Artist Hideout

I’m an approval addict.

by William Lehman on March 7th, 2007

I was sitting in Barnes and Noble earlier today and got caught up in a book I was reading, “Overcoming Anxiety for Dummies”.

Now at first glance, you might think, “what in the world does that have to do with art?”

I use art much of the time as an outlet for feelings and thoughts. Over the last year, I’ve come to realize that I struggle with anxiety and have had to come up with effective ways of dealing with it. Today it seemed to click at least on an intellectual level that I am “an approval addict”.

I thrive on it. I worry over the things I say and do and basically how people will react to me. It’s caused a lot of stress in the last few years for me. But I also find that rather than help me deal with it, sometimes my art can become just another way to gain approval.

Hitting home yet?

Art is an easy thing to hide behind. There are a lot of stereotypes of people with various mental disorders being absolutely brilliant at art and revolutionize the art world (albeit usually after their death). But dealing with the feelings and issues can include art as a therapy, but ultimately when you take the problems by the horns, you will find that even in your art you can be set free.

Do something today artistically that isn’t your norm. Seek only to please yourself and no one else with that piece. What comes out?

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POSTED IN: Brain Shavings