There is no other artist that I follow that invests so much time, effort and honesty. I follow artists who stop Patreon during writing a book or starting a kick starter. You did it all, you kept all the things flowing and the short time your kick starter took is proof that other people feel the same about your work like I do. So please don’t talk your self down, I really hope that you will be able to just enjoy the painting process. It’s so cool to see you experimenting and talking about it with glowing eyes! When I watch your videos I often imagine you as an old woman, with a brush in her grey hair, wondering through the woods, and she’s known as one of scotlands most important artists. I hope this doesn’t sound creepy 😂 it’s just the strong feeling that you will make it!
I agree with Frauke, but I believe you ARE making it! Your Kickstarter success and increased Patreon viewers are proof. We believe in you Sarah. Thank you for being so transparent and genuine.
Omg I'm not the only one who imagines Sarah in that way. It's like I can see her future self sometimes, because she's like an old soul. I imagine she'll still appear with a young face like now, but with grey hair and she'll be so successful and respected, with little minions doing her work for her, and her telling people what to do and doing interviews and shows lol. I don't know why and it's funny that you also see that!
I so get what you mean about feeling boxed in and unable to experiment with your art for fear of upsetting your followers but personally I love watching artists try new things, develop their own unique style and grow- it feels like a privilege to be part of it. 😊💕
On one hand I understand people follow someone because they are interesting in *that thing* but I also know there are plenty of people who like watching variety (like us!) so I have to really fight the voices that try to tell me to do something one way
Old lady here. Sarah I get a strong feeling that the real purpose and meaning of these amazing works is in the process of painting them. Not in finishing them. If you can afford it, there is value in keeping them going as long as you need - a guilty pleasure, a luxury, & a muse for your other works. Quite frankly, pretty sure Picasso didn’t work to deadlines. I also once read that describing something can wound one‘s motivation- because the brain is tricked into feeling it‘s already finished. It‘s not that way with many disciplined people, but boy it describes me. 😂 You are so prolific & hard working, I can feel those artist neurons multiplying furiously - they just need time. BTW, I sense a few Turner & Hudson Valley ghosts nudging their way into your vistas. Such atmosphere! 😊
Ahh that is accurate! Once I define it, it becomes an entity of sorts that takes up space in my mind and stifles me in some way. I need more freedom, and since its my own project I am the only one who give that 😅
It is a rare thing for an artist to be so open and honest about the struggles of being creative and working to deadlines, especially self imposed ones. I absolutely believe it is important to have projects and deadlines as a way to focus and develop our work. As a very regular viewer of your beautiful videos I see how busy and committed you are to your art. Perhaps if you had put yourself under pressure to complete all your large pieces as you had hoped, that in turn may have had a negative impact on the work you produced. You were exploring new processes in your creativity and time is required to allow that to evolve. I love abstract landscapes as they are mysterious and interesting and we have to look for the story within and that is what I am struggling to achieve at the moment in my own art. What you have produced so far is great and I think layering the paint is really working for you with lovely colours and textures. Please do not be despondent about the missed deadline and thank you so much for being real and sharing your journey.
Thank you Thelma! I have been enjoying the series SO much, but I found as the deadline got closer I was more scared to work on the paintings like "either I finish this today and make it GOOD or just give up now!" Which is such a negative approach. I feel much more free now that I've discussed this and had so much amazing feedback
Thank you for your honesty. I think it sometimes appears that others don't struggle, creatively speaking, but in truth I think we all come to this place from time to time. Cheers to transparency!
Enjoy the process of growth this series is offering you. I think that is way more important. Many times as artists we get so inspired with this great idea and tend to not think fully through it before jumping in. Then later we realize it. I appreciate your honesty and willingness to share the struggles. It's so nice knowing we aren't alone!
Dear Sarah, You are a great teacher and I love your honesty about your struggles. I believe all of us struggle (secretly) and that is part of the evolution in our art and therefore our lives. Many artists including myself demand a lot from ourselves, especially when learning new techniques. I know I forget a new medium is new, to me and I expect to be good with it immediately. Haha! I am so glad you share your trials so honestly as it stops me from feeling alone with my own down times with art. What we do demands focus and that is tiring and elating. Rest is really important. I have found that if something I have decided to do is really not working, I put it away for a while and move on, rest, walk away, or go shopping, see a friend and go back to it refreshed. Or leave it for weeks. Hearing you talk about forcing yourself to stay indoors and paint when it is beautiful outside says to me how about following your heart and be outside as much as you can in the good weather and paint indoors when it is too cold, windy or wet. That way you are happy and balanced and your work will flow even more. Remember you are your own boss and can re - structure what is not working for you and your art business whenever you like. From where I am watching you are doing a fantastic job. I used to teach art and would love to teach online but I am very lacking in the tech and digital skills. I much prefer a paint brush and a beautiful surface to cover! I also love your outdoor videos showing us Scotland as well as your art teaching so please don't stay home too much! Thankyou Sarah. Zoe Fletcher expat from the UK, in Blue Mountains Australia
Thank you for your kind words! When I was talking about forcing myself to stay inside to paint, it was more of a confession that I DONT do that, I barely did that at all. But that was part of the challenge - not having enough time on the canvas because I spend so much time outside
Listen to your creative side. You're not failing. Biting off more than you can chew is a lesson in itself. Growing pains, Sarah! You are learning what's doable while remaining flexible. Don't make your projects feel like a thru hike/slog. Explore the side paths.
Step back and be proud. You have created such beauty! I am not a professional artist. I decided to become a full-time Mother instead. I always feel like I am having to choose between two great passions, my family or my art. Maybe once my kiddo's are older it won't be so hard, I can't say. I struggle to paint consistently, or struggle to find the energy somedays as I feel like every creative juice has been sucked dry. I feel guilty because I Know I can do better, because I know I could make the art I want to if I could only dedicate more time. I always wondered why every painting class i ever attended was filled with grey haired old ladies, and now I know. I feel like I am letting the artist in me shrivel up from neglect. I love my children, but sometimes I wish I could be the gypsy artist in my soul.
Mary, don’t worry and don’t give up! I am guessing your children are very small. It’s so difficult to find energy and any creativity at the end of a gruelling day. Having small kids Is wonderful and exhausting at the same time. I lost myself in motherhood completely for 4.5 years, after which i slowly started to wake up some individual parts of me back. It started with doing some sports, then meeting friends without kids from time to time (madness!), and then my yearning for arts knocked on the door. I was filled with ideas for art from the moment my first child was born, but I was broken and exhausted. I only started having some childcare for both of mine at the beginning of this year and slowly incorporated some doodling into my daily chores. I was a full time mum up until then. Now I am a part time artist and am working on finding balance between family and work. When the kids are sick, the art stops. Anyone who has toddlers understands the impossibility of working while caring for them. During holidays, half terms, summer - my art stops. And it takes some time to get used to using art materials after a few weeks break. Like I said- I’m still figuring out the balance. And my way back is worth a mention- it all started with one subscription box (I used Artful, in the UK). The limited materials in the box meant that I wasn’t distracted or overwhelmed by the choice of materials, it was easy to take them with me everywhere and I started doodling while waiting in the car, at the doctors, before bed (instead of browsing on my phone- some nights). Even for 10 mins a day. I re-discovered graphite pencils, then markers, acrylic paint, watercolours. Gradually, with no rush. Then I took part in Inktober which meant I had to draw daily- no matter how small the picture was. I function much better when there is a challenge (100 days in one dress, 28 days on veg juices only, Samarathon, any race really), otherwise I can’t get myself focused and motivated. Which is why inktober was so helpful to get me going. Perhaps, having a drawing tool and sketchbook handy could be the way to start. And to draw anything- a bench, shoe, your child, a pigeon- a quick doodle, and it can become a part of a daily life. When there is no creative force, no inspiration (my problem 99.9999% of the time) I just draw what’s in front of me. You chose to be a full time mum, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up on your dreams. You will know when you’re ready. Xxxx
@@wondering6023 You are so incredible! Thank you so much for sharing your story and encouragement! Yes my two boys are young, 6 & 2. I have been trying to challenge myself to sketch more. I really appreciate your tips and suggestions. I will heed your advice and go with a slow but steady approach until my kiddos are older. Again thank you ☺️👍.
@@MedievalMary thank you for your kind words. I worried I went on too long! You see, I have a friend who seems to, while looking after her young family, run 20 projects on a side and organise social events. I honestly haven’t got a clue how she manages to be so industrious. And I’ve never been able to be like this. All I knew was that when the kids go to school, I wanted to do for work something that makes me happy, never to go back to my old soul sapping office job. So now I do 3 things, which is about as much as I can manage(ish) at any one time: look after my family, take care of the house and art. Although most time I have to choose between the house and art. Do you have a social media account with your art? Or have you got an Etsy shop? I never got on with Etsy- only tried for a very short period , but haven’t sold anything there. Sending warmest hugs! Ps. What lessons did you do? I went to a couple of watercolour painting group lessons and, like you, found the average age there was 97 (more or less). And so many talented artists! I was perplexed by that, but blamed it on the area, since it was a small town. But now, like you, I know! 😂
@Mary Weaver Oh I don't have kids!! Although sometimes it feels that way between my husband and two cats 😂 anyways, thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement 💜
Personally, I appreciate your rambles about your personal experience as an artist, the triumphs and the personal disappointments. I think you are in the same boat as so many artists who suffer from imposter syndrome, however you are unique in sharing your feelings on this. So many people are afraid of looking less professional and only share the positive side of creating. YOU are so much more relatable! I also have a series of large paintings bumping around in my brain. I did not set a deadline for myself though as they are very personal and have to do with the experience of losing my mom. My problem is that I'm unsure if anyone else would relate to my expression of grief and working my way through it. I would tell you to relax and give yourself grace when it comes to your personal deadline on your large ambitious series. You can't see it as a failure if you are learning new tools and working on scale transfer. Learning is imperative! You are in the right path! Thank you so much for being authentic!
Reading this touched my heart. Art has helped me through many difficult times in life. It’s a form of therapy. I hope that you are able to work on your series and it helps you through
I love the way you're using the Pathways series to explore a whole new way of painting. So appropriate. You could have slammed through it using known and safe methods, probably have them all finished by now, too. But that's more like a superhighway, drive straight through without looking around or smelling the air. Pathways are more winding and magical, a place to *be* and revel in. You're working alchemy and it's awesome how clearly you share that with us. Don't despair, there will be plenty more solstices, and winter is a much better time to focus in studio anyway. Thank you.
That's a great analogy! I feel so much better now that I've read through everyone's comments, I feel like I have a new perspective about the project and I'm in a good place :)
I'm sure it's been mentioned by others before, but I follow "people." The quotations marks are a bit humorous, but I mean that regardless of what content someone might have, if I do not like them, I do not follow. On those lines, even if the person I like does other things, I still follow and support because I like them. There are those of us who will always come with you on your journeys. Go, explore for us and stay awesome, milady.
I love watching your shows/life here from Vancouver Island off the West Coast of BC. It is similar in some ways to Scotland! Since Covid we have not travelled there, but usually make a trip every year, I can hardly wait to go back. Don’t be so hard on yourself, what you finish, you finish, all is in good time as the process unveils itself as need be. You are an inspiration to us all. Keep up with your serene and magical spirit as shown in your work.
Alas, I blame the lack of hours in the day. I really think that as a society we should have found a way to progress past only 24 in a day. I mean, it's almost 2022!! :) Be kind to yourself. You're just awesome and there's only so much we can do. Pathways will be stunning whenever the pieces debut but only if you're mentally alive to celebrate too!
Your paintings are so impressive. They reveal that you have become a quite an accomplished artist. I also love your drawings using markers in your journal. Thanks for sharing your heartfelt feelings about you inner struggles as an artist. You are not alone; most artists go through it all the time.
Ha! I am so far from a professional artist, but as a creative stay at home mom... I felt like you were describing my every day life! I always have huge plans and great intentions, but NEVER meet my self imposed deadlines. I'm doing my damnedest to be kind to myself and enjoy the process rather than the results. Your art (and life, honestly) are so inspiring! Don't let the self doubt settle in. Thank you for your openness and sharing your struggle with us. It helps to see that someone living my artistic dream has the same issues and doubt. Keep on keeping on! Your community loves you!
