During the process of making art, it can be easy to feel a certain level of inadequacy. Imposter syndrome has a way of rearing its ugly head. Art & Fear: Observations On The Perils (And Rewards) of Art Making by David Bayles and Ted Orland dives into the psychological battles one faces as an artist. I will be taking a look at the themes of fear, perfection, and finding your voice.
Bayles and Orland structure the book around several themes, with fear being the main contender. Fear is an emotion that can either catapult you in the direction of your hearts desire or hold you hostage, paralyzed by an anxiety-ridden sense of failure. According to Bayles and Orland, “In a general way, fears about yourself prevent you from doing your best work, while fears about your reception by others prevent you from doing your own work” (23). It all depends on you. Bayles and Orland aim for the reader to create while being afraid because the fear might not go away. You are to create despite the fear.
The paralyzing need for perfection by the artist happens because the fear of not being deemed “good enough” is felt. This fear stops an artist from creating anything. This is something most people struggle with. Vitale Buford Hardin and her company, The Hardin Group, conducted research regarding the effects of perfectionism in the workplace. Studies show that 92% of people are affected by perfectionism and 66% believe perfectionism leads to fear of failure and conflict avoidance.
When perfectionism goes unchecked, it can lead to chronic stress, severe burnout, and harsh self-criticism. This often leads to depression, anxiety, and strained relationships. Although there are a significant amount of cons regarding perfectionism, there are some pros. According to an article published by Vision Psychology Brisbane, Perfectionism can be seen as a positive trait when we envision ourselves as a “high achiever”.
Bayles and Orland tend to look at imperfections in our art work as something that is helpful. “For you, the seed of your next artwork lies embedded in the imperfections of your current piece. Such imperfections are your guides - valuable, reliable, objective, non-judgmental guides…” (31).
It can be difficult to analyze our own work and accept the imperfections without feeling the need to trash it and start over. However, Bayles and Orland encourages the reader to think of imperfections as your teacher, guiding you to what may be your next piece.
Quieting the noise on our minds when self-doubt takes over can be challenging. That is why finding your voice is important. The first step in doing so is accepting all of who you are. “In large measure becoming an artist consists of learning to accept yourself, which makes your work personal, and in following your own voice, which makes your work distinctive” (3). When you know who you are, it is easy to create the work you want to see.
Do not worry about what others are creating and what they have. You are not them and they are not you. “By definition, whatever you have is exactly what you need to produce your best work” (26).
Bayles and Orland mention the topic of talent because it is easy to feel like maybe we don’t have enough talent to call ourselves ‘artists,’ but they believe it is direction that matters more. “Talent may get someone off the starting blocks faster, but without a sense of direction or a goal to strive for, it won’t count for much” (27). Talent alone is not enough, an artist also must have direction.
All in all, you become an artist the minute you truly deem yourself as one. It doesn’t matter what others are doing or how much recognition you get, if any. Once you reframe fear and perfectionism in a way that benefits your creative process, you’ll begin to reap the benefits of your work: true acceptance of all of who you are.
