IS SHOWING YOUR WORK NECESSARY?
The Answer is YES! yes! YES!
For many reasons one needs to exhibit, just as a writer should publish and a musician should play a gig. To grow in your art, you cannot hide away and never share your creations. Part of the act of doing art is sharing it with others. For some artists it is more painful than others. Those of us involved in a creative life are sometimes very inward, shy or reserved people and in sharing our art, it is like the sharing the most intimate vulnerable parts of ourselves. And then we think, what if no one like it, what if not one stops to look, or what if someone says it is no good. In truth any of those things can happen and may, but how you learn to deal with it will allow you to grow more as an artists and communicator.
From early in my career as an arts teacher I decided it was essential to exhibit my work and keep involved. It is not easy when you are teaching young students, for at the end of the day you are worn out giving all your ideas and insight to others. But it helps to soldier through all that. One of the side effects of continuing to do my own art and show it was I continued to understand how the student felt as a student...it often put me in that role, so I was more sensitive to their needs.
I also grew more as an artist. I learned that I had to consider the source of the criticism and to determine whether it was valid. I learned to take criticism with a grain of salt for the most part and have more strength in my own conviction as an artist and my own vision of my creativity.
So do I still have to push myself to show? Yes I do. Recently a show came up with my university I graduated from called Made at USF. I called and found I could enter as an alumni and did. It wasn't a huge show, but it was worth me doing. I met students and staff showing their work as well besides it keeps me in the flow of showing and exhibiting. Push your self, don't shy away...it is the way you grow and the way you communicate your work.
The Answer is YES! yes! YES!
For many reasons one needs to exhibit, just as a writer should publish and a musician should play a gig. To grow in your art, you cannot hide away and never share your creations. Part of the act of doing art is sharing it with others. For some artists it is more painful than others. Those of us involved in a creative life are sometimes very inward, shy or reserved people and in sharing our art, it is like the sharing the most intimate vulnerable parts of ourselves. And then we think, what if no one like it, what if not one stops to look, or what if someone says it is no good. In truth any of those things can happen and may, but how you learn to deal with it will allow you to grow more as an artists and communicator.
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| University of South Florida Center Gallery |
From early in my career as an arts teacher I decided it was essential to exhibit my work and keep involved. It is not easy when you are teaching young students, for at the end of the day you are worn out giving all your ideas and insight to others. But it helps to soldier through all that. One of the side effects of continuing to do my own art and show it was I continued to understand how the student felt as a student...it often put me in that role, so I was more sensitive to their needs.
I also grew more as an artist. I learned that I had to consider the source of the criticism and to determine whether it was valid. I learned to take criticism with a grain of salt for the most part and have more strength in my own conviction as an artist and my own vision of my creativity.
So do I still have to push myself to show? Yes I do. Recently a show came up with my university I graduated from called Made at USF. I called and found I could enter as an alumni and did. It wasn't a huge show, but it was worth me doing. I met students and staff showing their work as well besides it keeps me in the flow of showing and exhibiting. Push your self, don't shy away...it is the way you grow and the way you communicate your work.
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