I’m not a huge Facebook user. I’ve been in and out, joining groups, browsing around and finally accepting friends (I’ve had an ID for years) because I “think” I want to share my artwork beyond the four walls of my studio. One morning, I joined the other 5, 993, 107, 230, 548, 001 (I’m trying to type a billion quadrillion), users on Facebook, and came across this: “EVERYTHING YOU WANT IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF FEAR.”
What?
It IS a constant struggle of facing the fears of my work being good enough, acceptable, pleasing…you know the drill. This back and forth limits me in ways that stunt my growth and honestly sends me to another type of pajama day (in bed with the covers pulled over my head).
I don’t believe in coincidences. I saw that phrase because I was supposed to see that phrase at that moment, at that instance. Everything I want IS on the other side of fear. The light bulb went from dim to temporary blindness. I get it!!! When my mind sight recovered, I went into the, “I am an artist mode.” I started pulling canvases from their comfortable resting place (hiding) and accepted the fact that I need to face my fears of showing my work.
First up was to revisit a request from my friend to hang my work in his salon.
11 x 17 Acrylics, 8 x 10 Canvas, 5 x 7 Acrylic
8 x 10 and 7 x 14 Acrylics on Canvas
5 x 7, 11 x 17, and a teeny one Acrylics on Canvas
I don’t want to hear any comments (out loud) about the size of the work against the allotted wall space, placement or the like. They are out there. I had it all planned out about what size was needed to fill the space, but fear kept me from creating the size I wanted. And…sometimes things happen that we don’t have any control over…like after you carefully wash the glass for the frames you have and all of a sudden you are without the glass for the last one…
What???
Alrighty…that’s not usable. I took a picture of this when it happened because I knew it would serve another purpose other than frustration.
Anyway, my point is, we can’t let fear rule us. And I honestly think it rules us much more than we care to admit. What are you afraid of? How do you work past the debilitating, paralyzing, stop-you-in-your-tracks, loss of rhythm feeling that keeps you from doing? The key is to just keep moving. You have to. Otherwise, your dreams, desires, passions and most of all talent will be shelved, placed under a ‘don’t bother to look at’ corner of a room…and only you can see it. That’s not living. That’s hiding.
Early work, 7×14 canvas
This verse from Proverbs proves that we only need to fear the Lord. Everything else is irrelevant. Yes, it’s hard to live by. He knows that. Trusting in Him makes it that much easier when we’re not relying on ourselves, remembering our inadequacies, or finding faults and the rest of those negative words we use to keep us from the act of doing. The glass break happened at my breaking point too. I was in the middle of talking myself out of installing my artwork (yet again) when it broke as if it were a way to confirm my feelings.
But…I don’t believe in coincidences. I said that already because I really believe that there is no such thing. What happens is what’s supposed to happen for a reason. At the time, we may not know the reason and we may never know. But we have to push through and keep it moving. That was my test. And because the painting is hanging without the glass proves that I kept it moving.
To further keep it moving, I am entering my work in my first art show at The Scrap Exchange. It’s a community show open to creative reuse artists.
Wow! All because I faced my fears?
Yep!
What fear will you push through today?
UPDATE: I didn’t realize that I’ve told you already about the community show, so by you reading this again should remind you to click through to The Scrap Exchange and if you are in the area on November 18th…you should stop in!
Relaxing in Art - Maria Geary 