I started following you because I love your art and your location..but what has kept me coming back again and again is that you show the real you. It's not just about painting a pretty picture. Vulnerability is a positive we can all relate to. It shows to us you're real, not just a machine churning out one tutorial after another like most utube artists. This is a special gift you have to be able to engage us. Don't ever let that imposter syndrome strike again. There's one other online artist I have faithfully followed for 4 years who is very much like you and has kept followers because of showing that vulnerability. You're good. Stop fretting 👍 You have let nobody down. You simply put too much work on yourself lol
Thank you Kaz that is so kind of you! I will continue, and I've already learned a lot about myself and my needs as an artist, and I'm SO grateful for this amazing community 💜🤗
As a novice watercolorist I have learned an incredible amount from you. I also greatly appreciated this video to help me better understand that struggle is a part of creating and to not let that stop me. Thank YOU for sharing so honestly! INSPIRED🌱
Here I am again, catching up with your videography (I am thoroughly enjoying it. Wonderful videos, Sarah). I just wanted to say a couple of things. Your voice is so soothing. I love listening to you while I paint (Of course I constantly check what you are up to and I also talk to you and cheer you on…). Over the past few weeks I have found that if I don’t want to paint one day, I simple start watching one of your videos and before I know it, I’m holding a brush. So thank you for inspiring me. Finally, about working on a series and shedules in general…When I was younger (around your age) I used to worry too about not completing a project on time, about letting myself down and all that. It is ok to feel like that when you are young. It is part of learning about yourself and how to manage and regulate your emotions. As you get older, you will naturally stop worrying about those little bursts of anxiety . It is all part of the process and if you are a little behind or you really cannot finnish something on time, you know that it is ok. Life happens. Sometimes you need to slow down or take it easy and that’s ok. Instead of feeling dissappointed for not completinging on time, think about another opportunity to learn about how much time you want to dedicate to a project allowing for a day feeling under the weather, a day of unexpected chores, and all those little things of everyday life that eat your time up. I understand that spending a lot of time on your own (as wonderful as it is) can sometimes make you feel a little lonely. But isn’t wonderful that you have this lovely community of people who share your passion for art and to whom you can communicate wit, no matter where they are in the world. Thank you for sharing your journey with us. (and now, back to watching more videos..)
That's great to hear and thank you! I agree, the more I do this, the more I learn about myself. And even a "short" time later I am not phased by things that used to paralyze me. The joys of getting older!
Re: motivating yourself to meet self-imposed deadlines, can't help with that, sorry. [wry smile] I can say you're not alone, though. I too can buckle down and produce if a deadline is outside-imposed. Before the plague times, I went to an annual writing workshop where I wrote six short stories in six weeks, bam-bam-bam-bam-bam-bam, on target and on deadline, and I've sold a bunch of them to pro-level markets, so I'm not just phoning it in to hit a deadline. With self-motivated work, though, I go much more slowly, and I have so many incomplete stories and novels, I can't even. :P It's like you being able to hit a big gallery deadline, but not being able to hit it when the only one expecting completion on that date is you yourself. So yeah, it's not just a personal quirk of yours. I think a lot of it comes down to a deadline where one's professional rep is on the line, versus a deadline that doesn't actually mean anything. Also that a lot of us are conditioned to please others (so we take someone else's deadline seriously) but consider things done for ourselves as secondary or even self-indulgent (so there are negative feelings around working hard on or prioritizing our own deadlines). Which is really unfortunate for any kind of freelancer who does many/most/all self-directed projects. :/ Re: people razzing you for doing something that's different from your usual style -- screw 'em. As a creative, it's natural to want to keep learning and experimenting and growing. Sure, you might do some things that are less to my (or any other audience member's) taste, but 1) that hasn't happened yet, at least for me, and 2) it's better than having you stagnate and get boring. Or worse, get borED and/or burn out because you're sick of doing the same kind of thing over and over. Keep experimenting and trying new things, and that includes new styles. So long as you stay fresh and engaged, always exploring, with new things to show us, you'll have an audience, even if a handful of pissy people with inflexible tastes loudly flounce off. Whatevs. [shrug] Do what serves you, your art, and your learning. If that means trying new media, new techniques, new styles, do that. If that means working on Pathways until the Solstice and then moving on to something new, do that. If it means working on Pathways until it feels finished, no matter how long that takes, do *that.* We like watching you, your whole process, and it's definitely valuable to hear about the bends and dips, and the places where the path crumbles out from under your feet for a bit. :)
Thank you for your kind words! You are so right - staying "fresh and engaged" is most important. "Do what serves you, your art, and your learning" - YESSSS Also... "even if a handful of pissy people with inflexible tastes loudly flounce off" 🤣🤣
Around the 4:00 minute mark, the brown area on the right looks like trees. The sky has run down into the hill creating branches, with rivulets forming and joining together and the brown paint condensing to create trunks.
If it is any consolation, the reason why you may not have found other artists painting big series to talk to online is that many of us limit our presence there when we have a big job on. ( I catch up for an hour before dawn and perhaps for an hour after packing up otherwise the distraction ruins my concentration.) I get a lot of stick for not being reachable but there is a mental place and physical rhythm that I find that is joyous but fragments with interruptions. One tip I have found useful: don't be too quick to abandon or paint over a canvas, merely put it out of sight and if necessary start on a new one. I've often discovered that coming back with fresh eyes to a "failure " either surprises me by it being far better than I remembered or by being immediately able to see how to fix it. As for deadlines, keeping externally imposed ones are often only achieved by debilitating effort so our own should surely be kinder to mind and body. This isn't failure merely ambition being tempered by reality. Which is a constant for all artists as far as I am concerned. So many ideas to pursue but too few hours In the day to do them all ! You are not alone in this, merely unusual in being willing to talk about it. An artist will always be their own harshest critic. Keep on painting and be kind to yourself please.
I really appreciate your honest input. So many things you mentioned resonate with me. I suppose this whole concept of sharing my journey has been my entire reality since I started painting, because when I first started, I was streaming full time on Twitch. Then in 2020 I slowly transitioned to RUclips. So for the last few years, I've never ever had a long period of time away from the camera. Since my whole business is built around sharing, I currently don't see a way around that. So I decided to embrace that, and talk about the ups AND downs along the way. Eventually I think I will have the opportunity to put the camera down for longer, and find the natural rhythm you speak of. Painting and exploring each day, within my creative realm. That sounds like a dream!
I think you set too high a goal. You need to give yourself a huge break and understand that you’re fabulous! Break down the one large goal of “10 finished huge-ass pieces” into smaller micro goals that are attainable and will give you the feeling of winning rather than failing. You’re doing great Sarah. As far as tips on large art management I can offer zero advice. Large to me is an 11x14 piece of Arches, I generally work in 8x10 or 9x12 for finished pieces but usually smaller sketchbook size. For me 11x14 is huuuuuuuge!
I really love your unfinished dark underpainting and I can already see a nightscene with a mountain and a midnight blue lake. It could be quite different to your "normal" style. It is so mysterious. When struggling about your deadline, take into consideration that a pathway should go on otherways it is a dead end. So perhaps look on everything you have achieved in the last month and let this encourage you to go on with your pathways without that pressure you mentioned. You are such an inspiration for so many people - including me- so why not beeing proud and stop the inner critic?
You have been doing A Lot….so allow yourself some time. I understand setting goals - but you have so many things going on. Please don’t be too hard on yourself We thank you for still managing this channel as well. I hope that a professional artist reaches out to you with advise to help you navigate. Good luck And Happy Birthday Floki
Thanks for sharing so openly your struggles with not reaching self imposed goals. Many of us have similar feelings of doubt at times, but really, it’s that goal setting that pushes us forward to helps us stay committed to our art journey. You’re doing everything right in trying to develop your skills and personal creative style. I have found over this past year that it’s the painting studies I’ve done in my sketchbooks that have led to the greatest strides in both technical skills and creativity (that and committing my time to teaching which solidifies the learning). And yes, having a gallery deadline certainly helps, even if it’s just to try to be ready to submit to a juried group show deadline. Perhaps just rethink your expectations and try to finish 3 of the paintings at a time, then reset a goal for the next 3, etc.
Thank you for talking about the struggles. It helps me know there is no arrival as amateur or professional. I made a goal for some book illustrations of cats (no outside commision-just my goal)and I've gotten sidetracked on studies of landscapes (with your videos), still lifes, and botanicals- growing so much but not on the illustartion goal and judging myself. your video helps me know there are always different struggles. Time to take stock and revamp goals. Also seeing how many large pieces are at different stages in my little studio room- sometimes i get stressed with a few there-they call me and I can't get to all of them and start getting self judging rather than just accepting the process of rotating them and finishing at different stages. I admire your work and appreciate your honesty.
I adore all the Pathways pieces so far! Love the color palette 🎨. Appreciate your bravery being vulnerable - it’s a superpower, seriously! It opens the door for others watching to be vulnerable and honest as well 💕 It’s so freeing to witness and participate in this shift of consciousness, slowly but surely. The more people share their whole selves, the perceived “beauty” and “ugly” (which is totally subjective), the more our world and our global community will shift into one of inclusiveness, compassion and authenticity. Perfection is an illusion. Interesting and synergistic that while working on a series of paintings titled “Pathways” that invite the audience to step into another realm of being, you are seemingly being invited on a similar journey, a new pathway ✨ I’ve struggled so much with some of these same internal narratives 🤦🏻♀️. It’s been helpful for me to remind myself that self-worth isn’t an external validation - it’s not determined by what you do or don’t do, but by who you are. You are more than enough just as you are, we see and love the real you 💖
What you're expressing really resonates with me. I'm harder on myself than anyone else. I have an advantage of keeping my career out of the media. It's meant a slow build of patrons over decades but has given me the space to keep pushing and growing. Often, I'll play mind games with myself to work to drop-deadlines. Personally, I don't do well jumping onto multiple pieces at the same time (2 at most). Changing the music I hear, rearranging the studio, changing what's hanging on the walls and treating myself to a physical treat or two in a day really helps as well. For me that can be a hot soak, a favorite meal, walking by myself or with a friend, etc. Recently I've started being more mindful of the tension that builds in my body when I can'at get into the flow. Hard to tell people about the challenges of making art for a living when most people think we just show up and slap a painting together in an hour or two.
YES. So much of it is about showing up, no matter what. I really am learning so much doing this series, about painting AND myself and the process and work of a series.
Sarah. U are too hard on yourself. I think u accomplish more than u realize. It’s also so relaxing just to watch u paint. I love Scotland too. Was there a few years ago. Ps. I have the same problem with ideas. Too many and they evaporate. My friend keeps a notepad with her as she walks. Her brain never stops. Lol.
All I can say is that you utterly amaze me with all you do. Every media you use turns out so beautiful! You are the bravest person I know. To experiment like you do is inspiring to me... And kiss Vader and Floki for me 💞💕💞
Fear of failier unfortunately has been my life. "They" say to push through it and sometimes I can, then I let it get hold of me again.... I'm talking about in several areas of my life. I am 63 and love digital art and am learning gouache and water color and love your channel. I bet I have you beat when it comes to the difficulty you face. Fortunately I have been able to raise 3 successful children, so I can say some areas have gone very well. I wont try to give any solutions but know you are not alone. It does feel good when I do finish something I have started. Keep pushing!
I urge you to watch a short video by Lewis Noble called "No Pressure!" It was a game changer for me. We all put so much self-imposed structure on our creative selves when they, honestly, thrive on play and the beauty of passing moments. Find your fleeting joys and your heavy work will be lighter on you! I love the depth of texture you are getting into your larger work lately! 💗
Hi Sarah, I'm always either super happy about my projects or super low thinking I'm not good enough etc it's that little gremlin that bugs me every now and again. It's usually when I haven't completed a project or if something is out of my comfort zone...into the unknown which is quite a lot recently. I realise I think too much about what I'm painting rather than actually painting. That's where I stall and then I get my knickers in a twist about how best to go forward. I know how rediculous it is but still I have extra angst over it all. I love your videos and feel I can relate though everyone's experience is different. I'm telling myself that it's the process that matters not the end product. We, grow, we learn, we grow, we learn. Oh yes, and I finally would like to say I frickin love Scotland! Never been but really would love to. Just up the road about 150 miles lol Definitely want to go next year! Always a pleasure to watch your vids xx
You have accomplished so much this year Sarah, please give yourself a break. Your travels around Scotland aren’t over and neither is your series of paintings. It’s all ongoing. A large canvas is a daunting project, let alone a number of them. Love your work and love your attitude (-: Marion
An interesting rant, as professional artists, we are all seeking the next sale the next defining moment in our work, as a result, we turn over every stone we can find and explore what's underneath, therefore we all of us more often than not take on more than w can happily handle, best to you. Paul
Sara don’t feel bad, you’re not alone in this one…..I just lost my husband and I’m in total mental block of creativity….love your videos, your art it’s amazing….take care ,,,love to you….kitties are so adorable…take care ,,,
I appreciate your progress- all progress is progeess, no matter how small. I am always happy to see other artist's processes and growth. Your colors are so beautiful! And I'm happy to hear you're having fun. I've never worked big. Not since I took one painting class back in college lol. But you're not failing! You must give yourself some grace, we are only human. Especially since you're still learning the medium (in large scale!) Yes it's hard to not make a deadline but it's best to do things right than to do them fast and not give them the expiramentation/ exploration they deserve. I hope you feel encouraged by all the love and support of the art community! I can't wait to see your series complete. :) Take care and happy painting!
I think works of art sometimes have a life of their own, and you may be a sort of vessel they use to come forth, in their own way and In Their own time - your deadlines may be arbitrary to them - and you have the comfort of making deadlines arbitrary to yourself in this case. So give yourself a break and enjoy, 😇 keep on painting when you can and let the artwork breathe to its own timeline. It will be interesting to see which Solstice, Equinox or other significant day they choose to be complete.
I paint in watercolor with small forays into casein and gouache. I have done big paintings but have found that they don’t sell well, so have given up doing them. Many people just don’t have wall space for the big things. Most recently, I’ve been doing very small 5x7 cards and have found them to be rewarding. 16 x 20 seems to be a perfect size…big enough to satisfy my artistic urges and small enough to make it reasonable for many more people to own and enjoy. I’m not trying to earn a living doing art…retired science teacher.
