Art & Soul

Negative Nellies

Do you have any Negative Nellies in your life?

You know, those people who feel the need to tear you down lest you start feeling (gasp!) confident about your work or yourself.

It may be a relative, a friend, a coworker or even your sweetie.   

Well, phooey on them, I say!

I had a recent run-in (run-down?) with my Nellie, and I'm afraid I really let it get to me. To the point that I even lashed out at one of my Supportive Susans.

Sorry, Sue.

Anyway, after much thought and grieving over the situation, I've decided that Nellie's opinion just isn't important.

If I want a critique, I'll get one from my critique group or another professional. If I want someone to oo and ah, I'll seek out my Supportive Susans.

And if, for some really bizarre reason, I need to feel like poop, then I'll dig out my portfolio to show Nell. :-)

Phooey, I say!

Illustration Friday - Reinvent

Sometimes, you just have to take what you have lying around and put it all together in a whole new way.

As artists, I think we reinvent ourselves and our work constantly.

Someone once told me that I change my style as often as most people change their underwear.

I wouldn't have it any other way. :-)

Hallmarks and Milestones

I've reached a milestone in my career—I am on Amazon!

Hearts & Kisses, the book I illustrated for Simon & Schuster, is available for pre-order. It's a charming book written by Michelle Knudsen and will make a lovely gift for all the little ones on your Valentine's Day list!

I network with a lot of illustrators, and one of the things that we all seem to do is to set these hallmarks of legitimacy for ourselves. "When I accomplish X, then I'll be successful." Of course, as soon as we reach X, we raise the bar again. "Ok, as soon as I do Y, then I'll be successful."

For me, they become the litmus test of being a "real" artist. I don't know why I still question this, but occasionally, I still feel a bit of a fraud. As I reach each new self-imposed "real artist" marker, the doubt, gratefully, comes less and less often.

I am a real artist, and now when I doubt myself, I can go search my name on Amazon to prove it. :-)