Have you ever felt frustrated when you are in the middle of creating or sat down with an enormous amount of inspiration only to become discouraged when your materials don’t want to cooperate with your vision?
You don’t know what to do, so you give up and walk away. The feeling stays however and begins to fester. Does this sound like you? Sure sounds like me as well and you’re definitely not alone! We’ve all experienced it at some point. Some of us more than others, but it’s something that we all struggle with occasionally. Great works don’t spring out of nowhere and sometimes the artistic process is anything but glamorous.
My experience as an artist has taught me that everything is a process. Sometimes I feel frustrated for making mistakes in my work or when I’m halfway in and I’m not just feeling it. I find myself starting to find the one angle where the art doesn’t look that bad. I have to admit that some of my projects go through this dreaded awkward stage. I’ve found that I often encounter frustration when I am forcing the work to happen.
Instead of allowing myself time to create at my own pace, I am trying to just “create.” We must take breaks from time to time to give our creative mind room to breathe. I mean it helps with coming back with a new perspective. Great art is not forced, it is allowed out. The most important thing to remember is:
Giving up means certain failure. Exactly what would happen if your ugly duckling turns into a full-fledged ugly duck. Growing up as an artist I have learned that it requires knowing what-not-to-do as much as learning what-to-do! And in all of this, It requires knowing not to give up as much as knowing to exercise patience. I know you may be like, “hmm easier said than done” but I’m like “hmm, it’s easier when done with intention.” First, by slowing down to understand that creating needs time and not every piece must be finished the same day, just because you started it.
Remember…flowers don’t blossom in a day and slow progress is still progress. The next step is to give gratitude for the progress you have made so far no matter the level. Seeing what to be thankful for makes it easier and more encouraging to stay consistent and find ways to improve instead of seeing everything as a condemned work. That condemnation blocks everything good and we will not see the good in it. The final step is to take responsibility for the good that has been seen in the work. “oh I am grateful I have this, how can I build on it to get my desired result?”
“Slow down, give gratitude and take responsibility” – Ezeks Twins
Many of our successes, whether they be art-related or otherwise, are the result of facing adversity and working through it. The ugly duckling stage is simply one of them!
Author: Ima