Thank you, for your honesty and for sharing the struggles you have. I think a lot of artists are struggling with deadlines, time management, the feeling, of not being good enough or what other people might think about their artwork. You are definitly not the only one who have doubts sometimes. But you are doing a really great job. Your artwork is so cool. All those tiny little details, the magical feeling of the landscapes, the passion you put in every piece. I really like the atmosphere they create, they are enjoyable to look at the moody landscapes feel kind of calm. I can see your love for the scottish highlands and the environment in every piece. And don´t be affraid to experiment with styles and mediums.
Accountability to other people helps to meet deadlines or simply to finish. Go to your local artists gathering place to find other artists who deal with the same struggles and who will hold you accountable by waiting on your pieces. Also attend art expos and artist conventions. Trade phone numbers with other artists. Make friends. Hold them accountable and they will hold you accountable. Also, don't bite off more than you can chew. When you plan a project, consider whether it is within your endurance tolerance. You may need to scale it down. You can always scale it up later when you have reached that level of endurance.
I think you've done exceedingly well considering what all you've taken on, Sarah. I've been doing two series, maybe three, which include the wetlands/prairie where I live, a wildlife (American animals), birds and butterfly series. I've looked into a gallery, here, but they aren't an actual gallery where you can take your work and they hang it. This was one where you pay to belong, and you have to donate one day a month to be in the gallery. I didn't think that would work for me. So I'm considering doing craft fares. Thus, you, my dear, have the advantage over me as far as showing your wares. I am only on facebook, and I rarely sell anything at this time. I'm hoping things are better in 2022. Thanks for sharing all your inner thoughts/fears,, etc. You are going places. Just DO IT!
Etsy is another great place to sell, because they have a built-in search engine. I've been using that for many years for my prints and most of my sales come from strangers, or people here on youtube.
Honestly, you could easily sell your sketches. I would hang them on my wall, in a heartbeat 💗. Sell some sketches as prints or even as originals, they are just amazing 🤩 . I love the ‘fantasy feeling’ in your projects. All human beings have struggles that evoke the lonely feeling. I really believe artists struggles more deeply with the sense of not being good enough because we pour our innermost beings to our works. Even tho it’s stressful and agonizing to work through these phases it will pay out in growth and personal development. There is one important thing you most definitely can count on: you are not alone ☺️. Some people can be more open about their struggles and some others feel the necessity to work through their difficulties in privat. Just because nobody talks about it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. That’s a thought that have helped me when I have felt alone in my struggles. Lastly I have good news; many of these struggles will fade away when you get older. I’m almost 49 years and many of the not being good enough feelings or feeling judged have mostly disappeared, I’m much more forgiving towards myself these days. And I don’t care what other people think about me or my projects as long as I do my best to being nice towards others. I'm rooting for you! 💕
Thank you! Yes I have learned a lot through this process. It has given me a new perspective, especially with the tremendous amount of encouragement I've received here!!
Hi Sarah, Louise Fletcher has recently done a large series of paintings based on the nature poetry of Ted Hughes. She paints abstracts but she has experience in that area If you want someone to reach out to. I love that you keep it real and share the struggles. Art isn’t easy no matter how it appears on RUclips and Instagram. Love your art too. x
Sarah -- I obviously don't know you personally but your chat today reminded me of something you said on a recent video about why Skye is so important to you. You said that you and your husband exchanged private vows there, away from the friends and family at the other wedding ceremony. I think when any one is starting a big new process (not project... but process) like a series of personal paintings that privately mean a lot and involve new materials and skills (i.e., a new relationship to some aspect of your budding artist self) there is some aspect of protecting the privacy of the process. It's like a womb is needed to shroud the new inspirations. When someone gets really good at something it can become a project (like your Kickstarter) and even if it is very hard work, it's not so private. I am excited for your Pathways series and I hope when the time is right you will introduce us all to what you birthed. Meanwhile, I hope you give yourself the privacy to play in the magical, misty, expansive inner landscape of developing these paintings without worrying about external demands. Anyone following your work will surely be willing to wait. Creating from deep within your true self takes all the time it takes. Enjoy the process and protect it from the impulse to turn it into a project. If my words don't land, then just ignore them. I wish you all the best this holiday season!
Your words brought tears to my eyes! Especially “ give yourself the privacy to play” - because that is a huge struggle for me. Over the years I’ve gotten so used to recovering EVERYTHING and sharing almost every aspect of the journey. On one hand I love that, and it’s kind of like a “diary” for me too. But yes - there are moments that need to be private. I’m learning this more and more and especially through this project. Thank you for your generous thoughts
Sarah... I just want to add that when you are exploring your depth and working from the source of who you really are -- that's when you ask the question, is this ready for or does this need an external witness? You are very authentic and your viewers benefit enormously from your generous sharing and a diary of our process is important too (sometimes years later). It's an archetypal kind of knowing (like knowing when to take a cake out of the oven) that senses the moment to burst forth with a particular creation. I think you probably do a pretty good job of this most of the time, it's just you keep growing and so this edge keeps moving. Sending warmth and good cheer!
@@maryanntaylor2179 You are so right! The edge keeps moving. I've "only" been at this for six years and some days that feels like forever and other days it feels like I just began.
Okay so, I have been watching your videos for almost 2 years now. Not only have I learned S****tons from you I have enjoyed watching you grow as an all around artist. I appreciate that you share about imposter syndrome. No matter how long we work in an industry self-doubt can creep in. Here's the thing I have learned. Moving through the feelings and producing something anyway is the process in which that imposter can no longer exist. The goal is just something for us to work toward. Sometimes we can reach it but most of the time we're just shy. This is not a failure. The success comes in what we've learned along the way. Your art is living proof of that. I love how your channel has evolved. You are sharing an artist's journey and that encompasses a lot. Keep on keeping on 😜❤️☺️🎨🖌️💝 you are a gift to artists like myself who want to learn, grow and experience art with other artists.
I appreciate you so much!!! Its a struggle, in any industry - YES. I experienced this when I was doing interior design too, and photography. Having this project is an eye opening experience
Thanks for sharing the struggle. We all have them and painting is such a solitary act that it is hard for a lot of us to find that community of other artists we can talk to. Especially with all we've been going through with COVID. For me, the isolation has been a good thing. I'm getting so much more work done. One question I have for you is about your acrylic paint markers. What's the brand on those? I'd love to hear more about them.
You only need to listen to ONE person's opinion: YOURS. For everything else, just sing Frozen in your head: "Let it go, let it go, turn away and slam the door. I don't care what they're going to say. Let the storm rage on." 😉
Thats good advice. I always say to myself the Art will show you what to do. That way we do not have to confront that hideous artist block thing that so many go on about.
You have just inspired me to experiment with my art! I am surprised to remember that I used to play with paint and had a lot of happy accidents! I mean.. that was pretty cool :) And it was also a long ago. Since then I have made my art more tight and controlled. Probably one of the reasons I've become somehow disappointed with it and block like crazy! You have so much joy just playing with tools and paint and going with the flow that I want that back for myself!!! Thank you for reminding me of old me :) She was much happier with what she created. Good luck with your series!! I'd love to be able to come to your live gallery exhibitions and get lost in your imagination 💗
From someone who's more of an art groupie than an actual artist, much less any sort of professional at it: You remind me of Lena Danya only way more vulnerable, and maybe not as confident, but every bit as capable. Your wildly ambitious canvases are daring and amazing, and you take it on the road and deal with weather, changing light and all that Plein Air stuff. Your desire for external time pressure on your personal projects reminds me of a saying with which you're no doubt already familiar. Leonard Bernstein famously said, "To achieve great things, two things are needed; a plan, and not quite enough time." Who are we to argue with the guy who wrote "West Side Story"?
Maybe you've outgrown the project ? What if you are not letting you down or failing, but instead you've evolved so much and so fast in a way in the last few months that the project you set back then is not suiting who you've become any more ? Just go with the flow Sarah. Trust your guts, because that's where your heart truly belongs. Follow whatever it is that brings you excitement, ease, energy and expansion. Your community will always have your back. We are here not because of what you do, or what we could gain from you; but because of who you ARE. A true bond has been created that goes beyond artistry alone and leans more towards togetherness now. Stay true to your beautiful self Sarah. Now go and do whatever you need to take that pressure off of you, and please take the time to give yourself a big hug for how far you've come. I give you one anyway.
Hit me so hard when you said you were failing (got a lump in my throat), you are such an amazingly dedicated and passionate creator - such a success. Thank you so much for all you share with us, your honesty and insight are always so thoughtful and helpful. Thank you.
In the last 24 hours I've seen such a tremendous amount of love and encouragement, it banished the feeling of failure and I feel excited for the process, the paintings will be so much more alive now!
Love your honesty. How about considering changing you perspective? You rearranged your personal challenges in your art business, this isn’t failing. You continue to “work”, “learn”, and inspire others that is definitely not failing, that is just changing your priorities. Thank you and continue to explore the techniques and equipment.
Not sure why you gave yourself a deadline for the Pathways series, especially since it's also a learning process, but I definitely don't think you're a "failure" for not meeting it. I think the heart of an artist's creative process is what turns her on, what she's excited about, and this can change from day to day, so things may seem to be delayed or falling by the wayside. But stick to that heart and trust the process, and you'll be fine. I love you and your art! One more small suggestion: maybe you won't feel you're "losing" passing inspirations if, in addition to documenting them in your sketchbook, you jot ideas down in a written journal. ❤
I am in no way a professional, I know too well what personal pressure can do to me, so I understand your struggle. For now I am just trying to improve my habits and practice my skills. But here is a method that helps me a lot: set right priorities! I am talking not only about business priorities but also personal ones. It helps me to decide what is most important for my personal enjoyment right now, if it matches with what I feel I "should" be doing, how important this "should" thing is and if I need to find compromises to work on both. So if I dare to give you advice on this Pathways project, it would be such: decide how important it is for your business compared to other projects you are working on, then think of how important it really is for your personal happiness. Then it will be easier for you to think of what is the best way for you to continue these Series, that would be enjoyable and still make sense business wise. A lot of times there is really no good reason to push yourself and do something against your feelings, for me it never ends well. So to avoid burnout, especially if it is not a first priority for your business, it is generally a good idea to change your original plan to fit your current situation. Consider the fact that your original plan didn't account for the amount of work this project requires, therefore you can dismiss it as "Unrealistic". Instead of being sad about not meeting Unrealistic standard, you can make a new Updated/Realistic plan B. If this plan doesn't work as well... well the alphabet is long XD Consider the fact that life constantly changes, we as people always change too, our mindset is newer the same, so how can we stick to an unrealistic goal created a long time ago? In general it helps me to assign an importance factor to things on my To Do list. And it doesn't matter if this factor is made up from my Wants or my Needs. Sometimes our wants become so important to our personal happiness and mental health that they push certain Needs down the list of importance. And the order of things on this list may change sometimes, and it is ok.
This is actually a very smart approach. When I read it, I thought “this should have been obvious to me!” But then again - you don’t know what you don’t know. So having gone through this now I know :)
Sarah you are amaizing and amazing artist have their struggles thanks for sharing here appreciate your voice you are an inspiration to us all. Thanks for sharing openly don't feel alone beautiful Sarah 💜💜💜 happy birthday to your cat Flokey🐾🎁🎉🎂
Thank you so much for sharing! I'm not a professional artist, or even majoring in an artistic field, but I can relate to the feeling of failing to meet your own deadlines with personal painting projects. I think the difference between meeting personal deadlines and being forced to finish by an external deadline is that you can adjust and account for the other things that are happening in your life. It's natural to be able to accomplish less for this project when you were moving the Kickstarter up. The progress you've made on these paintings and in familiarizing yourself with working large is already amazing! And it's paving the way for future larger paintings! Try not to push yourself too hard and take time to refresh :)
Yes - that is the part I'm excited for. That this is just the beginning, and I'm already getting more comfortable with it. I do love painting large, and exploring ideas on a much bigger scale. When I'm falling asleep at night I imagine painting huge murals (but that's a topic for another day!)
Please don’t be sad, you can’t put a timer on this exploration of technique and interesting color choices… Where you are is where you n e e d to be at this time. Smile, it’s special.
Thank for talking about the struggles! I felt really disappointed too when I didn't finish my 25 moth series of paintings before my deadline. I finished 9. And then I needed a month break. But I tried to be very nice to myself and be like hey you did NINE gorgeous paintings. Also on a random note, I've never really noticed, but.. you look like a younger version of my mother, but with brown hair instead of golden blonde :'D
I think when we give ourselves these intense deadlines it *can* be good motivation, but only if we remember that it's there for motivation - not to measure how successful we are as humans or artists 🥰💚
Sarah, one of the greatest traits you can have to help you succeed is flexibility. Flexibility isn't the same as never finishing things; it is recognizing when there are better opportunities or ways to leverage your skills and assets at a particular time and making the decision to seize or utilize them. You should free yourself from personal commitments when you are flowing in a new direction or have new ideas. Putting together your book was a great achievement, and there's no reason to feel you let yourself down by - succeeding?! Did you enjoy your end-of-season, though rainy, trip with Wolfie? Did it revitalize or inspire you? Then you invested in yourself. The five canvases you worked on: you said you learned new techniques for layering and grew your skills in abstraction. Could you give yourself permission to find that this was enough accomplishment from this project? Could you decide that you don't need to do more, and you move on to the next thing that excites you? You've grown a lot the past few years, and your knowing how and when to "break forward" will enable you to grow so much more. Short version: Don't hold yourself back artificially, and embrace the things that excite you and will bring you forward.
