So let me ask you the question of the day – do you feel confident calling yourself an artist?

If not, you’d probably be shocked to discover how not alone you are in that.

After a very unofficial – but very telling – bit of research on Instagram, I discovered that so. many. artists {like, actual artists, as in people who make art in some form or other} really struggle to use the A word about themselves!

It’s kind of crazy, and also kind of sad, and also not your fault if you feel this way.

Our cultural conditioning doesn’t exactly set us up to win as artists.

There’s the Starving Artist myth for starters.

Most of us acknowledge it’s a myth – and increasingly so now that the internet has opened up so many possibilities for us.

And yet many of us continue to operate as if it were true that you have to suffer and ‘starve’ – and generally not thrive – if you want to be an artist.

Honestly I’m not sure what the school situation is like these days since it’s quite some time since I was in or near one, but way too many of us weren’t encouraged to pursue a career as an artist.

I mean, for one thing, it wasn’t going to support our capitalist economy. 😏

And then our parents or other influential adults may not have been entirely behind any dreams we may have had of making art our career.

A generalisation of course – plenty of parents encourage their kids to follow their hearts, and this is not about demonising parents who try to redirect their children to something they feel will give them a better {‘safer’} life.

Bottom line, we all carry some of these patterns of thinking in different ways, whether we’re consciously aware of them or not, and either way, they’re holding a lot of us back.

You may have no desire to sell your art, but in some ways that can make it feel even harder to claim yourself as an artist, because how can you possibly justify it if it’s not making money?

Many artists struggle with feeling – or seeming – selfish, indulgent, presumptuous, arrogant, or in some way that they don’t tick enough of the ‘right’ boxes to get to call themselves artists.

And yet here we all are, making art, however sporadically and with however much satisfaction or return {financial or otherwise}, while this internal conflict is constantly destabilising us, preventing us from actually stepping out of the myths and into the life we dream of, and making it all feel way harder than it needs to be.

Making art – creating anything – is a joyful act of freedom and individuality.

At least, it should be!

And if it isn’t that for you, you’re not alone, and you can actually change it.

I created the I am an Artist challenge because I was shocked at how often I’d see artists finding this six letter word so difficult to apply to themselves.

And to be honest – it is just a word, and not all artists struggle with this.

{I don’t – although I experience self doubt the same as anyone from time to time – but then I couldn’t exactly help you if I did!}

It’s not ‘just a word’ though if it’s holding you back from accomplishing the things you’d really love to accomplish with your art.

That could be:

• making more art more often
• telling people you care about that you’re making art, or sharing it with them
• selling it
• sharing it on social media
• exhibiting locally or online
• connecting with other artists
• having an easier time in the studio
• developing your skills
• expressing yourself freely

That last one is so fundamental, and can be so inhibited by a lack of self belief.

What can I say? 🤷‍♀️ I just want more for you, and I know it’s possible!

The challenge was a huge success, where success means it helped a lot of artists shake off some of that conditioning, embrace their artist selves, and feel the relief and freedom of seeing themselves in a new and empowering way.

I know a lot of people found out about it after it was over. So if you missed it, I’ve got you covered!

You can now access the challenge completely free right here.

You’ll get 7 days of emails containing fun, simple, a little bit weird 😜, thought provoking tasks to start you on a new track when it comes to ‘you as an artist’.

And there’s even a gift at the end when you complete it! {Sometimes a little extra incentive can be helpful. 😉}

Click the button below to find out more and sign up.

Today is a very good day to start stepping confidently into calling yourself an artist – because if you’re reading this, that’s exactly what you are!