I am 49 yrs old, I spent 46.5 years not drawing/paining because I was "bad" at it. Then something changed, and I discovered I loved the process, now I see what i learned in each piece I do and the learning makes me like the pieces regardless of what they look like. Suddenly I do not think of myself as "bad at art". i am still very much a beginner but the process is so much more fun.
64 soon and about 30 years without painting. I didn't learn when young, only went at free ateliers. Now I want to practice seriously not only because I love that but also because I am expecting to sell (I am poor). The stress I go through is about some comissions if the client want something exactly as he expects but not regarding my own touch and inspiration, this case I refuse the commission even though I need money.
"Practice for progress, not perfection." This is very profound, Sarah. I really appreciate your thoughts and the raw emotions that you shared in this film. I think that the truth of what you shared can be applied in many, if not most areas of life! I cannot even express my appreciation for your sharing the exquisite beauty of this particular forest with us! It touched me so deeply with all of it's breath-taking beauty!!!! I would love to just meander through that forest and drink in all of the goodness that it holds and then pours so generously into the heart of the one who comes to it for refreshment and for life and living!!!! Thank you for sharing all of this beauty!!!! 🌿📖✏️🖌️🎨
This is me literally every time I try to create art. I know all the platitudes, but I haven't been able to get past my brain and my past. Learning a lot about ADHD and Autism and neurodivergence lately has opened my eyes though, and I'm hoping that what I'm learning about myself and my struggles helps me figure out how to not have a breakdown every time I try to create.
I feel like I'm looking into a mirror ~ same here with the personal discovery of AuDHD and neurodivergence... I'm actually having a major existential identity crisis because of it and the lack of support I get. I hope you get at least a little support in your own life. I wish you the best, perfect stranger. Happy creating to you. 💜
ADHD was barely talked about or understood for my generation. I never thought about it until recent years and I’m very certain I have it to some extent. I used to think I was just “multitasking” but in reality I cannot do one single thing at a time which is sometimes good but a lot of times confusing and draining 😂 anyways..it’s a weird feeling to know I have to overcome this struggle but not even totally understand it myself. I also have OCD which another topic. I hope you are patient with yourself as you discover ways to live with it and stay positive 💕
I’m 58 and recently discovered via a friend that I’m mild ADHD which I actually found to be a blessing. People have always teased me for not completing projects that I start. At work, I was the queen of multitasking but found it very hard to focus just on one thing. My partner of 8 years is Asperger’s which I find fascinating. I’ve learned so much from this relationship and I’d have to say, it’s the best one I’ve ever had. The autistic brain looks at the world in a totally unique way that’s amazing. I have always embraced being different to everybody else. Not once have I ever felt that I wished I was ‘normal’.
Hello, my son has ADHD and Asperger's and had such a hard time being accepted at school. The teachers had no interest in understanding this illness. Even today, he still has to fight, he is now 32 years old. Due to lack of understanding from society, he has severe health problems. Next year he has an exam coming up and he already has gastritis from anxiety. I was so touched by your comment that you have such a wonderful relationship with your partner. Fortunately, my son also has a wonderful woman/partner who takes him as he is and that is so beautiful for me. He is a wonderful unique person. Only our society, here in Germany, does not accept people who are different. Yet he is highly intelligent. I wish you and your partner all the best. Take care. Gabi:-))@@kellywoodhouse3046
I can so resonate whit this. As a 40 year old with ADHD and autism. I learn something new everyday about myself both good and bad. And try to make changes that can approve my life usually just small adjustments. Also nature and getting outside if it's with my sketch books, camera or collecting things I can use in creating art. It's definitely a happy place.
Sarah, I have learnt something really interesting of late. When I paint, I like to paint what’s there, however I chase progress too. What I discovered constantly painting my garden and nature is that my intuition takes over. I would become quite frustrated because I had a picture in my head. (It never occurred to me that these pictures are often informed by the artists I admired, their pictures were deep in my subconscious, they had allowed space that I had given them, they were my yard stick, I was so fed up until I saw this). The picture I wanted to paint never materialises. I finally realised recently is that my hand and mind work their own magic, because my intuition intervenes. I’ve stopped fighting this and now my paintings are coming through with their own take. Not someone else’s. My perception of how it should be left how my soul, my spirit unable to express its’s own view point. I wasn’t aware of this until someone looked at what I thought was my very frustrating artworks and told me they could see the wind moving in all of them. I was shocked as I was going for a totally different perspective. Now I am leaning into letting my hand and mind inform the works. This may not be your story but it may resonate with someone else out there, or you too. Who knows! I pray your visa is sorted favourably. I hope the anxiety over it ends and peace comes. Sarah, I love your work and your channel. And I thought it a beautiful painting. All the best for your next artworks!
We've been reading a book/biography about Monet with my daughter, and according to it, Monet used to have huge tantrums if his painting wasn't doing for him what it should have. Throwing canvases and brushes out of the window and stuff like that 😂 So you dealt with situation in a very civilised manner, considering..👍 Love the painting, it's beautiful! I think, all the turmoil you are being through right now,is affecting,how you see the world around you. I hope it soon will be resolved and send good vibes and the best wishes for you and yours!
I 😂 at the thought of the peace of his beautiful gardens disrupted by half finished canvasses flying through the air and the assistants ducking at paintbrushes!!!! He'd be so cancelled today!