SUCH good advice, "Don't hold yourself back artificially" - this is something I struggle with. I think it's due to being online and in front of a lot of people, that I just assume everyone is judging. Maybe I should talk to my therapist about this 😂
What is your definition of "progress"? I love that you are not afraid to experiment. Taking time to experiment is progress. And I totally agree with another commenter here..they are your deadlines...your schedules.. you can adjust them. Art is not a Factory. To produce something unique...something beyond the average...it takes time. ☺️👍. Isn't it part of the journey that makes the piece? I love that about your videos...I love watching your journey, your process, and your ideas!! Stop with deadlines...cut your #of pieces if deadlines are important.. but seriously, you are such an inspiration.. Hang in there ☺️🤗🤗🤗
Thank you, that is so sweet of you to say! I know I am overthinking everything. That's part of my existence lol. But I guess I put this public deadline on it, and started feeling the pressure to meet it, which is very difficult in general, let alone while filming the whole process. Anyways, thank you so much for your encouragement and support!
more artist need to talk about the struggles of big projects, it such a hard thing to deal with sometimes (happened a lot to me at uni) lol! those are BIG brushes! (paste brushes for wallpaper?)
Aww Sarah! Isn't it crazy that we always seem to focus more on the negative? I think, as you said, you bit off more than you can chew with this series, especially taking into account that you moved up your Kickstarter ( which I can only imagine the amount of work involved!). I hope that you are able to find support from other large canvas artists, as I am sure that they go through similar issues. Sending you positive vibes
You mentioned all your sketchbook learnings are starting to pay off, can you make a series of skechbook and why it is important? I some how cannot motivate myself to do this . May be I am also failing to motivate myself for myself :(
Quick question on the sketchbooks you have shown in this video. I have been on a hunt for a good and easy sketchbook for markers. And to answer your question: as an artist who has no other artist Friends, i also wish i could to talk to other artists. Because they geht the frustrating things about being an artist/ a creatvie person. At times ist can be quiet lonesome. I feel your struggle, cause i am having some similar ones at the moment.
The sketchbook I showed is a Stillman & Birn Delta, I love it. If I layer a lot of marker, it bleeds a little, but not much. The Zeta is also really good.
Hi Sarah. I’ve watched you for a long time and learned a lot. Love it! My style is (or tries to be!) very loose, minimal watercolour abstract landscape so differs from you a lot. But I absolutely love that dark blue 'underpainting' in this video. It’s already a beautiful moody abstract. If you’re experimenting with media and processes and also upscaling perhaps it would help to let go of your detailed style in your sketchbooks as a final end point? You say many times in this video that you’ve got details to add here and details to add there… Let those big brushes and drips do their thing and just leave them - live with them for a while, see how you feel. Your deadline is tough if you’re intending to add all this detail. That’s just my opinion and not a criticism :) Try and do your '20min sketch process to get your ideas down' with the big canvas and tools. I admire you so much and you have tremendous talent. Being an abstracty type I’m really excited to see what comes from this new process. Do you follow Louise Fletcher and Lewis Noble? Louise is a marvellous teacher, especially for 'letting go'. Good luck Sarah. It’s a journey and I feel privileged that you’re sharing this with us all. Jill R, south of the border!
Thank you very much for your thoughts and advice! I think you're right - allowing a bit more of my love for abstraction show through requires a change in process - which I haven't quite explored yet. I do follow Louise and Lewis (and many more!), they are fabulous.
Can't speak for everyone of course, only myself, when I choose to do a series it's because there are so many things that need to get out, not because I like a subject, but because I am passionate about it and then they kind of paint themselves in a way, it's the difference in motivation. There is an old saying rest in reason move in passion and applied to this, is that when you are passionate about something it flows, there is no struggle other than to make your brush keep up with the vision in your head and quietening down your mind so your soul can speak, where as reason is basically your head and it will analysis and question, it will debate every stroke and every move you make and if allowed to grow in voice will stunt where the artistry comes from. Stop thinking about the destination and feel the journey, in other words don't hold onto the end vision of a piece feel what's trying to be said through your brush now. Hearts and heads are for different things 😉 I looove open medium, I always use it with acrylics and also an antipasto medium combined with heavy body because I love depth and texture in pieces, it adds more dimension, I use derivan/Mattisse so not sure on other brands, but acrylics they are the only mediums I use, and watch the water, always see people use too much water with acrylic paint which makes it not so stable, there are mediums for making acrylic paint thinner so it still binds properly I'm not sure why people that paint with acrylics are wary of using mediums, they are for a reason, it's a chemical process not an emotional one, the emotion comes through the way the paint is applied, the science is how the paint works. It's hard Sarah to try and make a living from a creative outlet because it's SO easy to become focused on being "successful" and to many people "success" is a nice bank balance, but at the guts of it, they think the bank balance is going to give them happiness so in essence, it is happiness they seek, so imagine if they realised this before the quest to have more and more and more. Remember why you started and why you paint Sarah and the passion will come through and tell the head to sit the %^$# down 🤍 Ps: happy birthday little man!! love seeing your little furbabies too!!
Thank you so much for your heartfelt message! It's very true that my mind tries to take over during the process, and overthink everything. I think this is partially why I love abstract art, I feel so free and let my emotion guide me. It's about the love of the process, color, feeling. I am trying to bridge that with my love for landscapes. It makes the process slower because I have to step away when I notice I'm overthinking everything and second-guessing my choices. When I work intuitively everything is better.
@@SarahBurnsStudio It's hard Sarah, but it's awesome that you have noticed and are actively trying to correct it, what I found when working with acrylic is if I don't make a time to paint, I am always ready to paint when inspired, with oils it's easier to do it this way, but when acrylic I wrap my brushes in plastic wrap and only put what paint I want at the time on the pallet, not so structured, then every free moment I get I will go in and look at the painting, if I feel inspired I'll do something, if i''m thinking too much about it, I walk away. In the beginning there was lots of walking away, because I was training my brain to be quiet, and if it was noisy it wouldn't get to do what i wanted to do, now it's wonderful, I can walk in and look at it and see something stand out and just start poking the piece and it turns out with no thought at all. I'm not sure if it will help, we are all different, all I can do it share what I initially started which helped me, I hope you find something in it that helps you too 🤍 ps: sorry for any typos etc, pre-breakfast, I know I should check but as long as you can understand it
@J Kay At the moment, that paint area you saw me working in takes up half of our living room 😂 but my husband doesn't mind. The cool thing about that is the paintings are always out and ready to be worked on. It's more of a mental block to step away from my other work in order to paint them (Because they are a personal project). Most often I end up painting them super late at night. I'll be sitting on the couch and see something I want to add and jump up and paint. I don't mind about "wasting" paint in this way because I have a stay-wet palette so I know it will last at least a few days. I think the deadline was causing more problems than it was helping
I think a big takeaway here is DO NOT ANNOUNCE ARBITRARY (personal) DEADLINES, haha. Seriously. I think every single artist goes through that. Every single one. Just because they aren't talking about it, doesn't mean they haven't experienced it. Someday, you won't have TIME for your own personal deadlines, because you will be working on your client/gallery showing deadlines. You'll still do fun projects for yourself, but I doubt you will be coming up with crazy deadlines again. Just learn, grow, don't announce everything (i.e. your own personal deadlines), and so on. You are NOT a failure. You know that, I know that, all the other people here know that. But also keep in mind that we learn from failure too, not just our successes. So, while you didn't fail, I know you are still going to feel like you did, so just learn from your own perceived "failure." All the best to you!
Yes so true 😂 I had good intentions when I made that deadline, to push myself and to allow others to follow along and get excited about a series, but what I learned is that it just made the whole thing feel artificial, when I should have just been focusing on the paintings, the process, the joy from that. Definitely a lesson learned! In the future if I have a series with a deadline there will be an actual reason (like a gallery) 💜🤗
@@SarahBurnsStudio I tihnk that's a really good approach. And I do get it (having a deadline so people can get excited and follow along), but I think that puts too much pressure on the artist. I have also found this the hard way. I don't make videos but I'm also a painter (and I love your work!) and let me tell you, the fewer deadlines I actually impose on myself, the more prolific I am. It's kind of a Catch-22, at least for ME. I feel much more free to create, without that pressure. And, like you, I've painted over the top of paintings before (that's the AWESOME thing about paintings, you can "erase" your mistakes, haha!) and there is nothing wrong with that at all. Sometimes what you have in your head doesn't (yet) translate well to the canvas. You'll find a way, but experimentation is good! Keep on keepin' on!
Yikes. You are so hard on yourself. Life happens. Take a breath and begin anew. You’re fine. Public accountability is great. But if it is getting in the way of your exploration of your artistic development. Stop worrying so much and go with what you need to fill yourself up so there’s space for other things to happen later.
Maybe for some yet unknown reason you aren’t meant to finish it yet. The classic rule is to follow your excitement regardless of external appearances of the situation. It’s so magical to go with the flow. You suffocate the magical when you reason too much about things especially about time.
Hi Sarah, what is that super wide, short bristled brush used on your acrylic painting? It’s very cool! It looks to be 4 or 5 inches wide. I like how short it is as well. I’ve been looking for something like this for a long time. Thanks!
Hi there! The struggle thing: you might want to speak to Louise Fletcher. She seems to be quite down to earth. I tried to reach out on Instagram, but settings 😉
i wonder if the bristles on the larger 12" and 6" brushes may be too stiff for precise (not detailed) controlled paint manipulation, i thought if you found a cheaper utility brush from a hardware store , one with enough length and ease of bend , then perhaps you could buy a few and construct your own brush, something that was more comfortable, with ease of movement , and delicacy of touch struggling with those large brushes, its the brush, not you
To be honest, I LOVE these big stiff brushes. I tried a softer one and it felt like I had less control and I actually got annoyed 🤣. I think my struggle is more about working large in general. When I work small, I'm quick. Mixing and applying is fast. Changing brushes and cleaning them is fast. On a large scale, everything still feels slow. I question every tool more because I'm not used to them. I have to constantly back away to see everything better. It takes longer to find natural ways of applying paint. And longer drying time. It will just take time.
Is there a time limit on your Pathways series? A path is a journey. It can take a lifetime to go down 1 path. Others end in a few minutes or hours. A path has now time limit. Your series may take a lifetime and that's OK. Really at the end of the day, who the f@#k cares. Your rules girlfriend and your free to change your mind.
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There is no other artist that I follow that invests so much time, effort and honesty. I follow artists who stop Patreon during writing a book or starting a kick starter. You did it all, you kept all the things flowing and the short time your kick starter took is proof that other people feel the same about your work like I do. So please don’t talk your self down, I really hope that you will be able to just enjoy the painting process. It’s so cool to see you experimenting and talking about it with glowing eyes! When I watch your videos I often imagine you as an old woman, with a brush in her grey hair, wondering through the woods, and she’s known as one of scotlands most important artists. I hope this doesn’t sound creepy 😂 it’s just the strong feeling that you will make it!
I agree with Frauke, but I believe you ARE making it! Your Kickstarter success and increased Patreon viewers are proof. We believe in you Sarah. Thank you for being so transparent and genuine.
Omg that's so cute 😊 I will definitely be that old lady wandering the woods with my brush and black cat 😂
Sort of like our Emily Carr here on the west coast of Canada. She wandered with her dogs and monkeys!
I've had the same vision except I'm with her 🤣 now that's creepy 😂🤣
Omg I'm not the only one who imagines Sarah in that way. It's like I can see her future self sometimes, because she's like an old soul. I imagine she'll still appear with a young face like now, but with grey hair and she'll be so successful and respected, with little minions doing her work for her, and her telling people what to do and doing interviews and shows lol. I don't know why and it's funny that you also see that!
I so get what you mean about feeling boxed in and unable to experiment with your art for fear of upsetting your followers but personally I love watching artists try new things, develop their own unique style and grow- it feels like a privilege to be part of it. 😊💕
On one hand I understand people follow someone because they are interesting in *that thing* but I also know there are plenty of people who like watching variety (like us!) so I have to really fight the voices that try to tell me to do something one way
@@SarahBurnsStudio yes, it’s tricky. I experiment off camera .. if I like it I’ll share it , if not I won’t and no one has to know! 🤣😉
Old lady here. Sarah I get a strong feeling that the real purpose and meaning of these amazing works is in the process of painting them. Not in finishing them. If you can afford it, there is value in keeping them going as long as you need - a guilty pleasure, a luxury, & a muse for your other works. Quite frankly, pretty sure Picasso didn’t work to deadlines. I also once read that describing something can wound one‘s motivation- because the brain is tricked into feeling it‘s already finished. It‘s not that way with many disciplined people, but boy it describes me. 😂 You are so prolific & hard working, I can feel those artist neurons multiplying furiously - they just need time. BTW, I sense a few Turner & Hudson Valley ghosts nudging their way into your vistas. Such atmosphere! 😊
Ahh that is accurate! Once I define it, it becomes an entity of sorts that takes up space in my mind and stifles me in some way. I need more freedom, and since its my own project I am the only one who give that 😅
It is a rare thing for an artist to be so open and honest about the struggles of being creative and working to deadlines, especially self imposed ones. I absolutely believe it is important to have projects and deadlines as a way to focus and develop our work. As a very regular viewer of your beautiful videos I see how busy and committed you are to your art. Perhaps if you had put yourself under pressure to complete all your large pieces as you had hoped, that in turn may have had a negative impact on the work you produced. You were exploring new processes in your creativity and time is required to allow that to evolve. I love abstract landscapes as they are mysterious and interesting and we have to look for the story within and that is what I am struggling to achieve at the moment in my own art. What you have produced so far is great and I think layering the paint is really working for you with lovely colours and textures. Please do not be despondent about the missed deadline and thank you so much for being real and sharing your journey.
