Why You Should Share Your Art

Suddenly you have an idea and an overwhelming feeling of creative genius, but then you realize how vulnerable you will be if you share your art with other people.

What if they don’t like it? What if they think it is stupid? What if they think it is awful? My question to you is, why do “they” matter so much to you?

“Creativity takes courage.”

– Henri Matisse

Using your creative talent does take courage, but there is a wonderful freedom in sharing your talent so that other people can enjoy it. No one does what you can do exactly the way that you do it or from the same perspective. Allowing other people the opportunity to enjoy your work is not only rewarding for them, but it will also boost your confidence and a whole range of other emotions. Their acceptance of your skilled efforts will inspire you and their criticisms will motivate you to soar higher.

“Whether you succeed or not is irrelevant, there is no such thing. Making your unknown known is the important thing.”

– Georgia O’Keeffe

Many times I have paused too long because I expect perfection of myself even though I know it is an impossible standard. Our art will never be perfect in form, but the emotions it causes in those who view or read it is what really matters. Having others catch the same vision and ride the same tide of emotions that we feel when producing our work is the goal – not perfection.

“Have no fear of perfection, you’ll never reach it.”

– Salvador Dali

Whether you’re a skilled painter, sculptor or writer, you are most alive and in touch with your emotional core of creativity when you are producing your art. It’s the one time that you can get lost in work and time will fly by. You forget to eat and before you know it, the sun is setting and you are still bouncing with energy.

“The only time I feel alive is when I’m painting.”

– Vincent Van Gogh

That’s why is it so important to do what you love and to take the time to master your own artistic creativity. Being in touch with your own soul will make you a happier and healthier person!

“One can have no smaller or greater mastery than mastery of oneself.”

– Leonardo da Vinci

Life can drag us all down at times and an artist can pull us out of the muck to remember once again see the beauty in the small things. I often think about how a child sees things for the first time with so much wonder and awe. When an artist is able to share an insight into their work that opens our mind and heart to beauty we’ve never seen before or have simply forgotten, our own creativity is reignited with passion.

“Everything has its beauty, but not everyone sees it.”

– Andy Warhol

When my daughter, Alyssa, was very young, she used to draw and paint pictures for me all the time. If she wasn’t drawing or painting, she had the glue out sticking all kinds of things together to create her art. Sometimes it didn’t look anything like the object Alyssa said it was, but the joy on her face as she shared it with me was priceless.

Many times I would sit and stare at her creations trying to understand how she got to where she ended up. Understanding Alyssa’s art helped me to better understand her heart. Watching her as she was drawing, painting and gluing was a wonderful experience in itself. There was an excited air accompanying her wild imagination that not only brought her happiness, but also brought happiness to those who shared in the experience with her.

“The world of reality has its limits; the world of imagination is boundless.”

– Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Imagination quote

I hope that we all will be willing to create and share our art. We just need to push past the fear of rejection or ridicule and let the beauty of our soul express itself in our artistic ventures. You will feel the freedom of expressing the intimate you and others will feel joy at experiencing it with you.

“The earth has music for those who listen.”

– William Shakespeare