{"id":2539,"date":"2017-02-02T09:32:51","date_gmt":"2017-02-02T09:32:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.kirstenharrisart.co.uk\/?p=2539"},"modified":"2017-02-04T08:33:15","modified_gmt":"2017-02-04T08:33:15","slug":"diary-of-an-exhibition-not-good-enough-for-what","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kirstenharrisart.co.uk\/?p=2539","title":{"rendered":"Diary of an Exhibition – Not Good Enough for What?"},"content":{"rendered":"

‘Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.’<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Pablo Picasso<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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I have been struggling with that ‘not good enough’ habit!<\/p>\n

A habit that I am convinced for many of us started at school when we were told, as some kind of weird encouragement, that our work was ‘not good enough’ or to ‘try harder.’<\/p>\n

Words that for many of us result in instant neck tightening tension habits.<\/p>\n

Can you feel tension or tightening right now if you think about being ‘not good enough’ or ‘trying harder’?<\/p>\n

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My up-coming exhibition in April is in the ‘best’ street in Edinburgh for art, the Edinburgh version of Cork Street in London, and because of this daft value judgement a nasty little insidious voice in me has been taunting –<\/p>\n

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‘Your work’s not good enough!’<\/p>\n

‘Who do you think you are?’<\/p>\n

‘You are going to make a giant fool of yourself.’… \u00a0and other horrible scary jibes.<\/p>\n

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Do you recognise any of these getting in the way of your art making fun, destroying your creativity?<\/p>\n

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So I have been asking the question – not good enough for what?<\/p>\n

Not good enough to play with paint on canvas or paper?<\/p>\n

Is that true?<\/p>\n

Obviously NO!<\/p>\n

NOT TRUE!<\/p>\n

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Little children don’t worry about paintings being ‘not good enough!’<\/p>\n

It is when ‘grown ups’ start to teach them to ‘keep paint within the lines’ and ‘be neat not messy’ that the ‘not good enough’ starts to set in.<\/p>\n

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‘If you find a voice within you that says you cannot paint, then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced.’ <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Vincent Van Gogh<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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So my thought for silencing the ‘not good enough’ habit is to paint paint paint …<\/p>\n

Cover canvas as fast as I can …<\/p>\n

Any way I like …<\/p>\n

Music on, dancing with colour …<\/p>\n

Playing with feel and pressure of brush stroke …<\/p>\n

That is all …<\/p>\n

Like a child!<\/p>\n

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Picasso again ….<\/strong><\/p>\n

‘It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.’<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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To paint like a child!<\/p>\n

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Art is a worthwhile journey – we can get out of our own way, let go of thinking habits that do not serve us and paint like a child.<\/p>\n

Simple joy!<\/p>\n

So easy and yet so challenging with our ego based comparative habits rearing there ugly little heads and ruining the fun.<\/p>\n

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So my question now, when I hear that creepy ‘not good enough’ thought form, is to ask the rebellious childlike question – Not good enough for what?!<\/p>\n

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****<\/p>\n

photo – Yes, I am a very messy painter!<\/p>\n

Hmmm, good enough or not good enough? Who cares! It is the way I work! : )<\/p>\n

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Perhaps you would like to try me free Alexander Technique inspired 8 day creativity e-course? It’s fun. Link below …<\/p>\n

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