Do your friends and family support your art? I hope they do, but if they don't, I want to share a couple things that make help you on your creative journey. I see a lot of artists post that they have a show and people don't show up for them, making them want to give up. I know how that feels. It stinks, but hold up for a minute. I've got you 🤗
As a child, my parents did get me art supplies, often my big request for Christmas and Birthdays. They did help me enter a few contests and would hang my class projects on the fridge. It was clear early on that I had some talent and a lot of interest in exploring my creativity. I can recall one very specific time my father made a negative comment about being an artist when I was around 13, and I remember my mom shushing him right away. "Starving artist" was a term that I did regularly hear, both at home and from friends, even teachers. I still hear it today 🤦
I did not come from money and when it was time for college and a career choice, the decision and financial responsibilities tied up with them were completely mine. I don't believe my family ever tried to talk me out of it, but they did bring up the practicality of being of an artist and that it might pose some challenges. I know they did encourage me to consider alternatives like architecture, kinesiology, and zoology. I chose art and accepted the challenges and the accompanying responsibilities. If I was going to have to put myself through school, I was going to do whatever the **** I wanted...and I did 🙆
Funny enough, in college I was known for these hyperrealistic German Shepherd paintings. I won several awards, including the student show, and a number of scholarships. I don't think many knew, but the series reflected my feelings of abandonment, a shepherd separated from the flock. At the same time, it was even more direct than that. My family didn't help me with college, but as soon as I left for school, they immediately got a pure bred German Shepherd that felt like my replacement. I was definitely fighting for approval and validation. My mom and sister did come to the student show my junior year, where I won several awards 🐕🏆
Today I am a professional artist. I have had well over a hundred exhibitions, shown with galleries across the country, exhibited at major art fairs, and write for a painting magazine while simultaneous creating support content for artists. If I had to guess, I think I can probably count the exhibitions my family has come to on one, maybe two hands. I will admit, to be fair, my memory is not the best with my TBI. When my parents recently visited, because they moved away, I asked them to come to one of my paint and sip classes and told them how much it would mean to me. They had no interest and did not come. That resurfaced some old feelings I had to deal with. To this day, they have never purchased a single painting of mine, not that I ever expected them to 🥹
This is the takeaway, because this isn't a pity party. It's a lesson. I'm grateful that my family didn't completely discourage me from my dream, as so many do. Often times, families think they're protecting you when they're actually harming you. They think they're protecting you from failure, or present it as such, but what they're really doing is creating a barrier to success and fulfillment because they didn’t have the courage to pursue their own dreams, or they fell short doing so. That doesn’t mean you will. There are also cases where they may not want you to rise above them. This does happen with friends and family. All the nonsense aside, it ultimately comes down to what you want. This is your life 🤔
What I have ultimately come to understand and accept for my own wellness and growth is that my family is just not that interested in art or what I do. That's okay. I do think they're proud of me and happy that I do what I love. It would be great if they were more interested in what I do, or showed a little more support, but it is what it is. I've come to terms with it. In regards to friends, I often have shows where not a single friend shows up. There are times that has definitely stung, but that's life. Fortunately, with all my experience and the deeper dives on my journey, I've learned to let it go and not take it personally, because it's not just happening to me, and not everything is about me. People have their own stuff and things going on 👆
This is my dream. I wish my friends and family were as interested in my dream as I am, but they're not. The truth is, nobody will ever be invested in your dream as much as you. It's not their dream. It's yours. Support would mean a lot for me, and I'm sure it would for you, but don't allow the lack of support, or even direct opposition, to stop you from pursuing your dream. Going the road alone just gives you all the more to be proud of, and I'm going to say right now, I'm proud of you 👏
I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences on this subject. Join me on my other social platforms for much more candid artist support. I share the ups and the downs with complete transparency. I currently write an artist support column for Painting World Magazine and you can find me everywhere HERE 💙