{"id":4003,"date":"2015-12-30T02:00:18","date_gmt":"2015-12-30T07:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/allebachphotography.com\/blog\/?p=4003"},"modified":"2015-12-30T02:03:26","modified_gmt":"2015-12-30T07:03:26","slug":"an-open-letter-to-aspiring-artists-and-old-navy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/allebachphotography.com\/blog\/an-open-letter-to-aspiring-artists-and-old-navy\/","title":{"rendered":"An Open Letter to Young Aspiring Artists (and Old Navy)"},"content":{"rendered":"

“Every child is an artist until he’s told he’s not an artist.” – John Lennon<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Dear Young Aspiring Artist,
\nBy now you’ve seen the Old Navy t-shirt with the words imprinted “Young Aspiring Artist.<\/del> President.” \u00a0 \"OldThose words hit me\u00a0because I believe it’s hard\u00a0work\u00a0being an artist. \u00a0Some how I want to believe the person who created it \u00a0was trying to convey this. Or maybe I’m being kind and Old Navy just wanted to sell a design the helicopter parent demographic would buy. Either way since nobody really talks about the cost of creating art, I wanted to share this with you.<\/p>\n

Art is Scary. Art is Sorcery.
\n<\/strong>I believe art is sorcery. \u00a0The good kind – I swear but still it’s scary. Art has the ability to change\u00a0how the future looks. \u00a08 years ago I had this crazy idea my<\/p>\n

\"Mike<\/p>\n

business could be built around photographing brides with tattoos. I loved the idea of punk rock brides. Back then this was\u00a0unheard of. \u00a0People thought I was weird and asked “why would you want to do that?” \u00a0 People still don’t understand what I do. \u00a0I did it anyway<\/a>. I photographed brides with tattoos and put it all over my website. \u00a0Art is sorcery, it changed me. \u00a0It changed my path. \u00a0I remember graduating high school and I wanted to be a computer programer. I somehow ended up in this world where I get to photograph all of these super fun people. \u00a0Clients I love. I realize today\u00a0it’s not as much of a big deal to see a bride show off a tattoo but back in 2007 it was. \u00a0Art creates new realities and\u00a0can envision a future which doesn’t yet exist. \u00a0It did for me.<\/p>\n

“May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you’re wonderful, and don’t forget to make some art — write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.”
\n\u2014 Neil Gaiman<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

There is no such thing as an “aspiring” artist.
\n<\/strong>You either are an artist or you aren’t. \u00a0In order to be an artist there is only one requirement, you must create. Once you put your creation into the world, YOU\u00a0are an artist. \u00a0When the pen hits the paper, the brush hits the canvas, when you print the screenplay\u00a0YOU\u00a0are an artist. \u00a0I’m guessing if you are reading this YOU are already an artist.<\/p>\n

But…if you selfishly keep your ideas. \u00a0If you hold onto them – never sharing them with the world, you sadly aren’t. Artists create.<\/p>\n

Before you start asking questions, let me make this perfectly clear, you do not have to go to art school. \u00a0You can even support your art with a job. Or you can make a few extra buck by selling your art on Etsy. \u00a0There are no rules to being an artist other than creation. Spending an hour on creation work doesn’t make you less of an artist than spending 50 hours. \u00a0In fact many people are much happier when they don’t have to rely on their art to pay the bills.<\/p>\n

Create. That is it, create something and show us. Please, please, please don’t hold back.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you find yourself asking yourself and your friends, “Am I really a writer? Am I really an artist?” chances are you are. The counterfeit innovator is wildly self-confident. The real one is scared to death.\u201d
\n\u2015 Steven Pressfield<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The obstacles within
\n<\/strong>I want to let you in on a little secret I’ve learned: \u00a0Every artist I know gets scared. \u00a0At some point in the process of creating things worthwhile you will face fear.<\/p>\n

Sometimes we as artists feel unworthy to create. Sometimes we go through dry spells. Sometimes artists don’t feel one ounce of creativity. Don’t think it will get easier if your art somehow makes you famous. When you get to do what you really really love, and get recognized for it, the more of a fraud you think you are. You’ll probably wonder if your success is a fluke. Imposter Syndrome. Maybe you’ll even convince yourself you don’t deserve this notoriety. \u00a0Amanda Palmer talked in depth in her commencement speech to the New England Institute of Art\u2019s Class of 2011.<\/p>\n