@@ann-marielofberg1159 Hi, it's a huge book, 586 pages, called " The triumph of impressionism", I couldn't find exact spot,where the canvas flew out of the window, but found this : " Monet was unhappy with one of the paintings, and it is said to have kicked a hole in it; judicious repairs concealed the trace of his profane gesture" He wasn't happy with his painting experience in London either: "When I got up, I was terrified to see that there is no fog, not even a trace of a mist... It seemed all my canvases were going for naught...", but then he was rescued by the pollution and the mist and smog returned. But later he wrote " This is not a country where you can finish a picture on a spot; the effects never reappear, ..... reworked some canvases as many as 20 times, spoiling them as I went..." Also it is mentioned slicing canvases, kicking them around , in short, his canvases probably were in mortal fear of him. Probably, that is how you become a great painter- you instill a fear of God into your art supplies and then they will do whatever you want,only to escape this kind of treatment.😁 I am sorry I couldn't find a straight quote to the flying canvases, but circumstantial evidence is quite strong, at least I think so.
Wish I could give you 20 thumbs up Sarah. This video is priceless. Comparison to other artists can cripple our creativity. Well done..and thank you❤ Hope everyone shares this valuable self talk far and wide. I did a sketch once in my favourite spot and I told myself at the time..."today you're going to paint as if your 5 years old". I got in and went crazy, never analysing. To this day that picture is framed on my wall to remind me to just LET GO.
Thanks for sharing that Sarah!💚 I do the same with quilting. Even after 40 yrs. of quilting I still have days when I want to quit because everything feels off, but it always passes because I'm too stubborn to not finish what I start!
I know this is an older video but I think I found it on the perfect day, because I have found myself in the same overwhelmed mindset, and not really feeling like sharing it with anyone in my real life right now, so it was nice to not feel alone in it! I wasn’t even wanting to pick up my brush because I was paralyzed with the fear of just disappointing myself in one more way, and now I am going to go and paint something simple with no expectations and try to enjoy the process! Thanks for keeping it real, Sarah!
Hi Sarah, thank you for being honest, you are so right sometimes it is so hard to have that self belief and to allow the low moment to pass. It was beautiful to share the walk through the forest with you, I could almost feel it and smell it. At times when feeling so totally at peace with nature it is magic and sometimes that is what we try to capture - with varying levels of success / or not. Thank you for sharing.
I'm glad you ended up not hating the forest sketches because that was a lovely page in the end. But I absolutely get it - it happens to me all the time and it's 100% easier to encourage other people and still beat myself up for 'failing'.
The kitty therapy at the end is very appreciated. It's been a hell of a week and I'm trying to remember that not everything is hopeless right now - not even my art. We'll get there.
"Practice makes progress" is the main phrase I tell my daughter . Perfection is a fantasy but the reality is that you can always improve and you can enjoy the process of learning and improving.
I’m so sorry you had a bad day but it really helps me to see when other artists struggle. I totally agree with you! Most people only share their best and makes me feel subpar when I’m creating my own art. Thank you so much for sharing your ups AND your downs…even though I still think your trees were lovely😘
At 69 I still have to work around confidence problems, loneliness and aging issues. The only thing I know for sure, there will never be the perfect time, perfect place, perfect anything, to begin, to do or to finish. We can either do this art stuff scared, depressed, without the best equipment, imperfect, or we can just quit. However, I do need caffeine. It may be just Folgers….😊❤ Thank you Sarah for your transparency and for sharing your amazing talent. Praying your visa issues resolve quickly and in your favor!!! ❤
Thanks for sharing this Sarah..holds true forever..I still fall into neg. Spiral about my art after many professional years and remember what I used to tell my students who wanted to tear up work and give up...I said..put away your work and look at it when you're not stressed, hungry, tired or angry and look at it with self compassion at a better time. You reminded me to do that to myself!! AS you say easier said than done in the moment. Thanks for all you share Sarah..take care!! Love ❤❤❤😊😊from an ancient Canadian artist 🎨.
i am 50 years old,i have crafted many times in life but only just returned to drawing and painting because i beliebed i was rubbish at it.then a couple of years back i thought i dont care anymore im going to do it anyway,good or bad and just own it,it feels so free and even the not so good bits i still love xx
Yeah, I think we all have those days. I'm happy you shared and talked about it. Self-doubt, and negative thinking sucks! It's easy to think oh wow that artist is so good, they never struggle, and they've got their stuff together. That's just highly improbable. I appreciate all of your authentic content.
This is the artist's plight, refreshing to know it's not really individual but rather the process of creating. But it is torture all the same. Thank you, my daily struggle.
Thank you for sharing the real side of creating art. I've always been drawn to watercolor but always heard I didn't have any "talent". Now that im back to the "me" phase of my life, I am teaching myself to paint and loving it... doubting it all the time still but thoroughly enjoying it when I am brave enough to try. 🙂
I’m using the Stilman and birn alpha sketchbook too and I think it’s better than the beta, glad you’re liking using it 😊 I can resonate with a lot of your thoughts here. I think sometimes I can get in my head a little bit too much and then end up liking the art I created months later ❤
It's also important to remember that, at least with art, "failure" is a very self-imposed, subjective, and relative concept. It's also difficult to be personally successful at something requiring your attention when that attention is elsewhere (e.g. a visa application, job search, etc). Somewhat recently, I had a similar experience, and here were my thoughts as I reflected on the piece and that I've tried to keep in mind with each piece since: "On a personal note, one of the struggles of learning and improving in any skill is that occasionally you end up producing something you're not thrilled with. This is one of those times for me, and I debated even sharing it. I went into this piece knowing I was going to struggle to capture the essence of usnea. In the end, it became a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy. I didn't give the painting the attention and patience it required, struggled to find a specific direction, became anxious every moment I found myself working on it, played with gouache a bit - which I rarely use - to try and resolve some shortcomings, and so forth. I debated spending additional time to fix this piece, but, in the end, my heart's just not in it. All this to say - you get what you give and sometimes a lack of passion [for the piece] holds back how much you're willing to give. It's important to identify when this becomes the case and that it's better to move onto something else (another piece) you do enjoy, growing and learning in the process. Onward to the next color and subject!"
thank you Sarah, this videos come to me in a good time now, a reminder that we all have different struggles and that we face and get over with them. also that point about how we see our work afterwards and while making the art - its always come in this whirlpool of emotions that can bring me down, but a walk - a 30m or less - seems to cure and de-stress it. thank you for your kind video and being that honest and sharing it all :)
This video is echoing what I'm struggling with right now. It's so good tonhear it expressed so honestly and I respect you so much for that insight. Also, I have a chronic pain condition and appreciate you taking me for a walk in the forests and see the light filtering through the trees. The abundance if nature and the stillness is priceless. Its been a while since I was able to do that but I could feel I through the screen. ❤ thank you and I hope all the stress gets dealt with soon Live your videos Sarah. So calming and inspiring.
