Newsletter
Join my newsletter & receive a FREE gift!
Product Specials
We currently have no items on special.
Latest Products
Shopping Cart
Your shopping cart is empty
Visit the shop
Fine Arts America
Don’t Magnify Your Difficulties!
We cause our own distress if we magnify the difficulty of our tasks. Our tasks are already real: there is no need to magnify them. Our language should not make hills into mountains. Making mountains out of hills is a habit to avoid. Refusing to add incendiary language to our everyday self-talk is a habit to cultivate.
If we say, “Let me call that gallery,” we have added no unnecessary distress to an already charged task. If we say, “Let me call that gallery, but where did I put that number, and I’ll probably get a machine, but what if I get a person, what would I say then, and I’m not sure I really want that gallery, but if I don’t get it I won’t be represented anywhere, and … ”, then we have worked ourselves up and made it more likely that we won’t call. If we do manage to call, it’s more likely that we’ll handle the call poorly.
Why do we magnify our difficulties? We magnify them for all sorts of understandable reasons. Maybe our tasks feel that difficult. Maybe it pleases us to see ourselves burdened by the sorts of difficulties that only a warrior hero could meet: when and if we manage to handle such “huge” difficulties we boost our ego. Maybe there is some emotional payoff to feeling ourselves victimized, beleaguered, and put-upon. Maybe life feels boring and we crave the dramas we create when we pour fuel on small fires. These are common, completely human reasons for engaging in a practice that fails to serve us.
Practice the habit of not magnifying difficulties. You do not need to shrink difficulties and act as if they do not exist. Just don’t magnify them. Picture possessing a magnifying glass that does not magnify but that simply let’s you see what is there. Imagine how an ant would look through that sort of glass. Imagine how an everyday task would look. The ant looks tiny; probably so does the task. Get in the habit of using a non-magnifying glass! Even if there is some payoff in turning ordinary difficulties into huge internal dramas the downside is significantly greater.
**
In case you’ve thought of adding coaching to your repertoire of skills and turning it into a revenue stream to help support your art-making, please take a look at my new Fundamentals of Coaching class that starts this week! Perfect for beginners and the curious!
http://www.entheos.com/academy/courses/Fundamentals-of-Coaching
Isn’t it sad that we are our own worst enemy most of the time. There is such a powerful force which we can use to help us and we just crush it again and again. I like the positive affirmations. Will do it.
Stressing happens to me not because I have to paint , because painting is all I do all day. The fact that many organizations do have too many art exhibits, mostly on the same month . Dessicions are sometimes stressful. I loves to paint, but what I do not like is when I have to prepare the artwork for hanging. Its tedious. Easels are sometimes complicated. Any suggestions???
When painting outside be sure to protect yourself. Don’t paint alone in wooded areas or other places where no people or around. It is too bad that we have to worry about our safety but this is the world we live in.
I think that because us as artist are stuck in the studio all day can also affect ones mind.
To help me I read art history books to discover how artists of the past coped. At the same time new ideas start flowing.
I have read several of your books and I have pushed the boundaries many times but I still come up against the “I’m not good enough voice”. I read a lot about the brain and brain plasticity so I know
I do not need to be stuck. Please let me know what the course entails and how much it is.
Thank you
Susan Geddes
Hi, Susan, can you tell me which course you mean?
Susan you have to over write this voice, keep repeating positive affirmations and keep working, thats the best part once you are in the mode of working, painting passionately, negative thoughts leave you.
The human brain has immense powers.
All the Best.
http://razarts.blogspot.in
Rizwana
healing Artist Raz
Your article hit the nail on the head! Right now I’m somewhere between self-employed & unemployed; feeling guilty for not having enough drive to sit down and concentrate on my own work—to promote myself. My wife, on the other hand, keeps assuring me that my work is fantastic and “so what if there ARE other artists out there better than you”—my work is STILL great.
She is my own best agent for touting my work. But the moment I get enthusiastic about getting down and working on a new piece, up rise those self-deprecating arguments that “stop me dead in my tracks” — EVERY TIME.
I’m going to try my best to apply your article guides and hope that eventually they will work for me. Thanks for the heads up.
It’s refreshing to see your article as a reminder to us all that our creativity needs to constant positive thoughts. Thank you!
Dear Dr. Maisel,
I have read your article on negative thoughts and immediately translated it in Ukrainian and post at local Ukrainian web site dedicated to Playwrighting http://www.dramaturg.org.ua
Thank you very much! Your teaching is important for writers.
Respectfully, Volodymyr Serdiuk
Amen to your article; I’ve said all those negative things to myself. I call it the harpie sitting on my shoulder whispering nasties in my ear! However, I have also found that by reading and WORKING Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way has helped me tremendously. I recommend it to artists in all fields! Cheers, Betty
Hello Betty, and thank you so much for your comment regarding Julie Cameron’s book, “The Artist’s Way”. Yes this wonderful life changing book was recommended to me many years ago by an artist and art therapist and really did change my life. I continue to live by these principles daily, especially the journaling which has become so vital and essential to my art process!
