Can I just put something out there on the table, straight up, early in our journey together? I want to let you know that I see this blog as a place where I’m going to be completely honest with you. I’m going to be honest about things you may not like, about how I feel about drawing, about things I’m struggling with creatively, and I’m going to be honest in ways I’m hoping you can relate to. The drawing I’m sharing today is really light-hearted, an ice cream bouquet (who doesn’t love ice cream bouquets!), but what’s been going on behind-the-scenes hasn’t been as light-hearted.
I have a friend at work who has heard it all from me. I’ve been sharing with her, (for years now) about the struggles I deal with in my art journey. I’m so thankful for her openness and her heart, she is so willing to listen and come up with ideas to help me overcome my struggles. However, the biggest hurdle that I’m still trying to leap, is “where do I belong as an artist”. It feels as though I keep walking around the same mountain, asking the same questions, doing the same things, over and over, never finding where I’m meant to fit in, never getting answers.
Over the next year I’m going to be having some interviews with artists that I truly admire. I will be sharing those interviews here, and…. although these artists have their own struggles, (because we all do), what I have found, is these guys “seem to know” where they belong, and by belong, I mean they seem to understand and know their niche.
I don’t seem to be able to find where I belong because I don’t know my niche. There, I finally said it! What is she talking about you ask? Well, I just don’t seem to be able to find the group of artists that are doing things like what I’m doing. I don’t seem to be able to find the “greats” in the field I’m meant to belong to, to admire and be inspired by. I believe this is because I don’t specialise in any one area, and therefore I don’t know my niche to be able to find where I belong. Whew! Are you with me? Can you relate?
I told you I was going to be honest, and I said I was going to lay it out on the table, this is something that I’ve been struggling with creatively for a considerable time now. I’m heading into my third year of feeling like this… I’ve prayed about it, I’ve googled “finding your niche”, I’ve read books on it and I’ve talked to people (my friend at work needs a medal!), yet knowing my niche still seems to allude me! A bit like my mojo did a while ago…
I’m reminded of my last blog post where I talked about 5 Ways to be Productive when you have Artist’s Block, and in it I said how important it was to trust. Well, trust applies here too! I do trust that the Lord already knows my niche, He knows where I belong in in the big scheme of things. I trust that through Him I will find the group of artists that I’m meant to hang with creatively, and I trust that through Him I’ll find the “greats” in my niche. Here’s the kicker though, it’s the waiting that’s difficult….
I don’t have all the answers in this blog post for you, I’m sorry. I’m still searching for them myself, but what I am doing is being faithful in the waiting. I’m faithful that the Lord has started a good work in me that He is sure to finish, and I’m faithful that He knows the desires of my heart and how much I want to feel like I “belong” creatively, I’m faithful that He has good plans for me and I’m faithful He will reveal my niche.
I guess I’m sharing this today because I wonder if you might be going through the same thing. Are you finding it hard to find your niche or to find the artists who are doing what you’re doing? Are you finding it hard to wait for something that you know will come, you just don’t know when? Can we agree on something then? Can we agree that if I put this blog post out there, and I share my heart and I’m honest with my struggles, that when the struggle is over (because it will be), we can look back on this together and see what the Lord did during this time. We can look back on this and share it as encouragement for others who may be feeling the same way, others who don’t know their niche.
Ok, you agree, so I reckon we need to speak to our future selves. “Yay girl, you found your niche! You’ve got a handful of artists that you are looking up to and you found the “greats”!! Woohoo!! And I see you’re firing on all cylinders creatively with heaps of ideas, you’ve got plans, new ways to go forward AND you’re collaborating! Way to go! So tell me, why was finding your niche such a struggle? Now that you’re here, what what have you learned? What has the Lord shown you? Can you blog about it please and share with us, because there are still folk out there who can’t find their niche and they’re waiting, just like we were?”
Has today’s post resonated with you? If so, leave me a comment, tell me your story. I’m mindful that all of us see things differently, so perhaps one of you holds the key to unlocking things for me and vice versa. Then again, maybe it’s one of the artists I’m going to be interviewing throughout the year that holds the key for you. At the end of the day, we’re all here for each other and we’re all here to learn and grow creatively, so let’s continue to build each other up.
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Until next time, listen to your heart and sharpen your coloured pencils. A masterpiece awaits!
Bless you my friend
Chrissie xx