I often think about how someday I physically won’t be able to do this, so I try to take advantage of my mobility now. I have constant back pain, so I know the day is coming.
@SarahBurnsStudio I don't kbow what to tell you. I had 2 discs fused 10 years ago and now there's trouble in my neck and further up my spine. I hVe fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis in my hips. It sucks ass. I'm 55. If the fibromyalgia hadn't turned up I reckon the surgery would still hVe been fairly effective. It was worth it but other stuff came along. I was doing pilates and yoga. Keep your core strong us my only advice.
I love what you said about not expecting perfection, but it's progress. This is so true! Thank you for the reminder. Keep us posted on your Visa situation. I know it's going to be fine. Just breath...
So much value and wisdom in these words. Thank you for a beautiful walk through the lush forest. Heather is my very most favorite flower. Anxiety can really tear us up inside, so I appreciate your honesty. I wish you all the best with your Visa! ❤
I understand 3yrs ago I thought I was great but I couldn't envision what to paint at all but now I'm doing an impressionist course we started from the basics and now I have a constant flow of paintings to do from watercolour,gouache,acrylic and now pastels and 1 more jelli printing
What's worse than a bad painting, is not painting at all. In my perfectionism, I have robbed myself of the experience of learning from just getting out and painting, even it it isn't a good painting. Also, as you said, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I remember a time when my daughter had hung up a painting of mine on her wall. I thought it was one of the worst paintings I'd ever done.After I complained about it, she eventually took it down, and then I felt worse because it was something she found beautiful, even though I didn't. Thanks for discussing this topic. I loved your painting, btw. And the cat video at the end. Loved it.
My thoughts are that when ever we start to learn a new skill, self doubt is part of the human process in this some times negatively critical society. The first vid I watched of you was comparing the schmincke gouache paints. My first impression of your ability to share and communicate your thoughts and findings, was, how easy going and open and knowledgeable you were. I really like your style. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and having the strength and courage to allow yourself to be vulnerable. I really liked the big sketch too. X
This is how I feel lately thank you I needed this right now I haven't painted since before June when I took my vacation. I had and have the blahs ever since I got home in June. It's nice to know I'm not alone in this feeling ! Thank you
First of all, I need your precious kitty at the end of ALL of your videos. Second, thank you for sharing your genuine experience. I appreciate your transparency and needed to hear that all artists struggle - some have the courage to talk about it and others don’t. ❤
Speaking from experience, hormones also mess with our moods so much. Am PMSing now and I become such a sensitive hot mess which caffeine makes worse. Going through something stressful gets amplified to a ridiculous degree. I can only imagine how you felt with regards to the visa. But I’m glad you stepped back and got a different perspective. Sometimes that’s all we can do on a “bad” day only to realize all the lessons learned and growth we’ve achieved. The painting was gorgeous! Good luck on the visa!!!!!!! The up side of PMS is that the sensitivity does give me a higher desire to create and also allows me to view subjects differently. Probably a bit of what I like to call “high functioning ADHD” on my end too. Was a bit OCD in my youth but outgrew it through mindfulness practices and am now a practicing Buddhist. Your forays into nature are one form of meditation.
Well said, Sarah! You have come such a long way in your painting since I first discovered you in a gouache Etchr demo (remember the winter forest scene?). It’s so true that we often criticize what we’ve painted, get frustrated that we’re not successful, then on second view a day or two later that the artwork does actually have successful elements. I now share my thinking (positive and negative) when doing demo paintings for my students. It’s good for them to see the problem solving that an artist goes through with every single piece. Love your scenic videos and background music as well.
Sarah, I'm absolutely confident that Scotland will choose you. Absolutely. Thank you for your candid, heartfelt sharing about the artist process, even the hard stuff. It resonates with me after a particularly difficult year personally and artistically. Keep going. Keep breathing. Keep painting. Keep walking and biking and playing with Floki. Keep connected to Wolfie, we are all rooting for you.
Thank you! I struggle a lot with anxiety. Today has been really rough. It was good to see your video. It made me feel a bit better. I also struggle with feeling my art isn't good enough and sometimes it makes it hard to even start or do anything more than doodling because I fear it will just be a disappointment and waste of time, supplies, and emotional energy.
Sarah!! This was a perfect video for you to give to me today. I leave in about a week to go to this art retreat in Wales. I am so excited & I'm so happy!! And also a little tiny bit so scared! There's that part of me that says: I am way way under prepared & under educated. I remind myself: This is a retreat / vacation where I get to do a little art! I also tell myself: The only paint that's wasted the stuff that's left in the tube, The only paper wasted is paper with no art on it! I think I'm going to add the phrase, This is probably better than before! I also want you to know that I think that picture you did in the forest was really really nice!
Thank you Sarah, this was definitely very helpful. Learning never stops! Progress, even when it’s baby steps, does happen. Now if we could stop comparing our art work to others, we would all be a little happier.
