How do you achieve Perspective in your practice? I’m not talking perspective achieved by ruling lines and identifying vanishing points. I’m talking about how you keep a healthy balance between the good and the not so good that happens along the way in your Art Practice.
I remember a few years ago, when 4 unsold paintings were returned to me after a Gala event held over a weekend. It plunged me into a state of depression, I raged at the fickle nature of buyers and their obvious bad taste in Art – what’s wrong with these people?
My little paintings were beautiful, I’d poured hours of love and attention into them and people were opting to part with their cash for pretty landscapes, vases of flowers, kittens and the like. Ugh….
Now wouldn’t you rather have this than a KITTEN on your wall?
I unwrapped my lovelies and threw them across the room – carefully, mind – so they landed on a coach or a soft cushion… But my point was made!
“Why don’t people like my work?” I wailed.
Well, I’m happy to report that now when my paintings don’t sell (although I no longer take part in such events) the general surroundings are not in danger of receiving a painting missile launch and my mood isn’t quite so volatile.
I guess as time goes on, we take the good with the bad. It’s really important to remember the bad when the good happens so that we allow ourselves to fully appreciate and celebrate the wins. Equally, we should remember the good when the bad happens so that we keep the bad in perspective.
I don’t know about you, but a bad comment will gnaw away at my innards far longer than a good comment languishes in my memory bank. And because my memory bank’s vault system seems to be ever diminishing as I get older I have to supplement it with a regular recording system.
I know this to be extremely important to keep a healthy equilibrium because recently I’ve neglected my recording system and as a result when rummaging in my vault I’ve found it to be a little light on useful anecdotes needed for stabilisation in the face of negativity. To put it simply – I can’t remember a Goddamn thing any more!!
What I used to do and will start to do again immediately, is at the end of each week record the good that has happened in relation to my Art Practice during that week. There is NEVER a week where nothing is recorded. Even the smallest wins are wins – showing up and mixing some colour is a win, tidying the studio – well that’s a rare event so would be a major win. Taking time to visit a gallery is a win, reflecting on previous work and coming up with a new idea is a win. Painting for 3 solid hours is a win, keeping to a pre-determined schedule is a win.
When you list the small wins along with any bigger (if they happen), it just helps to keep us positive and the negative in perspective. We don’t need to keep a record of the negative –our vigilant vaults hoard these like precious jewels. But focusing in this way on the positive helps us realise that we are making progress and moving in the right direction. When we have this belief front and center we can withstand the slings and arrows so much better.
Get your template and we’ll fill our WIN VAULT together!
So I’m ruling up my page for this week and on Sunday I will sit down and reflect on my wins. I’ll be entering them into the Positive Perspective Ledger and then ruling up my next page ready to record next weeks wins. See how this works? We notice the wins of the previous week and we EXPECT wins in the upcoming week. We are now moving forward with positivity.
I have a template for you to record your wins as well.
Hit the yellow button below and I’ll send you the Positive Perspective Ledger which will keep you positive as you enter each week and train you to notice the good moves that you are making and noticing in your Practice.
The Ledger also has space for you to make daily notes, just in case your vault isn’t up to retaining records for 7 days – you see, I’m preparing for my future!
Have you joined The Upbeat Artists Facebook Group? This is a wonderful supportive community of artists all celebrating each other’s wins and striving for better in their work. Come and join us.