Valuing yourself!
My journey of being an artist thus far!
As some of you know I have beenworking towards a solo exhibition in Goondiwindi. I am just so excited with myartworks and how it has all come together. It opens Wednesday 26th May 6pm atthe Resting Place of the Birds, Goondiwindi Art Gallery. And continues for 6weeks.
With 17 works on show, I like itis one of my best collections yet! I feel like this is meant to be how you feelas the further you go in your career as an artist the more comfortable and‘better’ you get!
I have been ‘practicing’ as an artistfor the last 24 years. I always find this a funny phrase! Yes, we are‘practicing’ and one day we might get it! I don’t think I’m that big on thisphrase actually so I think I will start saying I am an artist and this is mywork or I am working as an artist!
In this time, I have, like somany artists, had many ups and many lows. I have learnt and am still learningso many things as I go.
One of the biggest lessons isknowing that whatever will be, will be. You can put yourself out there, workhard and smart but in the end it all goes where it is meant to go!
We actually don’t have too much control of it.What we do have control over is how we react and respond to it. This is wheremy faith comes in. I do trust the journey now. This is not to say that I getdisappointed. I have had many a tear over not being accepted for submissionsand magazines. Because this dents your self-value, you start to say Why not Me?I have thought this many times and still do sometimes. But I also ask myselfnow. Why Me? I feel now that there is a reason they didn’t choose me. Maybethey are not part of my value system, maybe my artworks are not what they arelooking for at the moment? Maybe my artworks and thoughts need to go somewhereelse?
I know in my heart that there isa place for my thoughts and artworks and they will always find a home. A homethat appreciates, that supports, that loves and holds them close. This in theend is where I want my thoughts and artworks to be housed. They will all gowhere they need to go and this is actually my thoughts when I am creating eachand every piece. They all go on a journey, some go quickly, others take sometime.
Sometimes we push so hard becausewe want it so badly and let me tell you I have done this a lot!! I have alwaysworked hard and now I work hard and ‘smarter’! The rest will take care ofitself. In the end all will be well and quite often it works out different andmaybe better than you first thought! (When I wrote that last sentence, I feltlike YESSS I finally have peace with this, a big sigh out!)
I think if it feels right, if itsits well with you then give it a try. Yes, there will be lessons learnt, somegreat and some not so great but that is life. The lessons that I have learnt indisappointment have been the most difficult, but this just makes you changethings and this is where growth takes a massive leap!
I have learnt to valuemyself, my ideas, my work, my options, my total makeup! Not everyone will ‘get’me or my artworks and thoughts but that is ok to me. They all go where they aremeant to go.
All my love and gratitude forsupporting me on my life journey.
Love Steph xxoo
PS Photo credit, my daughter Trix. xx