Emotional Territory

About this Episode

Creative work involves a myriad of emotions. In a single day in the studio, an artist can cycle through excitement, frustration, despair, relief, pleasure, and hope. Sending a finished piece into the world can bring on anxiety and feelings of vulnerability, along with more positive emotions like anticipation and satisfaction. Emotional involvement comes with the territory of our work-- but we do need to stay on track, focus, and show up in the studio. Today we’ll talk about coping with the tangle of emotions that can challenge artists and other creative people.

Emotional involvement in your work is part of the territory of creativity. Positive emotions help us stay motivated, experience satisfaction, and feel connected ot our work. These positive feelings are evidence of our passion for our work.
Without them our process can feel flat, boring, rote, and mechanical. But along with more negative feelings, the range of emotions connected to your work can be exhausting and confusing and get in the way of productivity.

Feelings of fear, inadequacy, and pessimism can be very discouraging. These are generally rooted in your personality, and if so, you also face them in other areas of life. But as an artist you do have a path to working through them. The process of making art or engaging in other kinds of creativity is a way of feeding and nurturing positive feelings. Art and other creative endeavors teach us so much about ourselves--about trust, patience, and persistence. Just by engaging in your work, by overcoming the challenges that it presents, there can be a shift over time in attitude and how you cope with negative emotions.

We all differ in how intensely we experience the emotions connected with creative work, and this can shift over time if it is intense, as you better recognize how to cope with ups and downs and understand their role in your life. Art can become your steady anchor no matter what kinds of emotional upheavels you may experience.

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What's new at Cold Wax Academy?
The Summer Quarter of Cold Wax Academy's membership program is now underway. Rebecca and Jerry's upcoming weekly live, online sessions will explore Personal Voice and Composition and continue the topic of Professional Development with some special guests. Member Critiques and Painting Clinics, Cold Wax Academy's new feature, are ongoing. You can join the membership program anytime and catch up with past recorded sessions at your own pace. Please visit http://www.coldwaxacademy.com for more information.

Also-- stay tuned for information coming soon about Rebecca and Jerry's newest project, Espacio, dedicated to providing beautiful living and working spaces for artists and writers. Espacio's first offering is Casa Clavel, a modern, fully equipped house opening this September in the beautiful cultural city of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. You can learn more and make a reservation by emailing [email protected]. A dedicated Espacio website is coming soon!

Here is what a member named Sandy has to say about her own experience with Cold Wax Academy:
"Rebecca and Jerry have presented the most professional, authentic and structured approach to a creative activity I have ever come across. Their selfless sharing of all their knowledge and encouragement is a gift in my life unsurpassed."

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The Messy Studio Podcast is a Tick Digital Media Production.