We would worry less about what others think of us if we realized how seldom they do

As an emerging artist, not much can beat another artist, especially someone you feel is very talented and produces great work, telling me that I am talented and I produce great work.

In the art world a confidence boost like this can be constructive from time to time. I am not the arrogant type of artist, I am the type who always feels he can be doing better or more. So it is always nice when peers or mentors have nice things to say about my work.

I was also able to talk to a big mentor of mine, and we discussed making our art first and foremost for ourselves, we need to be happy with whatever we are creating regardless of what other people may think or feel. I have noticed that how I feel about an artwork and what others say about it can go hand in hand sometimes. My happiness or lack thereof can project on the painting and then in turn get projected to the viewers.

I think I have come a long way when it comes to not caring about what other people think or say about anything I do, but I still have a long way to go. I know public and society's perception of me are going to get negative, mean, and harsh. These perceptions may eventually come from the closest of friends. They may say it to my face, they may imply it, they may just project their perceptions without knowing it. I need to be prepared and able to handle that. I need to be strong and patient. There will be people that will try to tear me down, I cannot let them. I survived these first attacks last Fall but that was just the warm up.

I can't even care what I think and feel at certain times. I am probably going to get impatient, and feel stuck, and feel like I am not doing enough, I must ignore these thoughts and feelings.