Thank you Thelma! I have been enjoying the series SO much, but I found as the deadline got closer I was more scared to work on the paintings like "either I finish this today and make it GOOD or just give up now!" Which is such a negative approach. I feel much more free now that I've discussed this and had so much amazing feedback
You are not failing, you are facing the reality that this project needs more time to fully develop.
Thank you for your honesty. I think it sometimes appears that others don't struggle, creatively speaking, but in truth I think we all come to this place from time to time. Cheers to transparency!
Absolutely!
Enjoy the process of growth this series is offering you. I think that is way more important.
Many times as artists we get so inspired with this great idea and tend to not think fully through it before jumping in. Then later we realize it.
I appreciate your honesty and willingness to share the struggles. It's so nice knowing we aren't alone!
"Enjoy the process of growth this series is offering you." 💜🤗
Dear Sarah, You are a great teacher and I love your honesty about your struggles. I believe all of us struggle (secretly) and that is part of the evolution in our art and therefore our lives. Many artists including myself demand a lot from ourselves, especially when learning new techniques. I know I forget a new medium is new, to me and I expect to be good with it immediately. Haha! I am so glad you share your trials so honestly as it stops me from feeling alone with my own down times with art. What we do demands focus and that is tiring and elating. Rest is really important.
I have found that if something I have decided to do is really not working, I put it away for a while and move on, rest, walk away, or go shopping, see a friend and go back to it refreshed. Or leave it for weeks.
Hearing you talk about forcing yourself to stay indoors and paint when it is beautiful outside says to me how about following your heart and be outside as much as you can in the good weather and paint indoors when it is too cold, windy or wet. That way you are happy and balanced and your work will flow even more. Remember you are your own boss and can re - structure what is not working for you and your art business whenever you like. From where I am watching you are doing a fantastic job.
I used to teach art and would love to teach online but I am very lacking in the tech and digital skills.
I much prefer a paint brush and a beautiful surface to cover!
I also love your outdoor videos showing us Scotland as well as your art teaching so please don't stay home too much! Thankyou Sarah. Zoe Fletcher expat from the UK, in Blue Mountains Australia
Thank you for your kind words! When I was talking about forcing myself to stay inside to paint, it was more of a confession that I DONT do that, I barely did that at all. But that was part of the challenge - not having enough time on the canvas because I spend so much time outside
Listen to your creative side. You're not failing. Biting off more than you can chew is a lesson in itself. Growing pains, Sarah! You are learning what's doable while remaining flexible. Don't make your projects feel like a thru hike/slog. Explore the side paths.
Well said...I need to print this comment and tape it by my easel 😊
Step back and be proud. You have created such beauty!
I am not a professional artist. I decided to become a full-time Mother instead. I always feel like I am having to choose between two great passions, my family or my art. Maybe once my kiddo's are older it won't be so hard, I can't say. I struggle to paint consistently, or struggle to find the energy somedays as I feel like every creative juice has been sucked dry. I feel guilty because I Know I can do better, because I know I could make the art I want to if I could only dedicate more time.
I always wondered why every painting class i ever attended was filled with grey haired old ladies, and now I know. I feel like I am letting the artist in me shrivel up from neglect. I love my children, but sometimes I wish I could be the gypsy artist in my soul.
I cant imagine that struggle! I'm sure when the time comes you will have fun with your creative freedom ☺
Mary, don’t worry and don’t give up! I am guessing your children are very small. It’s so difficult to find energy and any creativity at the end of a gruelling day. Having small kids Is wonderful and exhausting at the same time. I lost myself in motherhood completely for 4.5 years, after which i slowly started to wake up some individual parts of me back. It started with doing some sports, then meeting friends without kids from time to time (madness!), and then my yearning for arts knocked on the door. I was filled with ideas for art from the moment my first child was born, but I was broken and exhausted.
I only started having some childcare for both of mine at the beginning of this year and slowly incorporated some doodling into my daily chores. I was a full time mum up until then. Now I am a part time artist and am working on finding balance between family and work. When the kids are sick, the art stops. Anyone who has toddlers understands the impossibility of working while caring for them. During holidays, half terms, summer - my art stops. And it takes some time to get used to using art materials after a few weeks break. Like I said- I’m still figuring out the balance. And my way back is worth a mention- it all started with one subscription box (I used Artful, in the UK). The limited materials in the box meant that I wasn’t distracted or overwhelmed by the choice of materials, it was easy to take them with me everywhere and I started doodling while waiting in the car, at the doctors, before bed (instead of browsing on my phone- some nights). Even for 10 mins a day. I re-discovered graphite pencils, then markers, acrylic paint, watercolours. Gradually, with no rush. Then I took part in Inktober which meant I had to draw daily- no matter how small the picture was. I function much better when there is a challenge (100 days in one dress, 28 days on veg juices only, Samarathon, any race really), otherwise I can’t get myself focused and motivated. Which is why inktober was so helpful to get me going.
Perhaps, having a drawing tool and sketchbook handy could be the way to start. And to draw anything- a bench, shoe, your child, a pigeon- a quick doodle, and it can become a part of a daily life. When there is no creative force, no inspiration (my problem 99.9999% of the time) I just draw what’s in front of me.
You chose to be a full time mum, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up on your dreams. You will know when you’re ready. Xxxx
@@wondering6023 You are so incredible! Thank you so much for sharing your story and encouragement! Yes my two boys are young, 6 & 2. I have been trying to challenge myself to sketch more. I really appreciate your tips and suggestions. I will heed your advice and go with a slow but steady approach until my kiddos are older. Again thank you ☺️👍.
@@MedievalMary thank you for your kind words. I worried I went on too long! You see, I have a friend who seems to, while looking after her young family, run 20 projects on a side and organise social events. I honestly haven’t got a clue how she manages to be so industrious. And I’ve never been able to be like this. All I knew was that when the kids go to school, I wanted to do for work something that makes me happy, never to go back to my old soul sapping office job. So now I do 3 things, which is about as much as I can manage(ish) at any one time: look after my family, take care of the house and art. Although most time I have to choose between the house and art. Do you have a social media account with your art? Or have you got an Etsy shop? I never got on with Etsy- only tried for a very short period , but haven’t sold anything there. Sending warmest hugs! Ps. What lessons did you do? I went to a couple of watercolour painting group lessons and, like you, found the average age there was 97 (more or less). And so many talented artists! I was perplexed by that, but blamed it on the area, since it was a small town. But now, like you, I know! 😂
@Mary Weaver Oh I don't have kids!! Although sometimes it feels that way between my husband and two cats 😂 anyways, thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement 💜
Personally, I appreciate your rambles about your personal experience as an artist, the triumphs and the personal disappointments. I think you are in the same boat as so many artists who suffer from imposter syndrome, however you are unique in sharing your feelings on this. So many people are afraid of looking less professional and only share the positive side of creating. YOU are so much more relatable!
I also have a series of large paintings bumping around in my brain. I did not set a deadline for myself though as they are very personal and have to do with the experience of losing my mom. My problem is that I'm unsure if anyone else would relate to my expression of grief and working my way through it.
I would tell you to relax and give yourself grace when it comes to your personal deadline on your large ambitious series. You can't see it as a failure if you are learning new tools and working on scale transfer. Learning is imperative! You are in the right path!
Thank you so much for being authentic!
Reading this touched my heart. Art has helped me through many difficult times in life. It’s a form of therapy. I hope that you are able to work on your series and it helps you through
I love the way you're using the Pathways series to explore a whole new way of painting. So appropriate. You could have slammed through it using known and safe methods, probably have them all finished by now, too. But that's more like a superhighway, drive straight through without looking around or smelling the air. Pathways are more winding and magical, a place to *be* and revel in. You're working alchemy and it's awesome how clearly you share that with us. Don't despair, there will be plenty more solstices, and winter is a much better time to focus in studio anyway. Thank you.
That's a great analogy! I feel so much better now that I've read through everyone's comments, I feel like I have a new perspective about the project and I'm in a good place :)
I'm sure it's been mentioned by others before, but I follow "people." The quotations marks are a bit humorous, but I mean that regardless of what content someone might have, if I do not like them, I do not follow. On those lines, even if the person I like does other things, I still follow and support because I like them. There are those of us who will always come with you on your journeys. Go, explore for us and stay awesome, milady.
Thanks so much 😊
I love watching your shows/life here from Vancouver Island off the West Coast of BC. It is similar in some ways to Scotland! Since Covid we have not travelled there, but usually make a trip every year, I can hardly wait to go back. Don’t be so hard on yourself, what you finish, you finish, all is in good time as the process unveils itself as need be. You are an inspiration to us all.
Keep up with your serene and magical spirit as shown in your work.
Ahh I've always wanted to visit BC, it looks incredibly gorgeous!
And Thank you 🥰💚
Alas, I blame the lack of hours in the day. I really think that as a society we should have found a way to progress past only 24 in a day. I mean, it's almost 2022!! :) Be kind to yourself. You're just awesome and there's only so much we can do. Pathways will be stunning whenever the pieces debut but only if you're mentally alive to celebrate too!
Thank you! 💜🤗
Your paintings are so impressive. They reveal that you have become a quite an accomplished artist. I also love your drawings using markers in your journal. Thanks for sharing your heartfelt feelings about you inner struggles as an artist. You are not alone; most artists go through it all the time.
Thank you so much 😀
keep your chin up, we are all behind you Les Berry
Ha! I am so far from a professional artist, but as a creative stay at home mom... I felt like you were describing my every day life! I always have huge plans and great intentions, but NEVER meet my self imposed deadlines. I'm doing my damnedest to be kind to myself and enjoy the process rather than the results. Your art (and life, honestly) are so inspiring! Don't let the self doubt settle in. Thank you for your openness and sharing your struggle with us. It helps to see that someone living my artistic dream has the same issues and doubt. Keep on keeping on! Your community loves you!
Happy Birthday to Floki! 🎈
I started following you because I love your art and your location..but what has kept me coming back again and again is that you show the real you. It's not just about painting a pretty picture. Vulnerability is a positive we can all relate to. It shows to us you're real, not just a machine churning out one tutorial after another like most utube artists. This is a special gift you have to be able to engage us. Don't ever let that imposter syndrome strike again. There's one other online artist I have faithfully followed for 4 years who is very much like you and has kept followers because of showing that vulnerability. You're good. Stop fretting 👍 You have let nobody down. You simply put too much work on yourself lol
Thank you Kaz that is so kind of you! I will continue, and I've already learned a lot about myself and my needs as an artist, and I'm SO grateful for this amazing community 💜🤗
As a novice watercolorist I have learned an incredible amount from you. I also greatly appreciated this video to help me better understand that struggle is a part of creating and to not let that stop me. Thank YOU for sharing so honestly!
INSPIRED🌱
You are so welcome!
Here I am again, catching up with your videography (I am thoroughly enjoying it. Wonderful videos, Sarah). I just wanted to say a couple of things. Your voice is so soothing. I love listening to you while I paint (Of course I constantly check what you are up to and I also talk to you and cheer you on…). Over the past few weeks I have found that if I don’t want to paint one day, I simple start watching one of your videos and before I know it, I’m holding a brush. So thank you for inspiring me. Finally, about working on a series and shedules in general…When I was younger (around your age) I used to worry too about not completing a project on time, about letting myself down and all that. It is ok to feel like that when you are young. It is part of learning about yourself and how to manage and regulate your emotions. As you get older, you will naturally stop worrying about those little bursts of anxiety . It is all part of the process and if you are a little behind or you really cannot finnish something on time, you know that it is ok. Life happens. Sometimes you need to slow down or take it easy and that’s ok. Instead of feeling dissappointed for not completinging on time, think about another opportunity to learn about how much time you want to dedicate to a project allowing for a day feeling under the weather, a day of unexpected chores, and all those little things of everyday life that eat your time up. I understand that spending a lot of time on your own (as wonderful as it is) can sometimes make you feel a little lonely. But isn’t wonderful that you have this lovely community of people who share your passion for art and to whom you can communicate wit, no matter where they are in the world. Thank you for sharing your journey with us. (and now, back to watching more videos..)
That's great to hear and thank you!
I agree, the more I do this, the more I learn about myself. And even a "short" time later I am not phased by things that used to paralyze me. The joys of getting older!
