Better Together

I feel so hopeless. I am an accomplished artist. But I am being haunted by naysayers.

Updated on August 20, 2017 in Ask A Coach
4 on August 11, 2017

I feel like I am walking on cracking eggshells. Every misstep will be the doom of my art career. Recently I ran into a situation where a woman totally trashed my unfinished sculpture in front of an artwalk tour. She told them it was finished and wouldn’t let them near my finished sculpture despite the protests of one of the attendees. He tried to guide everyone towards my finished piece but she wouldn’t have it and whisked everybody out of there with no time time to spare. The only reason the unfinished piece was there was so I could do a sculpting demo during the reception later that evening. So, yes, she did the tour before the show was even started! I know the onus is on her and that I had an advocate but I feel like it is too late to undo the damage. Now I can’t do any artwork and I am really behind on my projects. Things are going from bad to worse in the meantime. Nothing works to get me to focus on what I need to do now. I am already making plans to move out of town and start over.

 
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There are several articles online about how to handle people who trash your art.  As an artist myself I know what it feels like to be crushed by someone who doesn’t have a clue.  It is so easy to get discouraged and feel like a failure.  What I tell myself is that I am creating for myself and God and if others like it, that’s an extra bonus.  And if they don’t, that’s OK.  I don’t like everything that others create, either.  But I would never say it out loud in a public setting.  In your situation you must wonder what is going on with her that she would deliberately try to humiliate you in front of others and refuse to listen to your explanation.  Don’t let her control what you are doing.  It appears that she really has some problems of her own.

on August 16, 2017

Thanks for the reply! I am working on trying to get back into creating again. I have been to the hyperbaric oxygen therapy sessions at the Amen Clinic and they are helping. It seems I get horrible gastrointestinal issues whenever I stress out and it really drags me to the ground! So I figured oxygen couldn’t hurt (lol) – we all gotta breathe.  Again, thanks for the advice!

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Here is a link to an artist who has written some good ideas about responding to “haters”:
https://luannudell.wordpress.com/

on August 20, 2017

Thanks!

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