As a painter myself I fully get what you were expressing in this video. I always start every painting with freedom and hope of what I want to accomplish. Somewhere in the middle of the process I can get frustrated and angry at myself and lack of process or just not being satisfied with the way things are looking. I paint in stages and when I come back for the that final stage I am full of apprehension but when I put my brush down I way see something that I created and I see some part of it that shows me what I wanted to accomplish. I can still see mistakes but more and more I lean into the joy of the process and recognizing that it’s a journey all of the time.
Thank you Sarah, this was so helpful. Btw your painting was lovely. I often feel that as long as I actually put pencil, pen or paint to paper I have achieved something no matter how much I am unhappy with it, and as you say it's very important to enjoy the process otherwise what is the point, easy for me to say because I am not trying to make a living from art. Thank you again ❤
I love both forest paintings in this one, you captured a glimmer of light that day in a way that makes me think of Impressionism. (my favorite style of painting😁) About self-criticism and progress: My Buddhist teachers teach about letting go of expectations and accepting what comes in the present moment. If and when things fall apart, and they eventually do, then come back together again, let them fall apart. Aline yourself with the rise and decline of what is, this is the nature of life in our mundane reality. As you were talking I thought of a few lyrics from one of my favorite Joni Mitchell songs, Chelsea Morning: Oh, won't you stay, we'll put on the day There's a sun show every second., ...And the sun poured in like butterscotch And stuck to all my senses Oh, won't you stay, we'll put on the day And we'll talk in present tenses I wouldn't worry too much, at the end of the day we all end up as we should. obsessing over details are too confusing and a senselessly complicated distraction to what is really important in life. Margaret Atwood said once "It's not the beginning or the end of the story that's important, what the most important part of the story is the middle bits of a story. " Well, thats my two cents for whatever it's worth.
Dear Sarah. Yes ! I also have to say at the level you are now , frustration is really something more relative to yourself and your expectations. I mean this his more a mental disposition that many artists go through. But this is much less coming from the painting itself. For exemple, how many are the virtuoses doing daily, repetitively, exercises, how they do mistakes in répétitions to get the goal at the decisive moment ! Don't worry Sarah, deceptions and disappointment is just a part of the process to be a professional artist, it just must be here like a light cloud passing through the sky ! And it is useful to push you always and don't be the artist who thinks that he is totally accomplished. The perfection is something to seek, to become close to, not to absolutely get as if not you might fall in a kind of danger. Especially if you are painting into a current sketchbook. Remind you that it is a sketchbook not a board that you have to sell to live and eat from your art. Other side, it might happen at our era that the pressure of showing to a public to "promote your name incessantly" risking there the danger to fall down into forgetting, crave in the inconcient a kind of reflex to be the best or to attract enough people. Anyway we don't have to let grow the stress because it can create all kinds of disorders including illness ! This video as many others show us that you have an healthy thinking to be able to share some negativity that you are going through. This is good for yourself as well as sharing your emotions help other people to identify their own experiences and, yes, don't feel weird neither alone. When I began, I was used to don't finish my paintings, or to hate them at the point they finished into the garbage can. Now I think I am still a beginner but some people buy my best " exercises" which are something they are happy to hang on their walls. Perhaps think that we are eternal students could help. I finish this long personal points of view by saying that gouache is a very good medium to wipe and coming layering above to the mistakes. Every artist experiment some day that a mistake can bring to an unexpected excellent result. I am speaking at the time where I just achieved a gouache painting that was a nightmare, like the award of the most retouching painting 😅, but the result was good because of my new determination. Taking time to relax is including in the work schedule 😉 My best wishes to you.
This video is totally relatable to me; everything from not liking what I painted, to not being able to focus, to taking a break and appreciating what's around me. This was my week. [Full moon issues??? hmmmm.] I love your work, and I'm very grateful for all your videos. Thank you.
Bob Ross used to do a lot of wild abstract stuff to create a complex background with depth, and sometimes on his show he'd say, "Now I'll bet you're saying, 'Bob, you have REALLY done it this time!' You may be right. Let's see." I think I'd have trouble starting with so much going on visually, but it looks like at every step you did the most recommended thing, focus on simple shapes, find a main subject to feature, and prioritize composition. Your painting looks great, even though you got too much in your head, probably because of the external stuff happening. Good luck with that stuff, btw. Great video!!
Thanks for your sweet words. I love the thought that we can't chase perfection after all, just progress. Just what I needed this morning. Hope u also feel better.
Soo true. I sure many of us resonate with frustration. I love your work and have just bought your brushes so that i can explore gouache. Looking forward to it. The forest is so beautiful. I am lucky to have one near me and i get so much peace from it.
You help us so much. You don’t make me feel like you’re above me (tho you have all that lovely experience) but that you’re like me!! That’s so encouraging!! Thank you ❤
Hope all turns out well with your visa, Sarah. I'm a writer, and I get a lot from your videos: getting some marks on the blank paper, don't compare, practice not perfectionism. Thank you for sharing your good days and not-so-good days with us!
I’m glad to hear you say that you were happier with your sketch when you looked at it again, because when I saw it, I thought Wow! That’s awesome! I wish I could do that. Wonderfully inspiring 😊
Great video. I live in the midwest and can't imagine having a forest to go to. I'm sorry you have stress from your visa process. Sometimes when I paint I forget about the ugly phase of every painting. Sometimes the ugly phase goes on for days. It can be very discouraging. Persist with a smile. Sometimes it's dig yourself out. I just finished a WC cat in fall leaves that looks a lot like Floki. But it took me over 3 weeks to paint. I usually work on 2 or 3 paintings at a time because I have to step away from each one. I love your videos. You are so generous to share with us.