Re: motivating yourself to meet self-imposed deadlines, can't help with that, sorry. [wry smile] I can say you're not alone, though. I too can buckle down and produce if a deadline is outside-imposed. Before the plague times, I went to an annual writing workshop where I wrote six short stories in six weeks, bam-bam-bam-bam-bam-bam, on target and on deadline, and I've sold a bunch of them to pro-level markets, so I'm not just phoning it in to hit a deadline. With self-motivated work, though, I go much more slowly, and I have so many incomplete stories and novels, I can't even. :P It's like you being able to hit a big gallery deadline, but not being able to hit it when the only one expecting completion on that date is you yourself. So yeah, it's not just a personal quirk of yours. I think a lot of it comes down to a deadline where one's professional rep is on the line, versus a deadline that doesn't actually mean anything. Also that a lot of us are conditioned to please others (so we take someone else's deadline seriously) but consider things done for ourselves as secondary or even self-indulgent (so there are negative feelings around working hard on or prioritizing our own deadlines). Which is really unfortunate for any kind of freelancer who does many/most/all self-directed projects. :/
Re: people razzing you for doing something that's different from your usual style -- screw 'em. As a creative, it's natural to want to keep learning and experimenting and growing. Sure, you might do some things that are less to my (or any other audience member's) taste, but 1) that hasn't happened yet, at least for me, and 2) it's better than having you stagnate and get boring. Or worse, get borED and/or burn out because you're sick of doing the same kind of thing over and over. Keep experimenting and trying new things, and that includes new styles. So long as you stay fresh and engaged, always exploring, with new things to show us, you'll have an audience, even if a handful of pissy people with inflexible tastes loudly flounce off. Whatevs. [shrug]
Do what serves you, your art, and your learning. If that means trying new media, new techniques, new styles, do that. If that means working on Pathways until the Solstice and then moving on to something new, do that. If it means working on Pathways until it feels finished, no matter how long that takes, do *that.* We like watching you, your whole process, and it's definitely valuable to hear about the bends and dips, and the places where the path crumbles out from under your feet for a bit. :)
Thank you for your kind words!
You are so right - staying "fresh and engaged" is most important.
"Do what serves you, your art, and your learning" - YESSSS
Also...
"even if a handful of pissy people with inflexible tastes loudly flounce off" 🤣🤣
Around the 4:00 minute mark, the brown area on the right looks like trees. The sky has run down into the hill creating branches, with rivulets forming and joining together and the brown paint condensing to create trunks.
If it is any consolation, the reason why you may not have found other artists painting big series to talk to online is that many of us limit our presence there when we have a big job on. ( I catch up for an hour before dawn and perhaps for an hour after packing up otherwise the distraction ruins my concentration.) I get a lot of stick for not being reachable but there is a mental place and physical rhythm that I find that is joyous but fragments with interruptions.
One tip I have found useful: don't be too quick to abandon or paint over a canvas, merely put it out of sight and if necessary start on a new one. I've often discovered that coming back with fresh eyes to a "failure " either surprises me by it being far better than I remembered or by being immediately able to see how to fix it.
As for deadlines, keeping externally imposed ones are often only achieved by debilitating effort so our own should surely be kinder to mind and body. This isn't failure merely ambition being tempered by reality. Which is a constant for all artists as far as I am concerned. So many ideas to pursue but too few hours In the day to do them all ! You are not alone in this, merely unusual in being willing to talk about it. An artist will always be their own harshest critic.
Keep on painting and be kind to yourself please.
I really appreciate your honest input. So many things you mentioned resonate with me. I suppose this whole concept of sharing my journey has been my entire reality since I started painting, because when I first started, I was streaming full time on Twitch. Then in 2020 I slowly transitioned to RUclips. So for the last few years, I've never ever had a long period of time away from the camera. Since my whole business is built around sharing, I currently don't see a way around that. So I decided to embrace that, and talk about the ups AND downs along the way. Eventually I think I will have the opportunity to put the camera down for longer, and find the natural rhythm you speak of. Painting and exploring each day, within my creative realm. That sounds like a dream!
I think you set too high a goal. You need to give yourself a huge break and understand that you’re fabulous! Break down the one large goal of “10 finished huge-ass pieces” into smaller micro goals that are attainable and will give you the feeling of winning rather than failing. You’re doing great Sarah.
As far as tips on large art management I can offer zero advice. Large to me is an 11x14 piece of Arches, I generally work in 8x10 or 9x12 for finished pieces but usually smaller sketchbook size. For me 11x14 is huuuuuuuge!
I should have said "One complete painting by x date" 😂 but yea, I do need to reevaluate my priorities, an arbitrary date isn't helping me
I really love your unfinished dark underpainting and I can already see a nightscene with a mountain and a midnight blue lake. It could be quite different to your "normal" style. It is so mysterious. When struggling about your deadline, take into consideration that a pathway should go on otherways it is a dead end. So perhaps look on everything you have achieved in the last month and let this encourage you to go on with your pathways without that pressure you mentioned. You are such an inspiration for so many people - including me- so why not beeing proud and stop the inner critic?
I would just say this is a perfect comment and I couldn’t agree more 👍👏👏👏
Thank you 🥰 you're right. Pathways are often ongoing, or loops. I think I would benefit from changing the scope of this project
You have been doing A Lot….so allow yourself some time. I understand setting goals - but you have so many things going on. Please don’t be too hard on yourself
We thank you for still managing this channel as well.
I hope that a professional artist reaches out to you with advise to help you navigate.
Good luck
And Happy Birthday Floki
Thanks for sharing so openly your struggles with not reaching self imposed goals. Many of us have similar feelings of doubt at times, but really, it’s that goal setting that pushes us forward to helps us stay committed to our art journey. You’re doing everything right in trying to develop your skills and personal creative style. I have found over this past year that it’s the painting studies I’ve done in my sketchbooks that have led to the greatest strides in both technical skills and creativity (that and committing my time to teaching which solidifies the learning). And yes, having a gallery deadline certainly helps, even if it’s just to try to be ready to submit to a juried group show deadline. Perhaps just rethink your expectations and try to finish 3 of the paintings at a time, then reset a goal for the next 3, etc.
Thank you for talking about the struggles. It helps me know there is no arrival as amateur or professional. I made a goal for some book illustrations of cats (no outside commision-just my goal)and I've gotten sidetracked on studies of landscapes (with your videos), still lifes, and botanicals- growing so much but not on the illustartion goal and judging myself. your video helps me know there are always different struggles. Time to take stock and revamp goals. Also seeing how many large pieces are at different stages in my little studio room- sometimes i get stressed with a few there-they call me and I can't get to all of them and start getting self judging rather than just accepting the process of rotating them and finishing at different stages. I admire your work and appreciate your honesty.
I totally relate!
I adore all the Pathways pieces so far! Love the color palette 🎨. Appreciate your bravery being vulnerable - it’s a superpower, seriously! It opens the door for others watching to be vulnerable and honest as well 💕
It’s so freeing to witness and participate in this shift of consciousness, slowly but surely. The more people share their whole selves, the perceived “beauty” and “ugly” (which is totally subjective), the more our world and our global community will shift into one of inclusiveness, compassion and authenticity. Perfection is an illusion.
Interesting and synergistic that while working on a series of paintings titled “Pathways” that invite the audience to step into another realm of being, you are seemingly being invited on a similar journey, a new pathway ✨
I’ve struggled so much with some of these same internal narratives 🤦🏻♀️. It’s been helpful for me to remind myself that self-worth isn’t an external validation - it’s not determined by what you do or don’t do, but by who you are. You are more than enough just as you are, we see and love the real you 💖
Gosh, "self-worth isn’t an external validation" really hit home! Thank you for your kind words. Beautiful message
@@SarahBurnsStudio you’re so welcome! Loving your channel 🥰
What you're expressing really resonates with me. I'm harder on myself than anyone else. I have an advantage of keeping my career out of the media. It's meant a slow build of patrons over decades but has given me the space to keep pushing and growing. Often, I'll play mind games with myself to work to drop-deadlines. Personally, I don't do well jumping onto multiple pieces at the same time (2 at most). Changing the music I hear, rearranging the studio, changing what's hanging on the walls and treating myself to a physical treat or two in a day really helps as well. For me that can be a hot soak, a favorite meal, walking by myself or with a friend, etc. Recently I've started being more mindful of the tension that builds in my body when I can'at get into the flow. Hard to tell people about the challenges of making art for a living when most people think we just show up and slap a painting together in an hour or two.
YES. So much of it is about showing up, no matter what. I really am learning so much doing this series, about painting AND myself and the process and work of a series.
Sarah. U are too hard on yourself. I think u accomplish more than u realize. It’s also so relaxing just to watch u paint. I love Scotland too. Was there a few years ago. Ps. I have the same problem with ideas. Too many and they evaporate. My friend keeps a notepad with her as she walks. Her brain never stops. Lol.
The ideas are fleeting, but many!
All I can say is that you utterly amaze me with all you do. Every media you use turns out so beautiful! You are the bravest person I know. To experiment like you do is inspiring to me...
And kiss Vader and Floki for me 💞💕💞
💜🤗
Fear of failier unfortunately has been my life. "They" say to push through it and sometimes I can, then I let it get hold of me again.... I'm talking about in several areas of my life. I am 63 and love digital art and am learning gouache and water color and love your channel. I bet I have you beat when it comes to the difficulty you face. Fortunately I have been able to raise 3 successful children, so I can say some areas have gone very well. I wont try to give any solutions but know you are not alone. It does feel good when I do finish something I have started.
Keep pushing!
I urge you to watch a short video by Lewis Noble called "No Pressure!" It was a game changer for me. We all put so much self-imposed structure on our creative selves when they, honestly, thrive on play and the beauty of passing moments. Find your fleeting joys and your heavy work will be lighter on you! I love the depth of texture you are getting into your larger work lately! 💗
I saw that as well. It was good insight.
I follow him! I somehow missed that video, I'll check it out :)
Hi Sarah, I'm always either super happy about my projects or super low thinking I'm not good enough etc it's that little gremlin that bugs me every now and again. It's usually when I haven't completed a project or if something is out of my comfort zone...into the unknown which is quite a lot recently. I realise I think too much about what I'm painting rather than actually painting. That's where I stall and then I get my knickers in a twist about how best to go forward. I know how rediculous it is but still I have extra angst over it all. I love your videos and feel I can relate though everyone's experience is different. I'm telling myself that it's the process that matters not the end product. We, grow, we learn, we grow, we learn. Oh yes, and I finally would like to say I frickin love Scotland! Never been but really would love to. Just up the road about 150 miles lol Definitely want to go next year! Always a pleasure to watch your vids xx
Thank you! I totally feel you with overthinking - I am finding it helps to have multiple pieces going because I can switch if I get stuck on something
You have accomplished so much this year Sarah, please give yourself a break. Your travels around Scotland aren’t over and neither is your series of paintings. It’s all ongoing. A large canvas is a daunting project, let alone a number of them. Love your work and love your attitude (-: Marion
Thanks Marion! I was just looking back through this year's videos and was surprised by how much has happened.
An interesting rant, as professional artists, we are all seeking the next sale the next defining moment in our work, as a result, we turn over every stone we can find and explore what's underneath, therefore we all of us more often than not take on more than w can happily handle, best to you. Paul
Sara don’t feel bad, you’re not alone in this one…..I just lost my husband and I’m in total mental block of creativity….love your videos, your art it’s amazing….take care ,,,love to you….kitties are so adorable…take care ,,,
I'm sorry 💙💙💙 sending you love
I appreciate your progress- all progress is progeess, no matter how small. I am always happy to see other artist's processes and growth. Your colors are so beautiful! And I'm happy to hear you're having fun. I've never worked big. Not since I took one painting class back in college lol.
But you're not failing! You must give yourself some grace, we are only human. Especially since you're still learning the medium (in large scale!) Yes it's hard to not make a deadline but it's best to do things right than to do them fast and not give them the expiramentation/ exploration they deserve.
I hope you feel encouraged by all the love and support of the art community! I can't wait to see your series complete. :) Take care and happy painting!
It’s your deadline..so it can be re scheduled.not failing…be nice to your beautiful talented self
They are BEAUTIFUL!!! Really loving the progress so far! They are going to be stunning! 💚 Love living in such a magical place!
Thank you so much 😊
I think works of art sometimes have a life of their own, and you may be a sort of vessel they use to come forth, in their own way and In Their own time - your deadlines may be arbitrary to them - and you have the comfort of making deadlines arbitrary to yourself in this case. So give yourself a break and enjoy, 😇 keep on painting when you can and let the artwork breathe to its own timeline. It will be interesting to see which Solstice, Equinox or other significant day they choose to be complete.
I paint in watercolor with small forays into casein and gouache. I have done big paintings but have found that they don’t sell well, so have given up doing them. Many people just don’t have wall space for the big things. Most recently, I’ve been doing very small 5x7 cards and have found them to be rewarding. 16 x 20 seems to be a perfect size…big enough to satisfy my artistic urges and small enough to make it reasonable for many more people to own and enjoy. I’m not trying to earn a living doing art…retired science teacher.
Thank you, for your honesty and for sharing the struggles you have.
I think a lot of artists are struggling with deadlines, time management, the feeling, of not being good enough or what other people might think about their artwork.
You are definitly not the only one who have doubts sometimes.
But you are doing a really great job.
