Am I Doing it Right?
©Pamela Hirsch, Anthea. Oil and cold wax on birch panel, 18 x 18 x 1.5 inches. $650. Click here for purchasing info.
It's only recently that I've discovered that the question "am I doing it right" is a theme that's been running my entire life. I say "discovering" because that's what it feels like. "Realization" doesn't carry the same weight as "discovery."
It happened while I was meditating. All those thoughts you think you're not supposed to have during a good meditation session, but it turns out that they are perfectly normal and will never go away. They are often there to instruct. One of my recurring thoughts was, "am I doing this right?"
At some point, I realized this was a very familiar thought - I have it all the time! I'm having it even as I write. (Thank goodness for Grammarly!) But more to the point, I have it in my studio. So while it might be familiar, I think that, for the most part, that particular thought is a problem. And I'll tell you why.
Limiting Thoughts
In this age of self-help and therapy (no judgment here, I love self-help books!), it's not unusual to be aware of the concept of "limiting thoughts." We all have ideas that limit us in some way or another. Thoughts like "I'm too old," "I'm not old enough," "I need more money," or "there's not enough time." They're all about conditions we may or may not be able to do anything about.
The question "Am I doing this right?" can be appropriate - if you're driving a car or drilling into someone's head - but not when making art. When you're making art, it becomes a limiting thought.
Arguably, you'd need to learn the basics of working with whatever your chosen medium is. Still, it's questionable whether that pesky thought about doing things right is all that useful.
Your Voice, Your Style
When you're creating art, the point is not to be like someone else. You could buy a paint-by-numbers kit if you wanted to do that.
The best artists are the ones that try new things - create unique combinations, try new materials, and perhaps use existing materials in a new way. There is no right way or wrong way. There is only the process of doing. And it's one of the ways an artist develops their unique voice or style.
Worrying about whether or not we're doing things right stops us from experimenting. Dead in our tracks. It creates blocks. In my case, it can keep me out of my studio. God forbid I should do it wrong!
Taking Risks
The iconic painter Bob Ross used to talk about "happy accidents." It's the idea that something really cool can happen in your painting when you make a mistake. Not always. But, if you are comfortable taking a risk - risking a mistake - the possibility of something new and unique happening in your work increases.
Hopefully, it's evident by now that being overly concerned with doing things "right" will interfere with taking risks. No risks, nothing new. Doing things right all the time = Boring.
Getting Comfortable With Risk
So what can you do if you're like me and perfection is one of your unwanted values and risk-taking is akin to throwing yourself off a cliff? Here are some ideas. By the way, I'm not getting referral bucks for any of the recommendations below. However, I think they're good and helpful, and you might think so as well.
You can play! John Cleese, the hysterically funny co-founder of Monty Python, said, "The essence of creativity is being able to play." He even wrote a book on creativity and gave ideas on how to play. Since most of us adults have entirely forgotten how to.
His book, Creativity: A Short and Cheerful Guide, can be read in under an hour. Or listen to the Audible version.
You can experiment. Artist Larry Moore published a fantastic book called "Fishing for Elephants" which is full of ideas that will help you try different things and think differently. I highly recommend this book and suggest you get the paperback version. It's pricey but worth it. There are exercises to try and a lot of color images. Unfortunately, the Kindle version doesn't do it justice. I know because I bought it and then ended up getting the paperback.
You can take a class. My friend and mentor, Deborah Paris, who owns and teaches at The Landscape Atelier, is offering a brand new 12-week course this year. It's called Find Your Authentic Voice as a Landscape Painter. There's going to be a lot of play and experimentation. It's open to only 10 students, and there will be a lot of one-on-one in it, in addition to group calls.
I’ve studied with Deborah for over 3 years. She was once an attorney and has been a working artist for over 30 years. She’s reinvented herself and her art several times and is in the process of doing it again right now. Risk-taking is not something she shies away from.
Doing it Right
We have specific thoughts for a reason. Often they are fear-based and are meant to keep us safe. Questioning whether we are doing it right is one of those types, and for lots of activities is a constructive thought. It helps keep us on track.
But for creativity and for making honest, authentic art, it's death.