Lovely video Sarah. The mindset is everything. I ask myself: Am I having fun? Even when I'm struggling with my ability to capture my vision (as a professional artist who has painted for over 50 years, yes I still struggle with my paintings🙄) I'm so grateful to be a painter and to still be able to just schmeer some paint around. Your paintings during this video were really beautiful. It's haaaaaarrrrrdddd doing plein-air.😝
Yes we are not invincible to the stresses of daily life just because were an artist..especially if you are or in my case will be earning from your art as a lot of pressure as so much to think about. Beautiful forest and love your painting too ❤😊
Thank you for posting this today. I went out to the forest to paint with gouache just a few days ago. I was trying to catch the specific way the light was golden in the evening sun and hitting just the tops of trees through other trees. I epically failed at what I wanted to do, so I hated it and never wanted to use that sketch book again. But, others outside me saw an appealing painting that didn't look bad. With this video, you let me be on the outside. I really like your finished painting. It is gentle, textured, and very appealing to me, even if it wasn't what you had in mind. Thanks for this. I am trying to look at my work with gentler eyes.
Thanks Sarah This couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. I was painting by a lake with a friend after a great day if kayaking. I was feeling like my painting was so over worked and the water wasn’t turning out like I wanted. I stopped painting thinking if I did anymore it would be a disaster. After getting home and looking,the painting didn’t seem so bad and actually captured the feeling of the day. It will be a great memory of a wonderful day with a good friend.
Thank you for making this honest video. The struggles you put into words so well are exactly the ones that occupy my mind a lot of the time. Seeing an accomplished artist like you go through the same thing makes me feel a lot less alone. I also love how you are able to capture the peacefulness and beauty of the forest in your videos as well as your paintings. They are both true pieces of art! I only recently discovered your channel, but I'm looking forward to see more from you. Cheers, and a big hug for your adorable cat!💛
We're all human... also, most of the time on social media platforms.. people only want to post the positive days.. uplifting stories.. or to seem as if they have a perfect life. But, in reality we all go through up's and down's. That's just life!!
Thank you so much for sharing. I love that you told us how to walk ourselves back from the harmful thoughts that’s we all have from time to time. Much love to you.
love love love this. i am so so guilty of comparing myself and my progress to other artists. this is such a good reminder that even on the bad days, when i feel like nothing is working right, i'm still learning. and i love how both of your paintings turned out 😄Cheers Sarah! wishing you as many moments of peace as you can find in the midst of the anxiety surrounding your visa 💙
That forest looks like it’s straight out of a fairytale 😍 good luck with your visa🤞🏻✨we all make some blah art sometimes, especially when stressed, pushing through a week of very blah art myself and trying to not let stress paralyze my process and find the courage to post work that I would not normally share
Omg...Sarah...go. back and look at the little vignette of the tree video...pause it as you pan the camera down to the roots....there are several faces crawling out from under the tree....and just above....there is a frog...not a live frog...but the appearance of a frog. Laterally jumped out at me! Lol Big hugs! Great video and good luck with your visa...I'm sure it's all worry for nothing.❤
Thank you for this video Sarah.. I love your Art and equally I love your honesty and sincerity in equal amounts.. a great insight to how we all feel from time to time.. !
Great video today! Thanks you for keeping it real. Life is real, full of ups & downs, and often just waiting. I’m going through my own trials right now. Your video helped. It reminded me, do what I can, forget the rest, and deal with each moment, each day, as it comes, and enjoy each days moments as they will not come again. Here you were in a beautiful environment, and if not taking it in, enjoying just that (while dealing with the what-if’s in life), would be a tragedy in itself too. Thank you for this keeping it real video Sarah.
Thank you, for sharing ALL of this wisdom and your insights. You are always so inspiring to me. I hope you get everything else sorted out so it won't be causing you any more stress. Hugs 😊 Also, thank you for playing in the dirt with Floki ... he is adorable and it is good to see you both healing. ❤
I teach my elementary kids that if you know you made a mistake, then you have learned what is the right way to do something. Change the mistakes into something else. I may teach it, but think totally differently about my own work. I compare my work with others all the time! It is an ongoing battle. I think without the struggle we would become complacent and stale. The struggle is real 🎨
Wonderfully honest video - I think I go through this with every painting and have to keep muttering 'trust the process, trust the process' during the ugly stage. Hope your visa situation is sorted soon and thanks for the bonus Floki content :)
Hi Sarah, I can understand you so well! I think it's normal when you don't feel good that you are struggling with your work. You did the right thing by going into the forest. It is such a wonderful source of strength. Maybe you shouldn't take any art materials with you and just breathe and enjoy the peace. Be mindful of yourself. Let go of the thoughts. I know it's easy to say, but it helps:). I liked your painting very much. When you look at it the next day, it's usually not so bad. Thank you for sharing your bad day:). Take care. Gabi:)
Wow, so timely finding this video today. I just finished a watercolor piece about an hour ago that did not go well. I'm a beginner, so I know I should expect it, but it's still a bit disappointing. Thanks so much for this honest video, I really needed to hear this today. Framing this as practice instead of failure is a good shift in my mindset. Thank you.
Thank you for this video. It definitely helped me and I will remember this video next time I start a drawing or painting and get frustrated with the way it looks. Sometimes having a strong preconceived idea in your head, of what your finished piece of art should look like, is the most destructive thought you can have. It's a constant battle inside my head. Your thought process is very helpful. You also reminded me of how beautiful the country side and forests are, I haven't been to Scotland for some years now. Really stunning.
Sarah, I haven't caught up with you in a while. Thank you for this video. I have been feeling frustrated in my worklife and frustrated not to have time for painting. I needed to hear this talk today. AND, you paintting is wonderful. Thank you for this gift.
The forest is so beautiful, it reminds me of trails I've walked on. Lucky you that you get to spend time there without having to travel for hours by car! Good luck with the very important visa!!! Loki digging in the garden at the end was so happy and fun! He's really beautiful, too! Thanks for sharing your ups and downs. Your art is amazing to me, so it's good to know that you still struggle sometimes!! Hugs and good wishes from S. Cal.💜🎨🐾💙
Thank you for this video that realness and vulnerability is really valuable and powerful. I really like the piece it's really different of what you usually share. I feel I can see the frustration in your strok., Not just because of the results but probably all you had in mind. Sometimes I feel that even if we want some result and know how to get there our emotions are the one in charge yelling you can't put me in the corner I will come out.