Your artwork is so cool. All those tiny little details, the magical feeling of the landscapes, the passion you put in every piece.
I really like the atmosphere they create, they are enjoyable to look at the moody landscapes feel kind of calm.
I can see your love for the scottish highlands and the environment in every piece.
And don´t be affraid to experiment with styles and mediums.
Thank you! I really appreciate your thoughts.
Also *Scottish 😄
Did i wrote irish?! I'm sorry. It was late
@Alina Marie Haha no worries! It actually happens a lot 😀
Accountability to other people helps to meet deadlines or simply to finish. Go to your local artists gathering place to find other artists who deal with the same struggles and who will hold you accountable by waiting on your pieces. Also attend art expos and artist conventions. Trade phone numbers with other artists. Make friends. Hold them accountable and they will hold you accountable.
Also, don't bite off more than you can chew. When you plan a project, consider whether it is within your endurance tolerance. You may need to scale it down. You can always scale it up later when you have reached that level of endurance.
I think you've done exceedingly well considering what all you've taken on, Sarah. I've been doing two series, maybe three, which include the wetlands/prairie where I live, a wildlife (American animals), birds and butterfly series. I've looked into a gallery, here, but they aren't an actual gallery where you can take your work and they hang it. This was one where you pay to belong, and you have to donate one day a month to be in the gallery. I didn't think that would work for me. So I'm considering doing craft fares. Thus, you, my dear, have the advantage over me as far as showing your wares. I am only on facebook, and I rarely sell anything at this time. I'm hoping things are better in 2022. Thanks for sharing all your inner thoughts/fears,, etc. You are going places. Just DO IT!
Etsy is another great place to sell, because they have a built-in search engine. I've been using that for many years for my prints and most of my sales come from strangers, or people here on youtube.
Honestly, you could easily sell your sketches. I would hang them on my wall, in a heartbeat 💗. Sell some sketches as prints or even as originals, they are just amazing 🤩 . I love the ‘fantasy feeling’ in your projects.
All human beings have struggles that evoke the lonely feeling. I really believe artists struggles more deeply with the sense of not being good enough because we pour our innermost beings to our works. Even tho it’s stressful and agonizing to work through these phases it will pay out in growth and personal development.
There is one important thing you most definitely can count on: you are not alone ☺️. Some people can be more open about their struggles and some others feel the necessity to work through their difficulties in privat. Just because nobody talks about it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. That’s a thought that have helped me when I have felt alone in my struggles. Lastly I have good news; many of these struggles will fade away when you get older. I’m almost 49 years and many of the not being good enough feelings or feeling judged have mostly disappeared, I’m much more forgiving towards myself these days. And I don’t care what other people think about me or my projects as long as I do my best to being nice towards others.
I'm rooting for you! 💕
Thank you! Yes I have learned a lot through this process. It has given me a new perspective, especially with the tremendous amount of encouragement I've received here!!
Hi Sarah, Louise Fletcher has recently done a large series of paintings based on the nature poetry of Ted Hughes. She paints abstracts but she has experience in that area If you want someone to reach out to.
I love that you keep it real and share the struggles. Art isn’t easy no matter how it appears on RUclips and Instagram.
Love your art too. x
I really appreciate your honesty! Take care!
Sarah -- I obviously don't know you personally but your chat today reminded me of something you said on a recent video about why Skye is so important to you. You said that you and your husband exchanged private vows there, away from the friends and family at the other wedding ceremony. I think when any one is starting a big new process (not project... but process) like a series of personal paintings that privately mean a lot and involve new materials and skills (i.e., a new relationship to some aspect of your budding artist self) there is some aspect of protecting the privacy of the process. It's like a womb is needed to shroud the new inspirations. When someone gets really good at something it can become a project (like your Kickstarter) and even if it is very hard work, it's not so private. I am excited for your Pathways series and I hope when the time is right you will introduce us all to what you birthed. Meanwhile, I hope you give yourself the privacy to play in the magical, misty, expansive inner landscape of developing these paintings without worrying about external demands. Anyone following your work will surely be willing to wait. Creating from deep within your true self takes all the time it takes. Enjoy the process and protect it from the impulse to turn it into a project. If my words don't land, then just ignore them. I wish you all the best this holiday season!
Your words brought tears to my eyes! Especially “ give yourself the privacy to play” - because that is a huge struggle for me. Over the years I’ve gotten so used to recovering EVERYTHING and sharing almost every aspect of the journey. On one hand I love that, and it’s kind of like a “diary” for me too. But yes - there are moments that need to be private. I’m learning this more and more and especially through this project. Thank you for your generous thoughts
Sarah... I just want to add that when you are exploring your depth and working from the source of who you really are -- that's when you ask the question, is this ready for or does this need an external witness? You are very authentic and your viewers benefit enormously from your generous sharing and a diary of our process is important too (sometimes years later). It's an archetypal kind of knowing (like knowing when to take a cake out of the oven) that senses the moment to burst forth with a particular creation. I think you probably do a pretty good job of this most of the time, it's just you keep growing and so this edge keeps moving. Sending warmth and good cheer!
@@maryanntaylor2179 You are so right! The edge keeps moving. I've "only" been at this for six years and some days that feels like forever and other days it feels like I just began.
Okay so, I have been watching your videos for almost 2 years now. Not only have I learned S****tons from you I have enjoyed watching you grow as an all around artist. I appreciate that you share about imposter syndrome. No matter how long we work in an industry self-doubt can creep in. Here's the thing I have learned. Moving through the feelings and producing something anyway is the process in which that imposter can no longer exist. The goal is just something for us to work toward. Sometimes we can reach it but most of the time we're just shy. This is not a failure. The success comes in what we've learned along the way. Your art is living proof of that. I love how your channel has evolved. You are sharing an artist's journey and that encompasses a lot. Keep on keeping on 😜❤️☺️🎨🖌️💝 you are a gift to artists like myself who want to learn, grow and experience art with other artists.
I appreciate you so much!!! Its a struggle, in any industry - YES. I experienced this when I was doing interior design too, and photography. Having this project is an eye opening experience
Thanks for sharing the struggle. We all have them and painting is such a solitary act that it is hard for a lot of us to find that community of other artists we can talk to. Especially with all we've been going through with COVID. For me, the isolation has been a good thing. I'm getting so much more work done. One question I have for you is about your acrylic paint markers. What's the brand on those? I'd love to hear more about them.
She bought empties and filled them with Golden High Flow. Montana is the brand, I think, and she got chisel nibs.
This is my video about the markers ruclips.net/video/ANxiFm0f2AM/видео.html
And my first time using them ruclips.net/video/ZLHJlTgq40c/видео.html
You only need to listen to ONE person's opinion: YOURS.
For everything else, just sing Frozen in your head: "Let it go, let it go, turn away and slam the door. I don't care what they're going to say. Let the storm rage on." 😉
Great advice 😊
Thats good advice. I always say to myself the Art will show you what to do. That way we do not have to confront that hideous artist block thing that so many go on about.
You have just inspired me to experiment with my art! I am surprised to remember that I used to play with paint and had a lot of happy accidents! I mean.. that was pretty cool :) And it was also a long ago. Since then I have made my art more tight and controlled. Probably one of the reasons I've become somehow disappointed with it and block like crazy! You have so much joy just playing with tools and paint and going with the flow that I want that back for myself!!! Thank you for reminding me of old me :) She was much happier with what she created. Good luck with your series!! I'd love to be able to come to your live gallery exhibitions and get lost in your imagination 💗
Aww thank you so much! I know over time we tend to get stuck in routines so it's always nice to get back to our source of joy :)
@@SarahBurnsStudio I'm sure it will be :) Once I clear all my commissions... lol But non the less, I'm looking forward to it!!
From someone who's more of an art groupie than an actual artist, much less any sort of professional at it: You remind me of Lena Danya only way more vulnerable, and maybe not as confident, but every bit as capable. Your wildly ambitious canvases are daring and amazing, and you take it on the road and deal with weather, changing light and all that Plein Air stuff. Your desire for external time pressure on your personal projects reminds me of a saying with which you're no doubt already familiar. Leonard Bernstein famously said, "To achieve great things, two things are needed; a plan, and not quite enough time." Who are we to argue with the guy who wrote "West Side Story"?
Haha, great quote! I have definitely had a change in perspective after posting this video and reading everyone's thoughts!
Maybe you've outgrown the project ? What if you are not letting you down or failing, but instead you've evolved so much and so fast in a way in the last few months that the project you set back then is not suiting who you've become any more ? Just go with the flow Sarah. Trust your guts, because that's where your heart truly belongs. Follow whatever it is that brings you excitement, ease, energy and expansion. Your community will always have your back. We are here not because of what you do, or what we could gain from you; but because of who you ARE. A true bond has been created that goes beyond artistry alone and leans more towards togetherness now. Stay true to your beautiful self Sarah. Now go and do whatever you need to take that pressure off of you, and please take the time to give yourself a big hug for how far you've come. I give you one anyway.
Omg this brought tears to my eyes! I'm seriously going to read this every time I doubt myself. Thank you 💙🥰
Hit me so hard when you said you were failing (got a lump in my throat), you are such an amazingly dedicated and passionate creator - such a success. Thank you so much for all you share with us, your honesty and insight are always so thoughtful and helpful. Thank you.
In the last 24 hours I've seen such a tremendous amount of love and encouragement, it banished the feeling of failure and I feel excited for the process, the paintings will be so much more alive now!
Love your honesty. How about considering changing you perspective? You rearranged your personal challenges in your art business, this isn’t failing. You continue to “work”, “learn”, and inspire others that is definitely not failing, that is just changing your priorities. Thank you and continue to explore the techniques and equipment.
Thankyou for sharing. You are an inspiration!
Keep going Sarah you are such an inspiration 👍
Thank you so much!!
Not sure why you gave yourself a deadline for the Pathways series, especially since it's also a learning process, but I definitely don't think you're a "failure" for not meeting it. I think the heart of an artist's creative process is what turns her on, what she's excited about, and this can change from day to day, so things may seem to be delayed or falling by the wayside. But stick to that heart and trust the process, and you'll be fine. I love you and your art! One more small suggestion: maybe you won't feel you're "losing" passing inspirations if, in addition to documenting them in your sketchbook, you jot ideas down in a written journal. ❤
Thank you for your encouragement!
I am in no way a professional, I know too well what personal pressure can do to me, so I understand your struggle. For now I am just trying to improve my habits and practice my skills.
But here is a method that helps me a lot: set right priorities! I am talking not only about business priorities but also personal ones. It helps me to decide what is most important for my personal enjoyment right now, if it matches with what I feel I "should" be doing, how important this "should" thing is and if I need to find compromises to work on both.
So if I dare to give you advice on this Pathways project, it would be such: decide how important it is for your business compared to other projects you are working on, then think of how important it really is for your personal happiness. Then it will be easier for you to think of what is the best way for you to continue these Series, that would be enjoyable and still make sense business wise. A lot of times there is really no good reason to push yourself and do something against your feelings, for me it never ends well. So to avoid burnout, especially if it is not a first priority for your business, it is generally a good idea to change your original plan to fit your current situation. Consider the fact that your original plan didn't account for the amount of work this project requires, therefore you can dismiss it as "Unrealistic". Instead of being sad about not meeting Unrealistic standard, you can make a new Updated/Realistic plan B. If this plan doesn't work as well... well the alphabet is long XD Consider the fact that life constantly changes, we as people always change too, our mindset is newer the same, so how can we stick to an unrealistic goal created a long time ago?
In general it helps me to assign an importance factor to things on my To Do list. And it doesn't matter if this factor is made up from my Wants or my Needs. Sometimes our wants become so important to our personal happiness and mental health that they push certain Needs down the list of importance. And the order of things on this list may change sometimes, and it is ok.
This is actually a very smart approach. When I read it, I thought “this should have been obvious to me!” But then again - you don’t know what you don’t know. So having gone through this now I know :)
Thank you for opening up about this. It really resonates with me. Imposter syndrome is difficult and effects us all in so many ways 💗
Sarah you are amaizing and amazing artist have their struggles thanks for sharing here appreciate your voice you are an inspiration to us all. Thanks for sharing openly don't feel alone beautiful Sarah 💜💜💜 happy birthday to your cat Flokey🐾🎁🎉🎂
Me gustan tus vídeos ,tu imagen ,la música de fondo ,eres muy especia🤩😘
Thank you so much for sharing!
I'm not a professional artist, or even majoring in an artistic field, but I can relate to the feeling of failing to meet your own deadlines with personal painting projects. I think the difference between meeting personal deadlines and being forced to finish by an external deadline is that you can adjust and account for the other things that are happening in your life. It's natural to be able to accomplish less for this project when you were moving the Kickstarter up. The progress you've made on these paintings and in familiarizing yourself with working large is already amazing! And it's paving the way for future larger paintings! Try not to push yourself too hard and take time to refresh :)
Yes - that is the part I'm excited for. That this is just the beginning, and I'm already getting more comfortable with it. I do love painting large, and exploring ideas on a much bigger scale. When I'm falling asleep at night I imagine painting huge murals (but that's a topic for another day!)
