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To Believe In Yourself Is To Love Yourself

Thursday, February 11th, 2010 by Alyice

When I first started painting on a regular basis, I purchased a folding table—thinking that I wouldn’t have to worry about spilling paint or glue onto its surface. Boy was I wrong! All the paint spills, splatters, and globs of glue drove me crazy! Yet, try as I might, I couldn’t remove the stuff; especially since the tabletop was made of vinyl. So I began covering the tabletop with plastic trash bags.

That was all fine and dandy, but then one day my husband chose to host a barbecue for his co-workers and he wanted to use my table. Talk about embarrassing!

It was at that moment that I decided to do something about that table.

At first, I thought about being cautious, but then I realized that every time I sat down to paint, I freaked out. I worried that what I created wasn’t going to be “good enough” or that there would be flaws and imperfections or that others would ridicule my style of art or that I’d never sell a single creation—whether it be a tutorial or the actual artwork.

Those fears debilitated me. They were inhibiting and stifling and caused me to spend more time “wanting” to create art than actually creating art.

So I decided to break free by grabbing whatever supplies I had on hand and I told myself that it wasn’t about creating something beautiful or perfect. And it wasn’t about creating a composition, a theme, or even a scene. It was simply about the act of creating. It was about finally allowing myself to break free and just be in the moment…to create without inhibitions.

Copyright 2010, Alyice Edrich
Mod Podge Tabletop © Alyice Edrich, 2010
Sorry about image quality. Too much snow to go outside and lighting in studio is horrible.
It’s much more vibrant (and appealing) in person.

I pulled out my Mod Podge®, paint brushes, white gesso, acrylic paints, tissue papers, left over birdies, and my hand painted square inchies. And for the next few weeks, little by little, I added to that table—until the entire surface was covered.

It might seem strange to have the text appear in the middle of the composition the way it does—and at the time, I actually thought it was another piece of scrap that I was just too lazy to cut into squares. But looking back upon the completed piece, I can see that it was my subconscious speaking to me.

“Don’t Forget Love” could mean a lot of things but I think, for this particular project, what it means is:

Don’t forget to love yourself enough to do what makes you happy.

Who cares if someone doesn’t like your art, someone else out there does. And who cares if after you create something, you decide you don’t even like it, because again, someone else out there might. But more importantly, remember how good you felt creating it.

Love yourself enough to follow your dreams. Love yourself enough to create what feels right to you at the moment of creation. And love yourself enough to grow and improve as an artist.

In the end, all will be well when you don’t forget to love yourself, first.

Today, I use that table religiously when I create art. But instead of placing a black trash bag over the table, when I create, I use a clear trash bag. That way, I can see the art underneath and subconsciously remind myself to love myself enough to do what makes “me” happy and to not be afraid of the process—or the outcome.

Keep Creating

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A Superhero In All Of Us

Friday, September 11th, 2009 by Alyice

When I was a little girl, my all-time favorite “superheroes” were Wonder Woman, played by Lynda Carter and Bionic Woman, played by Lindsay Wagner. Oh sure, I knew that they were fictional characters, but I really looked up to them. Not for their superhuman strengths or their stance on fighting crime—though I knew those were admirable traits—but for their strength of character.

I liked the fact that they were beautiful on the inside and not just the outside. I liked that they could be both feminine and strong. I liked that they were smart and weren’t afraid to show it. I liked that they were trustworthy and—except for their secret identities—honest and forthright. And, I liked that even though they often appeared to be working alone, they were in fact working with (and as) a team and didn’t feel the need to act superior or condescending.

As a young adult, my superhero changed. I no longer needed the perfect woman to mentor me. I needed someone more “real”, more flawed. And that’s where Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, starring Jane Seymour, came in. I loved that she, too, was beautiful on the inside and not just the outside. And her character seemed more real to me, more achievable.

