Why Sharing Art Makes us Better Artists.

Sharing creativity makes us all better artists.

 

Sharing creative work whether we are painting, sculpting, writing, photographing...you get the idea...is one of the pleasures of social media networking.

Recently, I was asked permission from someone who wanted to share my work on Facebook, and it made me stop and think. I wondered why more people don't share the work of artists on their own Facebook profile or artist page.

From 2018 to 2021, I regularly shared the work (with permission, of course) of over 75 artists and creatives from around the world, right here, on my website and also on Facebook. Why?

Sharing is just a natural thing to do if I want to learn from other artists. In addition, it is encouragement for people who have insecurities related to their own art. Over the years, I have found out that most artists start out the same way...doubting themselves and their work. Sharing work helps each of us move forward and improves our practice.

(This post was previously published.)

Sharing our creativity allows others to participate in the creative experience.

Doesn't that make us all better artists/ better creatives?

In sharing our own work, we  are encouraging others to wonder about how we got to the finish line with the art work, what methods we used, why certain colour combinations work so well together, how some bold strokes add a dash of excitement to the creation. Certainly it can be the beginning of an interesting dialogue, and…the same holds true when we share other creatives' work.

But the best part of all: you begin to look back on your process perhaps with new eyes, seeing what others see. You think of innovative ways to express yourself in the next creation.

Slowly, any insecurities are diminished and then disappear. Learning from other artists takes nothing away from our own practice. In fact, I think in sharing, we nurture the desire to better ourselves.

Creatives from the 2021 collection of guest artists.

Most certainly, sharing art with others forces the artist to think about the painting and what was being expressed through the brushstrokes, the textures, the collaged elements placed just so, the palette…

Sharing creativity no matter the form it takes, whether it is photography, making jewellery, quilting, writing...inspires all of us to wonder what could be if we tried to be a bit more creative ourselves.

Without a doubt, we also appreciate the beauty of creativity and imagination in others.

 

My mission in curating the work of creatives from around the world was to celebrate the original work of all, whether it was pottery, photography, jewellery, or any other form of self-expression, with my readers and followers.

Common threads among artists.

Many of us have set creativity aside for careers, and for raising a family. This has been quite obvious in the stories that so many of the guest artists have shared with my readers.

However, another common thread is that we are often our own harshest judges thinking our art is not authentic, not good enough, and believing all the negative statements our inner voice keeps expressing...

Sharing different experiences from around the world.

So it is refreshing to see creativity in all its forms. While some artists who have been featured on my website are seasoned online teachers, many others have recently returned to their first passion from childhood.

Creatives from around the world (USA, Argentina, France, Canada, Korea, India, Great Britain...) have shared their creative experiences. Many featured artists have sold their work or have received commissions in their communities.

And yet other artists and creatives are published authors.

A desire to learn, to improve motivates most artists.

First and foremost, what we all have in common is the desire to learn and improve no matter what our creative outlets might be.

We push ourselves to try new techniques, we think outside the box, and we often ask WHAT IF?

Sometimes we succeed, often we don’t.

BUT something else we all have in common is that we keep trying.

Guest artists on drop down menu on my website.

Visit my Guest Artist tab under BLOG to see all artists who have appeared on my website since 2018.

Choose the ones that speak to you and find them online, on Facebook or Instagram and follow them. It is my hope that you will gain new insights as well as followers (I do know that it has happened for many of the artists I have published) or new students if you teach online.

And...don't forget to encourage other creatives by sharing their creative endeavours, and if you so wish, by purchasing their work or their classes.

Cheers!