Finding a new muse
Finding a new muse
How novelty and external validation change my motivation
Since 2016 or so, I’ve been painting houses. Houses that are familiar to me, houses I’ve never been in, houses big and small, and houses in every colour of the rainbow.
Until suddenly, sometime last year, I felt the itch to paint something else. A vibrant, geometric quilt pattern caught my eye, folded so it almost looked like rolling hills, and I got curious. I asked myself, I wonder if that could be something. That little spark reignited my practice, and I leaned into the fuel this internal motivation provided.
As I considered this change of trajectory, one of the thoughts that ran through my mind was a worry about how this new work might be received. Will people like them? Will they sell? Will this new idea make sense to anyone but me? As artists, of course we make work for ourselves first. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want the work to be loved by others as well (I’m only human after all!). Because of this fear, I created without sharing this new idea for a while. But finally, when all the kinks were worked out and I felt brave enough, I dropped two shiny new paintings to Christina.
So far, the response has been wonderful. I’ve gotten curious questions and compliments that have made my inner artist, insecure and fragile as she is, purr like a cat on my chest. And, if I was looking for a sign that was even more clear, I walked back into the gallery a week or two later to see a gorgeous, bright red dot.
This kind of validation pours kerosene on my creative practice, and I’m ready to dedicate my studio time fully to this new body of work without hesitation.
While I wish that I could be motivated by my own, internal forces without any external sway, I think that’s an unrealistic goal to set. Maybe it’s okay to use any scrap of energy that I can get, and allow myself to feel the rush of cashing a check my artwork provided or leaning into the joy a colour palette offered someone else.
Until I figure this out, I’ll just get back to work.
Studio sessions this week: 1
Bright side:
I’m suffering from a head cold so the bright side feels dim, but I do have a picture of my sweet pup Kingsley celebrating St. Patrick’s day at his doggy daycare. Too cute! 🍀
Fear buster:
When I want something productive but not too demanding to lift my spirits, I play with our website over at Studio Mates. I’ve given it a shiny new update, and it feels kind of like deep cleaning a closet. So satisfying!
Extra credit:
In our new podcast episode, Natalie and I chat about the idea of hand brains (you know, the way your hands remember a song you learned on piano as a kid or the way you’ve signed your name a thousand times) and how it can change your perspective on work that turns out wrong or goes unfinished.