No artist feels good enough all of the time, some never feel good enough; it is part of the dilemma of the artist. We often don't feel our work is good enough to show to others, not even those closest to us. It is not a desire to keep it a secret it is a fear of being told we really aren't good enough; or worse hearing the placating tone while they lie and tell us how amazing it is like we are 6. Confidence when we are done with our words, photographs, music, etc. is often lost.
Artists must have confidence to start a work and work on it until completion. Skill is not the only requisite of art of any form. Confidence is vital. Many a lovely piece have lay uncompleted in a drawer or closet because an artist lost their confidence mid way through. There are artists who do not have a problem with confidence, who start and finish everything they decide to work on. I have not met them, but I am sure they exist, like Moby Dick out there waiting for a critic's spear. There are those who have enough confidence to start an infinite number of projects but none will ever cross the finish line because they don't have enough to keep them going OR to know when they are done. They just keep adding or refining infinitely. I think most artists are the type that never start. I think most of us are artists and just don't have the confidence to get started. The few who can work from beginning to end AND get themselves to let their work go in front of a harshly judging public need to be commended. Their art, in whatever form, may not be our "cup of tea" but it is their soul so be gentle in explaining this to them.
That was all the long way around to talking about budding artists. The young have all of the confidence in the world, until we take it from them. Robert Fulghum tells of giving talks to kindergarten and senior classes and the differences between the two. How the difference between "YES WE CAN" and "YES I CAN" and "Yes, they can" and more happens. Some of what is lost in those possibilities is confidence, the idea of the possibles bag is a gift of confidence. We can do that every day with people by just reminding them that someone believes in them. You never know what kind of a gift you are helping to bloom.
The artistic ego can be a funny one. Once we have the confidence in our gift we REALLY have it or we wouldn't be able to show it to anyone. At the same time we are insecure if what we are doing or showing is even a gift. It can be confusing to deal with, especially if you haven't before. Remember that we are all caught between "Yes I Can!" and "Do You Like It?" Each and every time we "deliver" our gift and it might help you.
As of Sunday NaNoWriMo has begun. This is the point where my entire blog is going to be taken over by writing. This is the point where I might not make any posts at all or might make more than one a day, depending on how well my novel is going (hint, the second one will mean not well). I have my research, I have my idea, now it is FINALLY time to write. If I don't get to posting before December I will see you then and I will be seeing you from Tucson!
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