Day 23 - Chapter 3 - Art and Fear

The authors in chapter 3 on Fears About Yourself outline their understanding of how to review these fears that pop up in the beginning of any creation.  Fears fall into two categories: 1) fears about yourself (your abilities, who you are, etc.), and 2) fears about your reception of your artwork (how your artwork will be viewed by others).  For some, fears may prevent them from doing their best work.  And the fears one has about how others may see their work, also limit their own work.  Again, a focus on the product of artwork, not the process of making art, prevents someone from doing their best work as their attention is only on the outcome.  

The chapter provides a quick understand of how some fears —  pretending, talent, perfection, annihilation, magic, and expectations — are all illusions preventing the artist from doing their best work.  One suggestion the authors give is to “ask your work what it needs, rather than asking what you need.” As a person’s work lets them know what they need within their working methods, their discipline to their work, their strengths and weaknesses, their habits, and their willingness to embrace what shows up.  The authors give some quick suggestions on these fears:

• PRETENDING: keep pretending until you know, keep doing the work
• TALENT: the concept of talent is a delusion; keep learning from your work
• PERFECTION: Perfection invites paralysis. Imperfection is a common ingredient within all artwork. 
• ANNIHILATION: stay aware of old messages feeding you are nothing when artwork is not produced; you are never nothing.  Continue to make QUANTITY of artwork, as you have a higher likelihood of making quality. 
• MAGIC:You don’t need to have what other artists have; you need to have what you have.  Do your work.
• EXPECTATIONS: Unrealistic expectations are everywhere in life; expectations about the artwork provides messages in what you do make.  Look there for a guide to competence.  

And finally, there are lessons to earn from these perceived fears about your artwork.  Ask the work what it needs rather than what you need.  Set aside your fears, listen and learn.

I encourage you to buy a copy of Art and Fear for a better understanding of your own creative process.  Whether you're a master artist or beginning artist, this is an excellent book.

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