On Gratitude
Working the early morning hours in the studio.
As an artist with a young family, I get a lot of my work done in the early morning hours of a sleeping house. The quiet solitude offers a respite from the busyness of day-to-day activities. I love the feeling of having the house to myself, with no distractions, allowing me to focus on my art without interruption. These moments of solitude are what we look for as an artist - it's a time for reflection, for creativity, and for gratitude.
Oddly enough, sometimes the solitude an artist craves can be overwhelming. As we begin the descent into the quieter winter months, I’m reminded of the annual cycle of the artist. During the winter months, without the regular in-person interaction with customers and followers, one can begin to feel isolated from the world and start to question oneself. Am I good enough? Will people buy this? Am I wasting my time? Solitude is the breeding ground of doubt.
It's in these moments that I find myself feeling grateful for the people who support me. I'm grateful for my family and friends, who believe in me even when I don't. I'm grateful for my fans who appreciate my work and give me the motivation to keep going. I'm grateful for the other artists who inspire me - they show me that it's possible to make a living following your passions.
While the solitude can be lonely, there’s comfort knowing I'm not alone. I'm part of a community of artists and creative non-profits who support one another. And beyond that there are the local small business networks. There are the people who provide financial support, like patrons and donors. There are the people who help with the creative process, like gallery owners, our critics, and collaborators. And there are the people who simply support us emotionally, like our family and friends. I'm grateful for every single person who plays a role in supporting my art.
It's easy to take for granted all the people who support artists. We too often focus only on the finished product with the artist’s name on it and forget to fully consider the totality of the individual contributions. Without the people who support artists, none of the creative products would be possible. Thank you to all those that support and believe in us as artists.
