How To Not Destroy The Universe

The internet and bookstores are filled with information on the psychology of sports. We know that in order for athletes to perform at their best, they have to understand their own psychology. Contrast that to the psychology of art. If you Google psychology of art you get depression groups and art therapy. Art as therapy and talking about art when we are in a vulnerable and damaged state is valuable. But there is a significant lack when it comes to considering and honing the performance psychology of artists.

How do we grow and thrive as artists? In art, skill is 20% - the rest is psychology.

We don’t need to perfect our skills and become the best draftsmen. That’s not necessarily what makes great art and a lack of skill is not what holds us back. We need to work on our psychology. The artist’s path is fraught with uncertainty. That is the nature of creation. Understanding your own process and psychology as an artist will open the door to more freedom.

Artists sometimes feel selfish when they work on their own artwork. We limit our access to the studio and the freedom of time to work on our art because we feel like we have to spend our time earning money by creating something for a client or providing for our family.

We get into the studio and we face that blank canvas or that white page. We feel selfish for wanting to put our own creation on that canvas. In our culture, work is considered to be valuable. What is play?

As artists, we need to cultivate a new sense of play. Creating art isn’t selfish. Play is essential for exploration and for understanding. Children understand their connection to the world through play and by creating tests. They study the world and their relationship and reaction to it by play. They investigate and explore everything and learn and become more capable through the essential work of play.

Play is learning. If we don’t allow ourselves to learn and to grow, the artistic soul will die.

Your brilliance and beauty and the art that you create is essential and valuable. In order to become what we can be as artists, we must get into the studio to play and explore. When you have a moment to grow; take it! Play like it’s life or death. Play with all your heart. Play like it matters!