A short little story this month. You may or may not of noticed that I missed last month. There was no blog and no newsletter. There has been a lot going on. I am sure you are feeling it too. We all went into 2023 with so much hope and optimism and then all of a sudden it is the end of April. Where did that time go?
Even if I didn’t cross everything off the list or attend all the events or see all the people. I can definitely look at where I am in my art business and journey and get a sense of achievement. I have worked very hard to get to this point, and I am taking all the things I have learnt up until now, good and bad, into this next phase of the business.
I am a few weeks into my Art Mentoring program with @nic_everist_mentoring it has been so good. I am already seeing so many areas that I am just getting in my own way. I think I knew all along, but so often we just need someone else to point it out for it to become really clear.
In regards to my painting, the mentoring program has really opened my mind to spending a lot more time reviewing my work and trying to see it through different eyes and getting to know my audience. It is stretching me to be more open minded to the possibilities.
My latest series, Zest for Life, is an explosion of colour and a celebration of all things food, family, nature and get-togethers. This is a theme I have explored for some time, but I have never let myself go so wild with colour and content. It may not seem it to others, but my latest still life piece, Music to my ears, so far out of my comfort zone. Forever keeping my art minimal and striving for perfection.
Tapping into my mindset has really helped with removing some of those learned thoughts and behaviours that were holding me back. Especially when you are someone who can’t sit still and quieting your mind can be quite difficult. Once you do listen in, it can be even harder to accept the way you think and also the way you speak to yourself. Changing those things is fundamental to moving on to the next level for me.
In art, the hand can never execute anything higher than the heart can imagine.
They seem simple. The inner voice. The harmless statements. I am this sort of artist, and this is what I can paint. Why though? My art is whatever I create. So if one week I am doing abstracts, the next still life artworks and then on to abstract botanicals the next, it doesn’t really matter.
I can literally paint, make or create anything I want. The exploration is all part of the fun of being an artist. I am sure there are so many other areas of my life I put the same restrictions on myself. You probably are too.
Some small habits I am changing in my routine to help with my mindset shift:
🌸 Not looking at my phone first thing in the morning. Much harder than it seems
🌸 Meditation, even if it’s 1 minute of quiet time. I try driving with no music or sound on
🌸 Hearing the negative self talk, pausing, listening and then changing the narrative.
Most of the things I am making up in my head are not true. They are just learned thoughts, that usually don’t serve me anymore.
As I develop my new body of work, I’ll see how I go and keep you posted on how I am navigating the mindset struggle.
Thanks, as always for following along.
Vanessa x