Some people believe that being an artist means you have an easy life, and I respectfully disagree.
As an artist we put ourselves on center stage everyday only to be raised high above or to be pulled down below. We reveal our innermost thoughts and insecurities in the hopes of finding acceptance, companionship, or to discover something about ourselves that we didn't already know. Much of what we do is intuitive and can be difficult to explain, and yet we are made to reflect on what we create on a daily basis where we constantly ask ourselves “why?" We take our pains, our love, and our joy, and we create something out of nothing. We are asked to be original, spontaneous, and great, but what does that all really mean? What does it even feel like to be original?
To me, as an artist, it means the following:
To be a successful artist we must be...
Fearless.
We must be free from ourselves.
We must find comfort in failure, because the more you fail the more you will learn.
We must push ourselves out of our comfort zones and embrace change.
We must teach ourselves to see beauty and find inspiration in the most unexpected places and situations.
We must work so hard that we surprise ourselves every day.
We need to develop the courage to stand up for what we believe in and ultimately what we create.
We need to expect the unexpected and greet it with a smile, for there is no greater challenge.
We need to have an insatiable sense of curiosity.
We must constantly ask ourselves “What if?”
We need to be patient with ourselves and never underestimate the power and knowledge that comes from starting at the bottom and growing our way to the top. There is no sweeter success than the one that was fought for.
And lastly, I wish for you all to never let failure get to your hearts and never let success get
Never stop dreaming, ladies and gentleman!
Alicia M. Blair
©AliciaM
Image Title: Fly Away With Me
-Alicia M. Blair