Its a beautiful place and a beautiful painting, Sarah. I completely know the feeling of being frustrated with my paintings, but I honestly think this painting is beautiful.
Regardless of what you thought at the time, that's an awesome sketch! The marks you make are wonderful. I can so relate to that forest. Mine is in CA inland from the north coast, but somehow similar and as peaceful.
I do not paint to sell as a primary reason, I paint & live with them study them play with them until I feel Ive captured its story, some may even take a year to paint. I find many paintings direct themself, If they don't come up to my expectations they dry until i'm ready to explore them again. i'm simply the guy exploring with my oils, gouache & watercolour. Nature & landscapes give us so many rewards. TIP. try using a combo of gouache and water colour this will give you depth in your work keep painting Sarah. ⭐
Thank you for sharing your struggles. We all need to see that struggles are a natural and likely necessary part of the art journey. We are always problem solving, well, at least I am at any rate because nothing is easy for me. How wonderful to enjoy the struggelous (I know it s not a word but should be 🤣) outcome! You are always such an inspiration. Thank you for that!
Your thumbnail was beautiful! You're really too hard on yourself! But thank you so much for sharing your frustration. I regularly have art anxiety when I'm convinced I didn't do something well enough. So glad you were able to see your work more clearly after you got home. This was a truly helpful video, you always inspire me Sarah!❤
I am 49 yrs old, I spent 46.5 years not drawing/paining because I was "bad" at it. Then something changed, and I discovered I loved the process, now I see what i learned in each piece I do and the learning makes me like the pieces regardless of what they look like. Suddenly I do not think of myself as "bad at art". i am still very much a beginner but the process is so much more fun.
art is very healing.. don't get hard on yourself for how it come's out!!
64 soon and about 30 years without painting. I didn't learn when young, only went at free ateliers.
Now I want to practice seriously not only because I love that but also because I am expecting to sell (I am poor). The stress I go through is about some comissions if the client want something exactly as he expects but not regarding my own touch and inspiration, this case I refuse the commission even though I need money.
"Practice for progress, not perfection."
This is very profound, Sarah. I really appreciate your thoughts and the raw emotions that you shared in this film. I think that the truth of what you shared can be applied in many, if not most areas of life!
I cannot even express my appreciation for your sharing the exquisite beauty of this particular forest with us! It touched me so deeply with all of it's breath-taking beauty!!!! I would love to just meander through that forest and drink in all of the goodness that it holds and then pours so generously into the heart of the one who comes to it for refreshment and for life and living!!!! Thank you for sharing all of this beauty!!!! 🌿📖✏️🖌️🎨
This is me literally every time I try to create art. I know all the platitudes, but I haven't been able to get past my brain and my past. Learning a lot about ADHD and Autism and neurodivergence lately has opened my eyes though, and I'm hoping that what I'm learning about myself and my struggles helps me figure out how to not have a breakdown every time I try to create.
I feel like I'm looking into a mirror ~ same here with the personal discovery of AuDHD and neurodivergence... I'm actually having a major existential identity crisis because of it and the lack of support I get. I hope you get at least a little support in your own life. I wish you the best, perfect stranger. Happy creating to you. 💜
ADHD was barely talked about or understood for my generation. I never thought about it until recent years and I’m very certain I have it to some extent. I used to think I was just “multitasking” but in reality I cannot do one single thing at a time which is sometimes good but a lot of times confusing and draining 😂 anyways..it’s a weird feeling to know I have to overcome this struggle but not even totally understand it myself. I also have OCD which another topic. I hope you are patient with yourself as you discover ways to live with it and stay positive 💕
I’m 58 and recently discovered via a friend that I’m mild ADHD which I actually found to be a blessing. People have always teased me for not completing projects that I start. At work, I was the queen of multitasking but found it very hard to focus just on one thing. My partner of 8 years is Asperger’s which I find fascinating. I’ve learned so much from this relationship and I’d have to say, it’s the best one I’ve ever had. The autistic brain looks at the world in a totally unique way that’s amazing. I have always embraced being different to everybody else. Not once have I ever felt that I wished I was ‘normal’.
Hello, my son has ADHD and Asperger's and had such a hard time being accepted at school. The teachers had no interest in understanding this illness. Even today, he still has to fight, he is now 32 years old. Due to lack of understanding from society, he has severe health problems. Next year he has an exam coming up and he already has gastritis from anxiety. I was so touched by your comment that you have such a wonderful relationship with your partner. Fortunately, my son also has a wonderful woman/partner who takes him as he is and that is so beautiful for me. He is a wonderful unique person. Only our society, here in Germany, does not accept people who are different. Yet he is highly intelligent. I wish you and your partner all the best. Take care. Gabi:-))@@kellywoodhouse3046
I can so resonate whit this. As a 40 year old with ADHD and autism. I learn something new everyday about myself both good and bad. And try to make changes that can approve my life usually just small adjustments. Also nature and getting outside if it's with my sketch books, camera or collecting things I can use in creating art. It's definitely a happy place.
Sarah, I have learnt something really interesting of late. When I paint, I like to paint what’s there, however I chase progress too. What I discovered constantly painting my garden and nature is that my intuition takes over. I would become quite frustrated because I had a picture in my head. (It never occurred to me that these pictures are often informed by the artists I admired, their pictures were deep in my subconscious, they had allowed space that I had given them, they were my yard stick, I was so fed up until I saw this). The picture I wanted to paint never materialises.
