an art-marketing salon in your area. |
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Copyright © 2005 Alyson B. Stanfield. All rights reserved. I encourage you to forward all or part of this newsletter as long as you include the above copyright information and this link: http://www.artbizcoach.com . Internet Explorer users can forward this page by selecting "File," then "Send" then "Page by E-mail." The Do This! newsletter is sent only to subscribers. You can subscribe using the instructions in the column at left. Instructions for unsubscribing and changing your email address are at the bottom of each issue delivered to your inbox. |
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ALYSON
B. STANFIELD STANFIELD ART ASSOCIATES,
INC. |