Letting criticism destroy your confidence is easy. Here is what has helped me.
Criticism Happens If You Share Your Work
If you are brave enough to put your art out there, you will get criticism and the occasional troll. Just remember, they are the cowards. They are not bold enough to share their work or chase their own dreams.
Sometimes criticism can be useful, but a lot of it is not. Some people are just rude. Sometimes it comes from family or friends who simply do not get it. They genuinely think they are being helpful, or they are somehow trying to protect you in a roundabout way.
I have had friends say, Why do you not paint something normal? But you are not painting for them. You are painting for you and for people who get what you do and love it.
Art Is Subjective
You probably don’t like every piece of art you see either. You just do not feel the need to be rude about it. With art there is no right or wrong.
I see work that sells for millions that I think is complete rubbish. Then there are pieces that never sell that I love. That is just how it goes.
Keyboard Warriors Are Not Your Critics
Then there are the keyboard warriors. The ones who hide behind a screen, often without a profile photo.
Someone recently told me I should not wear red because it does not suit me. Was she a fashion guru or stylist? Apparently not.
Others have said my art looks like a child painted it, or that people simply do not get abstract work. They sound very confident for people who never post anything themselves.
Every Artist Gets These Comments
Every artist gets negative comments. Because we are human, the bad ones always sting a lot more than we notice the good ones.
One critic I will never forget began with, “I cannot imagine why an artist would waste their time producing this awful stuff.” It went on from there.
I replied, Go and find an artist you like. She did not. In the end I blocked her. It hurt for a bit, but then I decided to use it.
Turning Criticism Into Creativity
I posted about it alongside a painting from my Doubt series, and it started a good discussion. That is when I realised criticism can fuel creativity if you let it.
Introducing Not My Collector
The painting in the video is part of a new series called Not My Collector. Each piece is paired with a fictional critic inspired by real comments artists get online.
It is a satirical look through the eyes of the people who do not get it, the people who are never going to be my audience. They are definitely not my collectors.
Standing Out Matters More Than Pleasing Everyone
Criticism used to bother me. Now I take it as a sign that I am doing something that stands out. If everyone liked it, I would probably be playing too safe.
I would rather make work that divides opinion than work that is completely forgettable.