So there’s a term for what I’ve been experiencing while painting. It’s called the Artist’s Curse and the below Youtube video discusses in length of how powerful it can be to even stop many great artists in their tracks. Well… art is a do or die venture for me now so this artist’s curse won’t stop me but I’m definitely affected by it.
I experience quite a bit of stress and go into little depressions at the end of my work. This leads me to go back to my academic art study rather than attacking another blank canvas. Some may call this “Artist’s block.” The issue may be derived due to my perfectionistic tendencies and I tend to be quite hard on myself in all aspects.
One day I was at my local art store and met a working artist at the facility. I asked her how she feels at the completion of her artworks, and she said she’s always excited and happy about them. I got her business card and later checked out her work. A long story short, it always reminds me of American Idol auditions when I see people who have vastly different sense of perceptions. I’ve experienced this many times over while interviewing people for positions during corporate years. I found that many humble individuals refuse to exaggerate while they possess superior abilities, while others are eternally optimistic unrealistically in self-promotion at the other end of the scale. I personally would rather not disappoint to the point of putting myself down, and I must confess this wasn’t always a great strategy. Confidence speaks a volume to many, but my motto has always been the more you learn, the less you know… Nevertheless, I’m glad for enthusiastic cheerful artists out there because they tend to be very creative and stay productive.
The below video may be of interest to those distressed by the phenomenon. Please leave a comment if you’re affected by it. I would love to hear from you.
How to Overcome Artist’s Block: 13 Steps (with Pictures)