I finally realised recently is that my hand and mind work their own magic, because my intuition intervenes. I’ve stopped fighting this and now my paintings are coming through with their own take. Not someone else’s. My perception of how it should be left how my soul, my spirit unable to express its’s own view point. I wasn’t aware of this until someone looked at what I thought was my very frustrating artworks and told me they could see the wind moving in all of them. I was shocked as I was going for a totally different perspective. Now I am leaning into letting my hand and mind inform the works.
This may not be your story but it may resonate with someone else out there, or you too. Who knows!
I pray your visa is sorted favourably. I hope the anxiety over it ends and peace comes. Sarah, I love your work and your channel. And I thought it a beautiful painting. All the best for your next artworks!
We've been reading a book/biography about Monet with my daughter, and according to it, Monet used to have huge tantrums if his painting wasn't doing for him what it should have. Throwing canvases and brushes out of the window and stuff like that 😂
So you dealt with situation in a very civilised manner, considering..👍
Love the painting, it's beautiful!
I think, all the turmoil you are being through right now,is affecting,how you see the world around you. I hope it soon will be resolved and send good vibes and the best wishes for you and yours!
Ha…I’ve torn up a painting or two over the years.
@@SarahBurnsStudio
See? You are getting there! 😂
I 😂 at the thought of the peace of his beautiful gardens disrupted by half finished canvasses flying through the air and the assistants ducking at paintbrushes!!!!
He'd be so cancelled today!
Do You remember the name of the book, I like Monet so….😊
@@ann-marielofberg1159
Hi, it's a huge book, 586 pages, called " The triumph of impressionism", I couldn't find exact spot,where the canvas flew out of the window, but found this :
" Monet was unhappy with one of the paintings, and it is said to have kicked a hole in it; judicious repairs concealed the trace of his profane gesture"
He wasn't happy with his painting experience in London either:
"When I got up, I was terrified to see that there is no fog, not even a trace of a mist... It seemed all my canvases were going for naught...", but then he was rescued by the pollution and the mist and smog returned. But later he wrote " This is not a country where you can finish a picture on a spot; the effects never reappear, ..... reworked some canvases as many as 20 times, spoiling them as I went..."
Also it is mentioned slicing canvases, kicking them around , in short, his canvases probably were in mortal fear of him. Probably, that is how you become a great painter- you instill a fear of God into your art supplies and then they will do whatever you want,only to escape this kind of treatment.😁
I am sorry I couldn't find a straight quote to the flying canvases, but circumstantial evidence is quite strong, at least I think so.
Wish I could give you 20 thumbs up Sarah. This video is priceless. Comparison to other artists can cripple our creativity. Well done..and thank you❤ Hope everyone shares this valuable self talk far and wide.
I did a sketch once in my favourite spot and I told myself at the time..."today you're going to paint as if your 5 years old". I got in and went crazy, never analysing. To this day that picture is framed on my wall to remind me to just LET GO.
Thanks so much 😊
Thanks for sharing that Sarah!💚 I do the same with quilting. Even after 40 yrs. of quilting I still have days when I want to quit because everything feels off, but it always passes because I'm too stubborn to not finish what I start!
I know this is an older video but I think I found it on the perfect day, because I have found myself in the same overwhelmed mindset, and not really feeling like sharing it with anyone in my real life right now, so it was nice to not feel alone in it! I wasn’t even wanting to pick up my brush because I was paralyzed with the fear of just disappointing myself in one more way, and now I am going to go and paint something simple with no expectations and try to enjoy the process!
Thanks for keeping it real, Sarah!
Hi Sarah, thank you for being honest, you are so right sometimes it is so hard to have that self belief and to allow the low moment to pass. It was beautiful to share the walk through the forest with you, I could almost feel it and smell it. At times when feeling so totally at peace with nature it is magic and sometimes that is what we try to capture - with varying levels of success / or not. Thank you for sharing.
Just Want to say ❤ Thank you ❤
I'm glad you ended up not hating the forest sketches because that was a lovely page in the end. But I absolutely get it - it happens to me all the time and it's 100% easier to encourage other people and still beat myself up for 'failing'.
The kitty therapy at the end is very appreciated. It's been a hell of a week and I'm trying to remember that not everything is hopeless right now - not even my art. We'll get there.
20:24 This is the part you turn into a short that goes viral.
"Practice makes progress" is the main phrase I tell my daughter . Perfection is a fantasy but the reality is that you can always improve and you can enjoy the process of learning and improving.
I’m so sorry you had a bad day but it really helps me to see when other artists struggle. I totally agree with you! Most people only share their best and makes me feel subpar when I’m creating my own art. Thank you so much for sharing your ups AND your downs…even though I still think your trees were lovely😘
At 69 I still have to work around confidence problems, loneliness and aging issues. The only thing I know for sure, there will never be the perfect time, perfect place, perfect anything, to begin, to do or to finish. We can either do this art stuff scared, depressed, without the best equipment, imperfect, or we can just quit.
However, I do need caffeine. It may be just Folgers….😊❤
Thank you Sarah for your transparency and for sharing your amazing talent. Praying your visa issues resolve quickly and in your favor!!! ❤
Thanks for sharing this Sarah..holds true forever..I still fall into neg. Spiral about my art after many professional years and remember what I used to tell my students who wanted to tear up work and give up...I said..put away your work and look at it when you're not stressed, hungry, tired or angry and look at it with self compassion at a better time. You reminded me to do that to myself!! AS you say easier said than done in the moment. Thanks for all you share Sarah..take care!! Love ❤❤❤😊😊from an ancient Canadian artist 🎨.
i am 50 years old,i have crafted many times in life but only just returned to drawing and painting because i beliebed i was rubbish at it.then a couple of years back i thought i dont care anymore im going to do it anyway,good or bad and just own it,it feels so free and even the not so good bits i still love xx
Yeah, I think we all have those days. I'm happy you shared and talked about it. Self-doubt, and negative thinking sucks! It's easy to think oh wow that artist is so good, they never struggle, and they've got their stuff together. That's just highly improbable. I appreciate all of your authentic content.