Rooting hardcore for you Sarah! The pathways look so amazing already and I'm sure that it'll be worth all the time and love you put into them
Aww thank you Becky!! 💜
Wow, amazing. It’s feels like I am walking on the pathway,
Please don’t be sad, you can’t put a timer on this exploration of technique and interesting color choices… Where you are is where you n e e d to be at this time. Smile, it’s special.
It's very valuable and helping what you've said about your struggles to meet your personal deadlines and goals❤
Keep going girl.
Thank for talking about the struggles! I felt really disappointed too when I didn't finish my 25 moth series of paintings before my deadline. I finished 9. And then I needed a month break. But I tried to be very nice to myself and be like hey you did NINE gorgeous paintings. Also on a random note, I've never really noticed, but.. you look like a younger version of my mother, but with brown hair instead of golden blonde :'D
I think when we give ourselves these intense deadlines it *can* be good motivation, but only if we remember that it's there for motivation - not to measure how successful we are as humans or artists 🥰💚
Sarah, one of the greatest traits you can have to help you succeed is flexibility. Flexibility isn't the same as never finishing things; it is recognizing when there are better opportunities or ways to leverage your skills and assets at a particular time and making the decision to seize or utilize them. You should free yourself from personal commitments when you are flowing in a new direction or have new ideas. Putting together your book was a great achievement, and there's no reason to feel you let yourself down by - succeeding?! Did you enjoy your end-of-season, though rainy, trip with Wolfie? Did it revitalize or inspire you? Then you invested in yourself. The five canvases you worked on: you said you learned new techniques for layering and grew your skills in abstraction. Could you give yourself permission to find that this was enough accomplishment from this project? Could you decide that you don't need to do more, and you move on to the next thing that excites you? You've grown a lot the past few years, and your knowing how and when to "break forward" will enable you to grow so much more. Short version: Don't hold yourself back artificially, and embrace the things that excite you and will bring you forward.
SUCH good advice, "Don't hold yourself back artificially" - this is something I struggle with. I think it's due to being online and in front of a lot of people, that I just assume everyone is judging. Maybe I should talk to my therapist about this 😂
Morning from Dunedin….love your use of other tools for texture…works
What is your definition of "progress"? I love that you are not afraid to experiment. Taking time to experiment is progress. And I totally agree with another commenter here..they are your deadlines...your schedules.. you can adjust them. Art is not a Factory. To produce something unique...something beyond the average...it takes time. ☺️👍. Isn't it part of the journey that makes the piece? I love that about your videos...I love watching your journey, your process, and your ideas!! Stop with deadlines...cut your #of pieces if deadlines are important.. but seriously, you are such an inspiration..
Hang in there ☺️🤗🤗🤗
Thank you, that is so sweet of you to say! I know I am overthinking everything. That's part of my existence lol. But I guess I put this public deadline on it, and started feeling the pressure to meet it, which is very difficult in general, let alone while filming the whole process.
Anyways, thank you so much for your encouragement and support!
more artist need to talk about the struggles of big projects, it such a hard thing to deal with sometimes (happened a lot to me at uni)
lol! those are BIG brushes! (paste brushes for wallpaper?)
They are made by Liquitex - for artists!
Bon courage! Ton travail est magnifique!👏🎨🇫🇷
Aww Sarah! Isn't it crazy that we always seem to focus more on the negative? I think, as you said, you bit off more than you can chew with this series, especially taking into account that you moved up your Kickstarter ( which I can only imagine the amount of work involved!).
I hope that you are able to find support from other large canvas artists, as I am sure that they go through similar issues. Sending you positive vibes
Thank you Nikki!
You mentioned all your sketchbook learnings are starting to pay off, can you make a series of skechbook and why it is important? I some how cannot motivate myself to do this . May be I am also failing to motivate myself for myself :(
Watch my sketchbook tours, it shows more of my sketching experiences. All of that helps inform every single painting in the studio 😁
Quick question on the sketchbooks you have shown in this video. I have been on a hunt for a good and easy sketchbook for markers. And to answer your question: as an artist who has no other artist Friends, i also wish i could to talk to other artists. Because they geht the frustrating things about being an artist/ a creatvie person. At times ist can be quiet lonesome. I feel your struggle, cause i am having some similar ones at the moment.
The sketchbook I showed is a Stillman & Birn Delta, I love it. If I layer a lot of marker, it bleeds a little, but not much. The Zeta is also really good.
Hi Sarah. I’ve watched you for a long time and learned a lot. Love it! My style is (or tries to be!) very loose, minimal watercolour abstract landscape so differs from you a lot. But I absolutely love that dark blue 'underpainting' in this video. It’s already a beautiful moody abstract. If you’re experimenting with media and processes and also upscaling perhaps it would help to let go of your detailed style in your sketchbooks as a final end point? You say many times in this video that you’ve got details to add here and details to add there… Let those big brushes and drips do their thing and just leave them - live with them for a while, see how you feel. Your deadline is tough if you’re intending to add all this detail. That’s just my opinion and not a criticism :) Try and do your '20min sketch process to get your ideas down' with the big canvas and tools. I admire you so much and you have tremendous talent. Being an abstracty type I’m really excited to see what comes from this new process. Do you follow Louise Fletcher and Lewis Noble? Louise is a marvellous teacher, especially for 'letting go'. Good luck Sarah. It’s a journey and I feel privileged that you’re sharing this with us all. Jill R, south of the border!
Thank you very much for your thoughts and advice! I think you're right - allowing a bit more of my love for abstraction show through requires a change in process - which I haven't quite explored yet.
I do follow Louise and Lewis (and many more!), they are fabulous.
@@SarahBurnsStudio I did her free ‘loosening up’ course a few months back. Amazing but a bit overwhelming to think how much more there is to explore!!
@J Robson I LOVE her and Alice Sheridan's podcast "Art Juice" 😄
Can't speak for everyone of course, only myself, when I choose to do a series it's because there are so many things that need to get out, not because I like a subject, but because I am passionate about it and then they kind of paint themselves in a way, it's the difference in motivation. There is an old saying rest in reason move in passion and applied to this, is that when you are passionate about something it flows, there is no struggle other than to make your brush keep up with the vision in your head and quietening down your mind so your soul can speak, where as reason is basically your head and it will analysis and question, it will debate every stroke and every move you make and if allowed to grow in voice will stunt where the artistry comes from. Stop thinking about the destination and feel the journey, in other words don't hold onto the end vision of a piece feel what's trying to be said through your brush now. Hearts and heads are for different things 😉 I looove open medium, I always use it with acrylics and also an antipasto medium combined with heavy body because I love depth and texture in pieces, it adds more dimension, I use derivan/Mattisse so not sure on other brands, but acrylics they are the only mediums I use, and watch the water, always see people use too much water with acrylic paint which makes it not so stable, there are mediums for making acrylic paint thinner so it still binds properly I'm not sure why people that paint with acrylics are wary of using mediums, they are for a reason, it's a chemical process not an emotional one, the emotion comes through the way the paint is applied, the science is how the paint works. It's hard Sarah to try and make a living from a creative outlet because it's SO easy to become focused on being "successful" and to many people "success" is a nice bank balance, but at the guts of it, they think the bank balance is going to give them happiness so in essence, it is happiness they seek, so imagine if they realised this before the quest to have more and more and more. Remember why you started and why you paint Sarah and the passion will come through and tell the head to sit the %^$# down 🤍
Ps: happy birthday little man!! love seeing your little furbabies too!!
Thank you so much for your heartfelt message! It's very true that my mind tries to take over during the process, and overthink everything. I think this is partially why I love abstract art, I feel so free and let my emotion guide me. It's about the love of the process, color, feeling. I am trying to bridge that with my love for landscapes. It makes the process slower because I have to step away when I notice I'm overthinking everything and second-guessing my choices. When I work intuitively everything is better.
@@SarahBurnsStudio It's hard Sarah, but it's awesome that you have noticed and are actively trying to correct it, what I found when working with acrylic is if I don't make a time to paint, I am always ready to paint when inspired, with oils it's easier to do it this way, but when acrylic I wrap my brushes in plastic wrap and only put what paint I want at the time on the pallet, not so structured, then every free moment I get I will go in and look at the painting, if I feel inspired I'll do something, if i''m thinking too much about it, I walk away.
In the beginning there was lots of walking away, because I was training my brain to be quiet, and if it was noisy it wouldn't get to do what i wanted to do, now it's wonderful, I can walk in and look at it and see something stand out and just start poking the piece and it turns out with no thought at all.
I'm not sure if it will help, we are all different, all I can do it share what I initially started which helped me, I hope you find something in it that helps you too 🤍
ps: sorry for any typos etc, pre-breakfast, I know I should check but as long as you can understand it
@J Kay At the moment, that paint area you saw me working in takes up half of our living room 😂 but my husband doesn't mind. The cool thing about that is the paintings are always out and ready to be worked on. It's more of a mental block to step away from my other work in order to paint them (Because they are a personal project). Most often I end up painting them super late at night. I'll be sitting on the couch and see something I want to add and jump up and paint. I don't mind about "wasting" paint in this way because I have a stay-wet palette so I know it will last at least a few days. I think the deadline was causing more problems than it was helping
I'm so bumped my internet keeps buffering and I cant seem to get the circle to stop spinning arghhh gonna have to rewatch full video later.....
Aww bummer! You could watch in lower quality, but that is not as nice
I think a big takeaway here is DO NOT ANNOUNCE ARBITRARY (personal) DEADLINES, haha. Seriously. I think every single artist goes through that. Every single one. Just because they aren't talking about it, doesn't mean they haven't experienced it. Someday, you won't have TIME for your own personal deadlines, because you will be working on your client/gallery showing deadlines. You'll still do fun projects for yourself, but I doubt you will be coming up with crazy deadlines again. Just learn, grow, don't announce everything (i.e. your own personal deadlines), and so on. You are NOT a failure. You know that, I know that, all the other people here know that. But also keep in mind that we learn from failure too, not just our successes. So, while you didn't fail, I know you are still going to feel like you did, so just learn from your own perceived "failure." All the best to you!
Yes so true 😂 I had good intentions when I made that deadline, to push myself and to allow others to follow along and get excited about a series, but what I learned is that it just made the whole thing feel artificial, when I should have just been focusing on the paintings, the process, the joy from that. Definitely a lesson learned! In the future if I have a series with a deadline there will be an actual reason (like a gallery) 💜🤗
@@SarahBurnsStudio I tihnk that's a really good approach. And I do get it (having a deadline so people can get excited and follow along), but I think that puts too much pressure on the artist. I have also found this the hard way. I don't make videos but I'm also a painter (and I love your work!) and let me tell you, the fewer deadlines I actually impose on myself, the more prolific I am. It's kind of a Catch-22, at least for ME. I feel much more free to create, without that pressure. And, like you, I've painted over the top of paintings before (that's the AWESOME thing about paintings, you can "erase" your mistakes, haha!) and there is nothing wrong with that at all. Sometimes what you have in your head doesn't (yet) translate well to the canvas. You'll find a way, but experimentation is good! Keep on keepin' on!
Yikes. You are so hard on yourself. Life happens. Take a breath and begin anew. You’re fine. Public accountability is great. But if it is getting in the way of your exploration of your artistic development. Stop worrying so much and go with what you need to fill yourself up so there’s space for other things to happen later.
Does a series have end…..its your body of work
Maybe for some yet unknown reason you aren’t meant to finish it yet. The classic rule is to follow your excitement regardless of external appearances of the situation. It’s so magical to go with the flow. You suffocate the magical when you reason too much about things especially about time.
So true!
Hi Sarah, what is that super wide, short bristled brush used on your acrylic painting? It’s very cool! It looks to be 4 or 5 inches wide. I like how short it is as well. I’ve been looking for something like this for a long time. Thanks!
Liquitex makes them, I got it from Jacksons
Hi there! The struggle thing: you might want to speak to Louise Fletcher. She seems to be quite down to earth. I tried to reach out on Instagram, but settings 😉
Louise is great, I love her podcast with Alice!
Yea I turned off messages/notifications on all social media except YT because..burnout!
@@SarahBurnsStudio with that large following, I'm amazed you do reply at all 😊🖤
Hang in there 🤗 we're all rooting for you.
i wonder if the bristles on the larger 12" and 6" brushes may be too stiff for precise (not detailed) controlled paint manipulation, i thought if you found a cheaper utility brush from a hardware store , one with enough length and ease of bend , then perhaps you could buy a few and construct your own brush, something that was more comfortable, with ease of movement , and delicacy of touch
struggling with those large brushes, its the brush, not you
To be honest, I LOVE these big stiff brushes. I tried a softer one and it felt like I had less control and I actually got annoyed 🤣.
I think my struggle is more about working large in general. When I work small, I'm quick. Mixing and applying is fast. Changing brushes and cleaning them is fast.
On a large scale, everything still feels slow. I question every tool more because I'm not used to them. I have to constantly back away to see everything better. It takes longer to find natural ways of applying paint. And longer drying time.
It will just take time.
I haven’t even finished my painting I’ve promised to donate 5 months ago
Is there a time limit on your Pathways series? A path is a journey. It can take a lifetime to go down 1 path. Others end in a few minutes or hours. A path has now time limit. Your series may take a lifetime and that's OK. Really at the end of the day, who the f@#k cares. Your rules girlfriend and your free to change your mind.
Thank you 💜🤗