I am about to tell you who your new favorite artist is... But first, I am going to ask who your current favorite artist is?  Do you have the answer?  Why are they your favorite? Is it inspiration?  Or their style?  The Subject matter?  How does this other artist make you feel when you view their work?  Last question, does viewing other artists’ artwork make you feel as good as making and viewing your art?  I never feel as good viewing another artists’ work as I have with the experience of my artwork.  Take the time to compare the feelings of your art versus how your feelings of other artists.

Have you ever asked yourself, is this is my last chance to be an artist?  I remember watching an interview with an American Idol contestant that cried while saying, "This is my last chance.  If I don’t make it here, I’m done.”  The strange thing is, they were in their early twenties.  I immediately thought, you have your entire life in front of you so why would you put that limitation on yourself?  

I want you to consider this... If you truly love something with your whole heart, you won’t give up on it, ever.  I want to make my art whether I get paid or not.  If you feel like your purpose is to be an artist, you will always feel the need to create fine art and if you stop making art, you will find yourself feeling that something is missing in your life.  I have never completely stopped making art, but there were some periods in my life where I did not create fine art consistently and I definitely felt my mood go down.  I believe that we are all inherently creative, but for those of us who are in tune with our creativity, whatever it may be, feel an absence when we do not exercise our creativity muscle, so to speak.  Don’t put odd limitations on yourself just because it's not happening in the exact way or time frame that you expected.  You may miss out on reaching your full potential; after all, art helps you grow, so why stunt that growth with arbitrary guidelines that only restrict you?

Wherever you are in your journey, remember that you don’t have to be better than everyone else, just better than you were yesterday.

Have you ever gotten bored with the art you create? Have you ever had an idea that was outside the norm of what you usually make? I have! I always enjoy making art, but sometimes I feel like I go a little flat. When I’m uninspired to create what I‘ve been creating, I just have to switch gears. In doing so, I shake off any stagnation I may feel and can breathe new life into my creative process. An old idea becomes new again and unseen perspectives of how I create fine art become unveiled. I can integrate my artistic process with my artistic voice and vision while keeping my fine art exciting. Even though I changed what I am creating, I often look back and see a connection that unifies all my art. I view my artwork as a way to communicate, so even though I may have changed the tone, the voice is still the same. I am still referencing the same themes, just with a different viewpoint or a new approach to a work of art. I feel like I am no longer creative if I am just doing the same old art all the time. I believe we should always be growing and challenging ourselves to create new art. Experimentation should never stop and if you have the urge to try something new, do it. You will only be a better artist because of it.