Authenticity ...

This is a reflective and thoughtful post which might strike a chord with those feeling a little overwhelmed with the challenges of staying creative while keeping up with technology. Lately I have seen so many examples of bloggers, artists, designers and creatives yearning for a more authentic approach to their passion - somehow many lost their spark as they were swept into the whirlwind of internet self promotion and marketing - this goes against the grain for many artists because by nature often they are introverted and self questioning, to put themselves in front of an audience is often the least comfortable many of them feel.

The internet is a fabulous resource, creating pages and accounts are free - you can edit as you go - and it is highly visual and responsive. Facebook is a great option for creative people to upload their work and feel connected to the public by having a Facebook page. Post away, it's nice to get some feedback and it's always appreciated. I am a great admirer of art in any genre and always make an effort to acknowledge work that I love. It doesn't take long and then you can walk away into the world you feel more comfortable to create in.

I have also joined Instagram and have spent weeks uploading older images from way back when through to current times, it's nice to see a library of art to show how much work you have done and allows you to see it online from a distance where you can observe more objectively what you like about a piece, how you might change it and what direction you are drawn in. This probably would not happen with your works sitting in a drawer and out of sight.

However for many who would rather be writing or painting, social media can also take you back to old insecurities about your work being good enough and popularity and social cliques may still tend to develop, even if online.

This new year has already brought a great sense of introspection and self awareness - it's so important for me to continue on a path that calls to me. Social media is important for artists to be seen - I have had communications and requests for work which has come via my blog, Facebook page and Instagram account. I also love looking at all the incredibly creative designers, photographers, artists and writers that you come across on the internet. Very rewarding to see the time spent online has been worthwhile, along with making many lovely friends and seeing the artistic talent this world has to offer in many forms. For every positive there is a negative and vice versa, therefore balance is key so you don't get caught up in feeling you 'have' to be online.

I am lucky enough to live surrounded by a beautiful garden setting in a lovely old homestead and we have spent most of our time here working very hard on creating a sanctuary. At the time we moved I had no idea I would be able to study art and design so it's almost a case of "if you build it they will come". My focus is on being amongst nature as an absolute priority in my spare time so that I can be constantly reminded of why I first started drawing and painting and keep a sense of joy about the process. Sometimes the simplest things are often the best and ultimately lead to finding your comfort zone, which is the source of most creative endeavours.

                               “The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.”
                                                                           C Jung

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2 comments:

ManonJanuary 3, 2016 at 12:18 PM
Another beautiful blog Vicki. " keep a sens of joy...", please stick to it. As you wrote, you get into the botanical art world because you love nature. When we are truly connected to nature, the better we are inspired and the better we feel about ourself and. Beside beeing loved and beeing able to love, having eyes to see the beauties that gives us Mother Nature, is an amazing privilege like " become who you truly are" ...xxx