Art and Fear

The single most feeling that holds so many of us back from doing what we must do is fear. Between fear and resistance, it's amazing that art, music, writing or anything else worthwhile ever gets created! Fear can be a good thing, like when it serves as a warning of impending danger, but fear is not good when stops us from creating.

Yesterday, I went to the life model lab at the Art League of Houston. I had been wanting to go for a while but as the day approached I started feeling fearful. I knew that it had nothing to do with embarrassment over drawing a nude model. I've taken several life drawing classes and have no hangups about nudity. I'd never been to this model lab before so maybe it was a little bit of fear of the unknown.

When I had a mental chat with myself, I realized that the true reason I was fearful was that I was afraid of not doing a perfect painting. Perfectionism was rearing its ugly head again. How I became such a perfectionist I don't really know. What I do know is that it serves no practical purpose. It stifles creatively, stops you from trying new things, and--newsflash--nobody really cares even if you do achieve perfection.

I made a deal with myself to go to the model lab and just paint. It didn't matter if the painting was good or bad, it was simply an exercise in painting the figure. Once I got to the lab and started painting, the three hours flew by and I really, REALLY enjoyed myself. I got totally lost in the process. Just me, a bunch of other artists and a model, painting, drawing, and posing. I was actually very happy with the painting I did, it felt fresh, daring, and brave. Take that fear!