Another book she recommended was. ” Women Who Run With The Wolves”, by Dr Clarissa Pinkola Estes, another life changer and has become a bible to me.
Cheers!
Catherine
Yes, I absolutely recommend Julia Cameron’s book ” the Artist ‘s way ” also the more recent ” Walking in this world”, which I fell has been the best help for artist in any field.. a must for the artist
Thanks for this article. Most artists can read this over asnd over for support and self support, which is so vary important. Thanks again. Rod Ismay
Thank you for sharing spot-on information related to being a creator and practical strategies for accessing one’s creative (and beyond) potential!
I like the way you gently push my feet out the door! I am now unemployed and have to sell artwork to maintain my studio and home….so I have a plan to go out and make myself known to galleries and public. I try a variety of subjects in my paintings to see what will ‘sell’… I love knowing the people who have started to collect my art are pleased with it. Thank you.
Hello Susan,
I very much agree with your practice of trying a variety of subject matter in your painting. It gives you the opportunity to not only see what others appreciate but also what you love.
I have found myself involved with this ongoing pursuit of always attempting to strike the right balance, between finding the subject matter that I will love, and feel good about, and figuring out, just what will sell. As of late, I am finally beginning to feel I have started to find this balance, after many years working hard and diligently, listening to my gut, trusting my intuition and believing in myself to have the discernment and guidance to find this balance.
I certainly relate to how you love knowing the people who have started to collect your work because they greatly appreciate and love it. It means so much and is so gratifying.
loved this comment, very satisfying when people love your art and buy it
This is exactly what I need right now battling creative struggles! Your reminder to get my mind right will, I hope, point the way as I encounter all those side roads. While I believe it is important to deal with a variety of needs from family or others, your advice to keep focused on making art is helpful.
Great article, and interesting point. I often go between putting too much on my to-do list and stressing to finish it all, to procrastinating from the pressure and not getting to most of it. It’s so true that we can often get intimidated by creative work when we know there’s so much of it to do. With your suggestion I think I will try to make my to-do lists smaller and incremental, but non-negotiable!
Hi Eric,
like so many artists i find myself in limbo…… not knowing which way to turn. Having won a major prize i thought everything would have been plain sailing. But no such luck. I have produced a limited edition of 60 Gyclee prints at a considerable cost with hardly any return. Not through lack of trying mind you. Feeling a bit disgruntled.
Regards
Alexander
Thank You, Eric, for this very encouraging and insightful article. I’ll definitely make use of these tips. cheers,
jenny
artist located in a very scenic beach town that attracts lots of tourists and conventioneers!
Hello Eric,
Not unlike most artists, I am always keen to find ways to reach out to tourists living in a spectacular part of the world, in rural Nova Scotia, Canada.
We have a local market in Advocate, Nova Scotia, in a wonderful log building, which I have regularly utilized to connect and network with visitors from all over the world.
Unfortunately my prices can take a hit by times, in that I end up selling my work for less, in order to make a few dollars, because locals don’t want to or can’t afford to pay the price you are asking. I don’t do this often with most of my own personal art work, preferring to use art exhibiting venues or selling to people who value my work which is reflected monetarily. Otherwise it can erode my personal sense of self esteem, value and integrity as an artist.
Our Down Shore Market here it is a wonderful way to network and lead people to my art blog and drum up more support and exposure.
That said, with so many of us, in order to make some money we need to have some money, which more often than not, we have no money to invest, and put back into our marketing and art business, (i.e. business cards , flyers etc) . Having an online presence is a great thing however I don’t think ever replaces face to face individual contact.
Thank you for your informative and helpful article.
Catherine Meyers
I enjoyed your article. Great ideas. I live in a tourist area. I am going to reach out a little more.
Nationally known group called Meetup has group in Albuquerque. I visited last Spring and it was well organized
First time I’ve gotten & read this newsletter. It’s awesome!!! Thanks for all your helpful articles & comments.
I have tried every which way to market my work. Read books, changed my subject matter, tried lithographs of my work. Its a difficult matter. I found selling easy when I was married to a prominent man, people with money came into my home and I sold easily. Like Gainsborough who changed from a beach artist, to moving into a home next door to a Duke.
Also, selling from afar. As they say, a man is never a prophet from his own country. Try sending your work across the country, if you can find a trustworthy rep.
I don’t know how to sell my artwork, please give me more idea. thank you!
This is a continual battle with me…. Especially with pricing….usually Undervalue my work….give a quote that barely covers expenses…. have often over the years heard “HOW MUCH?!” which really shakes my confidence….your article read as if you were talking about me.
I have that same problem. I have always loved to paint even as a child but really started painting when I was given early retirement due to a brain tumor. I find painting a great pleasure but have no idea as to pricing and never covers the cost of materials. I am so excited that someone liked my paintings. It makes me happy to the point that I forget to price my painting correctly.
How do I go about that without over pricing?
I hope you don’t mind writing.
Thank you for writing on this topic, I look forward to more feedback on this, most of the time though the confidence is not only with artwork but in general life as well.
