This past year I put my energy into exploration:
Creating without the goal of selling.
Not taking on commissions.
Trying out techniques that piqued my curiosity.
Focusing on how I feel when I use certain mediums.
And sharing my journey along the way.
From this pressure-free art making, I finally uncovered my true passion and can now commit my practice to a particular medium, that being encaustic.
This realization has lifted a weight off my shoulder. My creative practice is now focused. I am no longer distracted by the possibilities of every medium and supply I own. And when I enter my studio I have a ritual of plugging in my hot palettes, cracking open my window, and organizing my encaustic table. My painting time is calmer, a little bit less messy, and more definitely productive. For the first time in my art journey I created not just one, but two series in encaustic wax! And both have been publicly displayed in local businesses!
My self-proclamation as an encaustic artist was years in the making. I first had to try out every avenue I could go, and most importantly, be aware of which medium gave me intrinsic happiness. This initial stage cannot be rushed, no matter how much I really wanted to find my style in order to diminish the imposter syndrome. To all emerging artists out there, know that you will eventually find yourself with consistent exploration. Keep at it and be gentle with yourself.
As I enter the next stage of my art journey I am ready to build my portfolio and share my work beyond social media. It is now easier to tell people I am an artist. And I can envision my pieces in a gallery in the future. Until then, I’ll be in my studio challenging myself to create bigger and better.