Why do I feel like an imposter? | Feeling like an imposter with my art

Are you kidding? Your ability to create a sense of space and capture light is supreme. I hope you will show what you painted at that residence!

I relate 100% in several aspects of my life. I will try your advice.

I can imagine being at this residency in a foreign country with this cohort of other artists is quite intimidating. Many of them may be having the same feelings! My approach would be reminding myself that I was selected for this amazing program and look for new fuel for your creative path. I’m looking forward to hearing more about this program!

Heh, it always seems that the bigger the accomplishment, the more our jerk Inner Critic wants to tell you that there’s no way you could’ve actually deserved it 😅 ❤️‍🩹 thanks so much for sharing—just as much as your videos on technique, your videos humanizing and normalizing the experience of creative life and struggles is ENORMOUSLY helpful 😊

Artist in Residence! Awesome. 🌟

First, you are an inspiration to all of us here.

But Imposter Syndrome is a matter of perspective. Here is what we see...1. You are making the paintings you want to make. .2. People are buying your paintings. 3. You have been able to leave your 9-5 to paint fulltime. 4. You are doing well enough to afford a studio outside your home. 5. People judged your work to be good enough to offer you a residency. That says SUCESS to all of us.

As far as comparing yourself to other artists based on CVs........think of it as a race and their CVs gave them a head start, but you have caught up to them. When people buy art they don't say "I'm only going to buy paintings by artists with MFAs."

You said one way you get around IS is when you are painting.......then have 2-3 paintings going at the same time. That way even when you are in the planning stage for 1 painting, you have 2-3 others to be painting on. I find that I get most of my ideas for the next work while I am in the middle of a current piece, and I have to try to restrain myself to not rush the current to get on to the new.

You have worked hard and deserve all these great things that are coming to you.

Congratulations on the residency, that’s so great! Totally understand. Of course, those other artists all started somewhere, too. But you have such a good system for working through this. I’ve been stuck and not painting for a few months now. But I’ve got the painting I want to work on, on the easel, and I will be doing something with it today, even if it’s only 10minutes. 😊

Your honesty and naturally calm personality are so refreshing Christina. Thank you. I absolutely adore the light that you infuse into your work. You certainly belong where you are, and you deserve as much acknowledgement as anyone else. Congrats on the Residency! I wanted to ask, will you have more prints available in your store anytime soon please? x Nell.

I get a lot out of your videos and you keep them clear and heartfelt. I received a scholarship a few years back to attend the Portrait Artists of Amer. conference. After years of being secluded in my farm studio and even after years of being in the Portrait's Inc. stable I felt out of place and couldn't absorb as much as I could have. This fall is a first Plein Air event, too close to ignore and I received an invitation out of the blue. Trying to psych up to enter and have several weeks to practice my rusty plein air skills. Yours are very helpful! Thank you!

Some level of IS is good, it means you're thinking critically and have self awareness, but if it's too strong that hinders you to do anything or take action then that's terrible. It looks like you're on top of it and on a right path, so keep up the great work!🎉

I love that you tell so much about the psychological side of building an art career. Probably it’s because of your background, you really structure this experience so well. It’s genuine, relatable and personal, but also includes actionable advise

Welcome to Canada! Newfoundlanders are known in Canada as the most friendly and easygoing people! Have you mentioned your concerns to any of the other painters there that you trust? You might find they all feel that way!

You're a great artist, Christina! I've felt the same way all my life but I'm no artist. And I can assure you, you can still be successful, you can still be a top student, you can still earn a PhD degree if you wish. Well, I actually did. You can still excel at whatever you want to achieve. Cheers!

Congratulations on the residency! Don't let the feeling stop you, or make you ruminate on it or overly focus on it. Stay strong. I feel it all the time, and in things more important than my art practice, like my relationships, lol. I just (try) to think of it as a condition of modern life. It affects so many people across all kinds of arenas. It's basically everywhere because we are so connected. Acceptance and compassion is the way through it. Just kind of let it be there, it's an annoying little friend who wants to watch you do what you do. You have lots of great thoughts about it in this video. You got this! 💪❤

You were invited! That means you deserve to be there! You have an individual style that is beautiful. I always look at your work for inspiration regarding shadow and light ❤

Good, helpful insight. Congrats on your residency! You obviously deserve it.

I know how you feel! Although I've never had that feeling in visual art, I have it really bad with my music. Been playing for 30 years, get tons of gigs but still feel like an imposter, even when writing my own stuff. And my music is more successful than my art as far as making Money goes. Really sucks! If it helps, I'm here on your channel because i like your art and instructional stuff!

we all feel like imposters. it is just how it is. just try to be the best imposter you can.

congratulations on the residency, it is so well deserved! 💐love your thought process, thank you for sharing, this was very helpful.

this is for your inner critic: so you are not as experienced or educated as some of the other artist? what does that say about them choosing you? it means that they are so impressed with your work that they easily see you in the ranks of these people. they see you! they appreciate your art! they want to be there "right at the beginning" if you will - since you are the youngest -, because they know that you have even greater things waiting for you. and they are so right.

Congratulations on the residency! Even if it’s only a month that’s amazing! Well earned!

You’re an amazing painter. I felt like an imposter for my whole career despite being one of the company’s designated technical experts. How ridiculous. But I’m glad I had imposter syndrome and not Dunning-Krueger, which is arguably much worse….

I have always pushed the edge of learning and creativity so have always felt like I was not an expert but just faking it till I make it. Once I made it I’d move on to something new. It’s not IS it’s called creativity. It can be frightening.

Golly. I didn’t know there was a name for feeling like one doesn’t deserve to be called an artist. Interesting…

What a cool thing to be invites to residence. I guess if you are there that you met what they were looking for. Cngratulations ! :)

Your art is beautiful. I don’t know a lot about art, am a total amateur, but I really look up to your art and your style. It makes me feel good. Hoping the imposter syndrome gets better for you with time. Even with proof of our competence or belonging, it can just take a long time to believe it.

As someone whos done quite a bit of cubism and other abstract styles, My favorite artists dont even have that style its just fun for me and kind of natural, i can still see the uniqueness of my personal touch and subjects to an already common style and the older i get the more comfortable im with not wanting too have some new ground breaking style nobody's ever seen.

Hi Christina! This topic is so relatable. I worked around some of this by accepting that I'm a perpetual student. I didn't have the advantage of art school, I learn differently. I often work harder to get results, I sometimes struggle, make a mess... but I incrementally improve. Artists such as you help be paint better, you give me ideas and approaches I'd not considered and your advice is so valuable. This all helps me become (hopefully) a better artist. I suspect even the "masters" of our current time have their struggles (and lousy days), some of them may hide that fact, but I bet they do! Being around someone's work that is better than yours can be intimidating, it can make you feel so insecure. We are often our own worst critics, comparing ourselves to others. I often will become inspired by someone's work, that is better than mine; kind of a motivation. We artists, of all capabilities, each have our own song to sing, and it's ours alone to share. Have fun in your residency!