I have been publishing my art on Fine Art America for the past two years. (Oil on canvas) I have several visitors , many recurrent, from all over the worl but no sales. I am selling only the originals.Prices are affordable . No sales…. I am selling also in Art Galleries , same pricing so there is no competion and it is acceptable to them. So far I have not made available reproductions . I feel it could diminish the value of the orignals for the owner of the original. What do you think?
I think a piece that sells lots of prints, whether digitallly on demand or signed lithos, INCREASES the value for the owner of the art because it is like music, the more you sell of it, the more popular, the more value. But the real problem arises and causes some conflicts for sellers other than you, (or your personal sales rep who will use that as a selling point), such as galleries or consignment establishments, because it confuses the issue of what they think it ought to be worth and what they understand their clients will pay for it. Unless they are willing to invest time convincing clientele it is a worthy investment because so many people bought prints. It’s like this, your art is the master, the prints are the repros. You own the copyrights and can put anything into pront you want regardless if the part sold or not UNLESS you sold the copyrights or signed some legal document giving someone exclusivity rights to reproductions, etc.
Sorry for the typos!
I find it interesting that I have had publishers and others in the industry interested in my work, but cannot seem to make sales to the general public. One of my photos recently entered in a contest with about one thousand others was singled out for publication even though it did not score well in the contest. There have been some that asked to purchase my work, so I quickly make it available and they do not follow through. This makes me wonder if my chosen subject matter may be part of the issue. Any suggestions?
I have this happen too. People can be fickle. They impulse like it, but in a while change their mind.
For me, painting en plein air is a rush that enlivens all the senses. I find that my plein air paintings are not always my best works but they have made my studio work better. The main reason, plein air fine tunes the power of observation. We see that there is color in shadows, we learn to paint in a painterly fashion, and we learn to edit by trimming a busy scene down to the bare elements of what is really important. Painting from life, indoors or out, is something every artist should do in my humble opinion. It enables us to SEE better. Thanks for the great article Eric.
Bernie
I am old but have lots of good painting. I display in art shows maybe 3 times a year. I paint all of the time, like a sickness. I would like to teach, I need a book on how to get started. I’m college educated. I live in the country with my husban and cat. My work looks like Dalhart Windberg’s the Texas artist. He was my teacher for 10 Years.
If you want to teach go to your local library, bookstores, schools , colleges and place a flyer
Hello.
Great article…my question is on one area is, what does this mean, “creating an online salon experience”?
Thanks for the great article Eric — it’s exactly a push in the right direction I need. Of course, I need to finish up working on a show in my current style first but I am planning on taking this next step this summer. Why is it so hard to do what you know you want to do??? But this is a fresh way pf thinking about this struggle which I have been having with myself for YEARS. Crazy.
PS — I just found another website called “Mind My Home” as another possible venture towards Paris… : >
I am so glad to have read this! I thought I must be crazy for feeling like this!
For me the fear comes from having a very specific style and subject, one that people know me for and that people associate with my ‘brand’ as an artist. I fear the risk of doing something too different diluting that ‘brand’. However, having begun to release a few of my pure abstract pieces, I was really pleased with the feedback I had and felt a bit bad for not giving my supporters more credit by sharing my abstraction with them sooner.
Dear sir,
I read your article I like it.I am realestic and abstractpainter of India.My openion is an artist keep on painting and bring novel craetion in abstrction which gives satisfaction to his or her soul.Now fear factor is not important.If art lovers are aware with value of creative art he will buy that art work and will enjoy in his interior.
Actually people dont know what is modern(abstarct) and realestic art.From my point of view of analyse both are same you cant catogorise.Art which you have never seen is abstract to that person for eg child realise his mother first time seen than it is absract form to that child and to mother her child is realestic form which she had seen everywhere.Same is in art.
Most of art lovers are prefer to buy realestic art and less buyers in art cirle who are aware of abstract paintings.Of course factror is there………
Really good stuff. Read it this morning to get a better direction. Reminded me of what I already know but forget to practice.
Thanks Eric.
~K.Donatelli
I just finished reading the new book “Making Your Creative Mark”. I will be referring back often to this wonderful book. I had to find a highlighter to mark the points that made me think about what I’m doing. I am mainly a realistic marine watercolor artist and am known for this style, which has sold pretty well for me. I just want to break out and experiment, do something different without the constant concern that the gallery won’t like it, it won’t sell etc. This new book has helped me and I’m now doing some farm watercolors and a series of marine paintings in oil that are much more abstracted then my watercolors. I’m 64 and needed to open a new door! Thanks….
Thank you for the awesome insight. You are SPOT ON!!! A wonderful quote about this was said by Marianne Williamson, but made famous by Nelson Mandela: that it is not our darkness we fear most, but our light and our greatness.
Our thoughts and emotions are so powerful in how they shape our reality and with knowledge, one comes to understand that the only limitations we have are those we place upon ourselves. I really love how you worded your statement of intent. The idea of surrendering to our greatness, rather than struggling to achieve it is significant! One implies that which in truth we already ARE, rather than something we are not. Thank you so much for your wonderful words!