This is where I can really get stuck. Those thoughts swirl in my head “I’m not as good as …”, “If I can’t do it perfectly, why start?”, “It’s not going to turn out exactly like what I want…”. I know it’s probably not popular to say this but too much media really brings this out in me- too many magazines, too much Internet, too many books. Sometimes, I have to force myself to stay away from the library (I LOVE the library!) and I have to go on hiatus from the computer. I have to hide the idea magazines. I rarely ever scrap with magazines in front of me, but even if they are hidden I will find myself comparing my work to others I have seen. I love the artist who explains this perfectionism delimna by telling a story of the Creator who sits on one shoulder and the Critic who sits on the other. Who am I listening to today? Who do I need to squelch? The fact is there are definitely times when I need the critic to come out and help me make decisions-which piece goes to the gallery? What photo do I frame for the living room? What photos tell this story perfectly on this scrapbook page? But, when I’m in the heart of making something, that is when I need to tell that Critic to “be quiet”. (Actually, I want to use stronger language here because sometimes that critic is literally shouting at me, but you get the point.) I’m telling myself today “There are NO MISTAKES in my studio-only opportunities to be more creative than I imagined myself to be”. Repeat after me “There are NO MISTAKES, there are NO MISTAKES, there are NO MISTAKES”… and sometimes it is OK to create something simple and beautiful "just because" (or because you need a gift for your mom tomorrow!) :)
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