Let’s face it: Many of us do it. Compare ourselves to others.
Whether it’s through the written word or academically, or whether it’s musically, athletically, and, yes, artistically, many of us fall into the trap of comparing ourselves to others. We want to make our mark in the discipline(s) of our choice. And this can lead to intense competition.
Comparing ourselves to others cuts short our enjoyment of life and thus diminishes self-care. We should not be chasing glory; instead, our minds should be basking in the joy of our own creations.
For example, I used to envy Bob Ross’ painting prowess in his program The Joy of Painting. I remember getting the paint colors he recommended and following his instructions as best as I could. But, frankly, while his landscapes seemed the work of a genius, my landscapes looked like shit. And I found myself jealous comparing myself to him, and I was always on the losing side of the comparison.
I love art museums and galleries, but eons ago I used to envy and be intimidated by the featured artists. And to make matters worse, I had a frenemy years ago who told me that I sucked as an artist, and if I were truly talented, I wouldn’t create art so slowly.
With time, I now have a healthier perspective on creating art. The joy must come from within, a growth mindset on how one can improve art just because – and that joy radiates outward.
And my frenemy is thankfully out of my life for good.
The truth is this: the universe has room for every single creator. And pompous people wrongly believe only a select few have a monopoly on what art should be. I believe all artists have something to offer the world. And, so what if that art doesn’t suit some people’s tastes. All art has value – not just famous art, not just religious art, not just renowned art.
The point – both as a viewer and an artist – is to find joy and appreciate art.
I am glad to have heard that message.
I now appreciate other artists without a shred of envy or wishing I could be that good. And since joining Oil Painters of America, I have seen some incredible, off-the-charts art. And I remain unflappable. Just as these artists’ works belong, so does mine.
Now back to Bob Ross. I have witnessed people in art circles criticizing him, people making fun of his show. Heck, one of my first oil painting teachers used to say Mr. Ross wasn’t a true artist. How pretentious these critics are. I believe Ross was a true artist, who lived with joy and created a sense of joie de vivre in his viewers. What more can an artist do?
I don’t have much time to watch TV, but I am lucky to tune into my Bob Ross TV channel from time to time. What amazes me is that his passion for his art comes through, and this man is so relaxed when creating a landscape. As a viewer, I am also relaxed and feel honored to be invited into his world. This week my daughter and I stared in amazement, as he easily created a beautiful wet-on-wet oil landscape in 30 minutes. We looked at each other and laughed, saying “We can’t do that!” But we admire someone who can.
The comparison game is so tiring and harmful to our psyches. Let’s just focus on ourselves and our own talents. As I tell my daughter, whether it’s grades, athleticism, or art, we should not compare ourselves to others – thus diminishing our own self worth – but to focus on our own selves.
So this week, true to form, I focused on my own creative process and made great strides on my winterscape painting. I added trees. After the branches and foliage dry, I will be adding some snow onto the plantings, which I think will be somewhat challenging. Near the right upper corner of the canvas, there is smoke, the remnant of a plane’s sky trek. I think this is a nice touch. I really like the way this painting is developing.
And then I did what I never have done before: I revised a painting after signing my name. Yes, Grasses and Mountains needed work, and I decided adding colorful flowers actually detracted from the fact that grasses should be a central theme of this landscape. So I reworked it and am now happy.
I find that comparing oneself to others is useless, and I’m so glad I no longer do this. There’s only one of each of us, and if we embrace our own uniqueness instead of focusing on competing with others, we will all be better off.
I love love love your winter scape. Great trees. The jet mark in the sky is awesome, it draws your eye up to that part of the painting. And I’m glad you were able to alter your painting post-signing. One of the mistakes I make with acrylics is signing and photographing my painting and then varnishing it before I get away from it for a while. I can always find things to fix, but you can’t fix it after you varnish it!
As far as comparison goes, you are right! There is no stone tablet with art rules on it, anything goes, and every artist belongs. When I go to galleries and see other artists’ work, I try to learn while admiring their work. Back when I first started painting over 20 years ago I once had someone
- a frenemy who is also no longer in my life- say, “don’t quit your day job” but she was serious and said it in a nasty way. Keep on going! You are on the right track!
Hi Beth,
Oh, the comparison game - it's always a struggle to not get too caught up in it. It's human nature to compare ourselves to others I guess. But your statement: "Comparing ourselves to others cuts short our enjoyment of life and thus diminishes self-care" is so true!
I know I shouldn't compare myself to other authors, but... I guess it's okay to compare if you're doing it as a way to motivate or inspire yourself. And, of course, if you want to learn from the expertise of others. If you can compare without the competition aspect, I think it's okay. But therein lies the challenge.
As an indie author, I remind myself all the time that it's not about how many readers I connect with at all. It's about the connections I do make with the readers I have. And social media, don't get me started on that comparison game. Ugh.
I like the changes you made to Grasses and Mountains. Good for you for making them even after signing your name. And I love the winter scape. The trees are just stunning. And yes, that plane exhaust is a nice touch for sure. Not sure how you thought of that!