fear and the creative process

Have you experienced your own or other people's fear-based reactions to your creative education and career choices?

How have you successfully overcome these reactions?

What is your concept of your creative process?

How do you approach creating, making?


I've definitely experienced my own fear in my creative life. I've overcome a lot of those fears by showing art on my own and trying to keep that YOLO attitude; not thinking about other people's judgements, or my own for that matter. I've been lucky enough to have a very supportive family and a lot of creative people in my life. I really like Elizabeth Gilbert's take on all of this; the idea of letting the creative gods help me and if I fail, I fail. 

My process for painting: When I create a painting, I usually work on it at night. Lately, I've been doing freehand acrylic paintings, usually of abstract faces. The next morning, I either like it or I don't. If I don't, I paint over it. I was doing a lot of portraits- some realistic, some on the abstract side. Since, I'm in school, I'm trying to make painting more of a release and fun. These days, it's quick and colorful.

Sometimes I do feel the genius or daemon Gilbert mentioned. I feel inspired sometimes before I go to sleep and I'll write down my ideas.
This may sound weird, but sometimes when I'm hungover I feel like my mind opens up. I've had some awesome hangover ideas in the past few years. Hangovers have also gotten me into some amazing music that I may not have given a chance otherwise. 

I recently read Eckhart Tolle's book, A New Earth. In it he talks a lot about the human ego and living presently. In one chapter he says, "How do you know this is the experience you need? Because this is the experience you are having at this moment." 
I truly believe this; this kind of thinking saves my life sometimes and keeps me out of those dark, depressing bouts so many of us have encountered. 

I really try not to put too much pressure on myself. I try not to feel guilty about lacking ideas or motivation. When the creativity comes, it comes.