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Against all odds, Dr. Quinn made her dreams a reality. In the beginning, she fought ridicule, condemnation, and even prejudices. And because of her profession and her convictions, she didn’t fit in anywhere—not with the womenfolk and definitely not with the menfolk. But the more she stayed her ground, the more she proved herself, the more respect she earned.

Then when she finally earned recognition for her skills, she was told to leave the life she built behind for “bigger and better” things. And that’s where her true strength of character kicked in—she knew the life she wanted, she knew the people she wanted to help, and she knew what mattered most to her and no amount of riches, or fame, or glory would change that.

Dr. Quinn was flawed. She was stubborn, obstinate, strong-willed, opinionated, and feisty. She rubbed people the wrong way. She was not always well-liked and often had difficulty making friends. And sometimes, she simply stuck her nose where it didn’t belong or made mistakes simply because she couldn’t set her convictions aside long enough to see the whole picture. (All of which I am guilty of!) And sometimes she appeared self-righteous and even arrogant.

But that’s what I liked about her character.

I liked that her flaws made her unlikable at times because in real life, we’re all flawed and bound to be “unlikeable” from time to time or even to certain individuals all of the time. Her ability to stay true to herself, despite the fact that she was clearly unliked by some of the most prominent people in town showed true strength of character. And it made a bold statement. It said that being rejected hurts, but it would hurt a lot more if you lost yourself for the sake of being liked by others. It also made it very clear that you cannot please everyone all of the time, nor should you try.

Another flaw she had was one of making mistakes. I liked that her character made mistakes from time to time because in real life, perfection doesn’t exist. Through her, we learn that making mistakes is a normal part of life that cannot be avoided—no matter how hard we try. And that having the courage to admit those mistakes and learn from them is a character quality that builds bridges.

Finally, her flaws showed the world that sometimes you must simply look past the flaws of others to see the good that lies beneath; to see their hearts—for that’s what truly matters.

Flaws aside, Dr. Quinn had a good heart. She was caring, kind-hearted, giving, teachable, and loving. She was a hard worker and dedicated to her profession, her patients, her family, and her friends. And because of her convictions, she saved many lives and made wonderful contributions to society.

In the end, my superheroes taught me that there’s a superhero in all of us just waiting to be unleashed. And the best part is that we don’t need superhuman strength, special equipment, or perfection. All we need is strength of character and the conviction to do the right thing.

We don’t even need to save the world. All we need to do is change the life of just one person; to be a hero to one person. It can be a child, a stranger, or even a cause. And it all starts by simply being the best “us” we can be, then reaching past our comfort zones and going beyond the call of duty…because sometimes all we need are ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

Until next time…

Posted in Artist's Life, The Art Jars | 4 Comments »

A Homeschool Update

Saturday, August 22nd, 2009 by Alyice

As you may recall, back in 2008 I vowed to homeschool myself in the ways of an artist. Back then I was full of ambition and thought I’d be able to spend several hours a day studying and practicing all there is to know about art. But it turns out that I’ve only been able to devote a few hours a week to homeschooling myself.

When I first realized that it will be a year, come this October, that I made that vow, I was bummed. I am nowhere near where I thought I’d be as an artist—in skill or in monetary rewards. And initially, that made me feel like a failure.

But then I realized that when the circumstances of life got in the way, I didn’t give up on my dream. I didn’t pack everything up and say, “Maybe another day”. Instead, I continued to read art blogs and magazines while I practiced painting, photography, and Paint Shop Pro. And I can honestly say that I improved on my art jar techniques.

My homeschooling may have been in stolen moments and I may have waited until I was “in the mood” instead of just diving in, but it at least it happened. And I choose to believe that in some small way, that is success.

Keep Creating

Posted in Artist's Life | 1 Comment »

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AlyiceEdrich.com
I'm a freelance writer, mixed media artist, SMVA, and the owner of The Dabbling Mum.

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All material on this blog belongs to Alyice Edrich, unless otherwise noted. No project, artwork, or text may be reproduced or displayed elsewhere without the consent of the creator. That includes making derivative works for resale. Please use project tutorials for personal use and/or gifts only.