'Looking Inside Yourself 2'
iPad drawing by Adam James Butcher
The Creative message
If you're one of many artists who don't think you have a powerful story, then you probably haven't uncovered the all important creative message behind your own. Chances are, you've let your negative voices become your barrier to achieving a clear sense of direction and mission as an artist. Lack of faith in your experience and ability, have affected the confidence you have in your creative process.
Identify with this?
Then I'd like to take you quickly through my own story and share some insights into why recognizing and giving life to your creative story, is the first step in achieving recognition as an artist.
My Creative Story
I'm 12 years old, my passion is making art. I have a super privileged life and my parents are the perfect role models. But then something happens that has such an impact on my life. My parents sit me down and explain that they no longer love each other and are going to get a divorce. In that instant my world crumbles. An already shy child, I develop a deep sense of low self esteem that stays with me all my life and becomes both my curse and my gift.
At 21, I leave university with the degree in fine art that is going to ensure my success. Once again my lack of self belief returns to haunt me. Alongside many other artists, I work in isolation as a struggling artist for three years and one day I hit my all time low. I can't afford to continue making art and take a low payed job. A few months later, I'm finishing a long gruelling day selling sandwiches in central London without achieving any commission at all. I wonder where all my dreams of becoming an artist have gone. What is the point? I quit and in desperation, I contemplate ending it all on the journey back home.
Somehow I make it through to the next day and I remember that text from a friend about her amazing experience of taking her teacher training. What could I loose? It' was after all free. So I enrolled, achieved my teacher status and chose to never return to that hell state again. And over the next 15 extremely challenging years, I became an award winning head of art in a top central London Arts Academy.
The lessons I learned along this journey became the very key breakthroughs I needed in allowing me to take that big leap of faith and become the professional artist I have always been destined to be.
And here I am today, living the dream in the Mexican Caribbean, working full-time as a fine artist, writer, speaker and coach. An amazing journey has just begun, not only for me, but for the artists I help reach new heights.
The Creative Vision
The moment I unleashed my authentic creative story, my purpose and vision began to solidify. As well as making art, I also achieved a deep sense accomplishment by supporting other artists.
With the tools and insights taken from my own journey, I've developed a 7 Step Blueprint, that I now use to help artists around the world, break through their creative barriers, so that they can achieve the fulfilment and recognition they deserve.
Your creative story is your first step and what will define you as an artist. It's a reflection on the barriers and breakthroughs you have experiences along your life journey and it's what gives you your clarity, uniqueness and vision.
When we hear a person's life story, in most cases it tends to be a set of linear facts that lead them to where they are now. In the telling of our stories, we often avoid digging deeper and revealing the underlying message. We miss the point of a good story and are in effect re-writing our resume or personal record. The way we share our stories is weak and this can inevitably reflect back in our lack of self worth and higher purpose.
The Creative Mindset
A tip - don't see your story as being in the past. After all there has always only been the now. When you tell it as if its happening now, it becomes so much more powerful and relates to the actions you and the people who are listening to it, will take next. The way you shape your story can have a big effect on how you perceive the future and your life vision. Your life experience up until now is a fixed element and can't change, however, you have the ability to perceive it as either a positive or a negative experience, whatever the hardships you have gone through.
In fact, drawing out and understanding the deeper message in your story, can be an incredibly therapeutic process. Understanding the reasons why we went through what we did, can help us develop a clearer creative purpose. In my experience, getting to the point where you are confident enough in yourself to make an impact on others is the answer to becoming truly fulfilled.
The Creative Sharing
The secret to unleashing the powerful story that lies within each of us, is focussing on how it inspires, moves, encourages and creates value for others. Our story must connect and touch other lives. Being able to open up and share our true vulnerability is what makes us human in the eyes of others. People relate to and empathize with your authentic life experience. More than this, the way you present your story validates the unique qualities that you can draw on to help others.
You can join the 'Tools for Creative Breakthroughs' community where you'll receive my free training video on 'The 3 Secrets to Unleashing Your Unique Creative Story'.