This is the artist's plight, refreshing to know it's not really individual but rather the process of creating. But it is torture all the same. Thank you, my daily struggle.
Thank you for sharing the real side of creating art. I've always been drawn to watercolor but always heard I didn't have any "talent". Now that im back to the "me" phase of my life, I am teaching myself to paint and loving it... doubting it all the time still but thoroughly enjoying it when I am brave enough to try. 🙂
What a wise young woman you are, Sarah. Thank you for sharing.
I’m using the Stilman and birn alpha sketchbook too and I think it’s better than the beta, glad you’re liking using it 😊 I can resonate with a lot of your thoughts here. I think sometimes I can get in my head a little bit too much and then end up liking the art I created months later ❤
It's also important to remember that, at least with art, "failure" is a very self-imposed, subjective, and relative concept. It's also difficult to be personally successful at something requiring your attention when that attention is elsewhere (e.g. a visa application, job search, etc). Somewhat recently, I had a similar experience, and here were my thoughts as I reflected on the piece and that I've tried to keep in mind with each piece since:
"On a personal note, one of the struggles of learning and improving in any skill is that occasionally you end up producing something you're not thrilled with. This is one of those times for me, and I debated even sharing it. I went into this piece knowing I was going to struggle to capture the essence of usnea. In the end, it became a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy. I didn't give the painting the attention and patience it required, struggled to find a specific direction, became anxious every moment I found myself working on it, played with gouache a bit - which I rarely use - to try and resolve some shortcomings, and so forth. I debated spending additional time to fix this piece, but, in the end, my heart's just not in it.
All this to say - you get what you give and sometimes a lack of passion [for the piece] holds back how much you're willing to give. It's important to identify when this becomes the case and that it's better to move onto something else (another piece) you do enjoy, growing and learning in the process. Onward to the next color and subject!"
"Chasing progress." I'm going to write this on the front cover of my sketchbooks!
thank you Sarah, this videos come to me in a good time now, a reminder that we all have different struggles and that we face and get over with them.
also that point about how we see our work afterwards and while making the art - its always come in this whirlpool of emotions that can bring me down, but a walk - a 30m or less - seems to cure and de-stress it.
thank you for your kind video and being that honest and sharing it all :)
This video is echoing what I'm struggling with right now. It's so good tonhear it expressed so honestly and I respect you so much for that insight.
Also, I have a chronic pain condition and appreciate you taking me for a walk in the forests and see the light filtering through the trees. The abundance if nature and the stillness is priceless. Its been a while since I was able to do that but I could feel I through the screen.
❤ thank you and I hope all the stress gets dealt with soon
Live your videos Sarah. So calming and inspiring.
I often think about how someday I physically won’t be able to do this, so I try to take advantage of my mobility now. I have constant back pain, so I know the day is coming.
@SarahBurnsStudio I don't kbow what to tell you. I had 2 discs fused 10 years ago and now there's trouble in my neck and further up my spine. I hVe fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis in my hips. It sucks ass.
I'm 55. If the fibromyalgia hadn't turned up I reckon the surgery would still hVe been fairly effective. It was worth it but other stuff came along.
I was doing pilates and yoga. Keep your core strong us my only advice.
I love what you said about not expecting perfection, but it's progress. This is so true!
Thank you for the reminder.
Keep us posted on your Visa situation. I know it's going to be fine. Just breath...
Sarah you are amazing. Thank you for your honesty and being so vulnerable with your UA-cam family. Barva !
So much value and wisdom in these words. Thank you for a beautiful walk through the lush forest. Heather is my very most favorite flower. Anxiety can really tear us up inside, so I appreciate your honesty. I wish you all the best with your Visa! ❤
I understand 3yrs ago I thought I was great but I couldn't envision what to paint at all but now I'm doing an impressionist course we started from the basics and now I have a constant flow of paintings to do from watercolour,gouache,acrylic and now pastels and 1 more jelli printing
What's worse than a bad painting, is not painting at all. In my perfectionism, I have robbed myself of the experience of learning from just getting out and painting, even it it isn't a good painting. Also, as you said, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I remember a time when my daughter had hung up a painting of mine on her wall. I thought it was one of the worst paintings I'd ever done.After I complained about it, she eventually took it down, and then I felt worse because it was something she found beautiful, even though I didn't. Thanks for discussing this topic. I loved your painting, btw. And the cat video at the end. Loved it.
My thoughts are that when ever we start to learn a new skill, self doubt is part of the human process in this some times negatively critical society.
The first vid I watched of you was comparing the schmincke gouache paints. My first impression of your ability to share and communicate your thoughts and findings, was, how easy going and open and knowledgeable you were. I really like your style.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and having the strength and courage to allow yourself to be vulnerable.
I really liked the big sketch too. X
Thank you, that's great to hear :)
This is how I feel lately thank you I needed this right now I haven't painted since before June when I took my vacation. I had and have the blahs ever since I got home in June. It's nice to know I'm not alone in this feeling ! Thank you
First of all, I need your precious kitty at the end of ALL of your videos. Second, thank you for sharing your genuine experience. I appreciate your transparency and needed to hear that all artists struggle - some have the courage to talk about it and others don’t. ❤
nope, never done learning. always learning and exploring our art and ourselves. that forest is lovely!! so many gorgeous trees🥰
So beautiful - walking outdoors is a godsend!
Speaking from experience, hormones also mess with our moods so much. Am PMSing now and I become such a sensitive hot mess which caffeine makes worse. Going through something stressful gets amplified to a ridiculous degree. I can only imagine how you felt with regards to the visa. But I’m glad you stepped back and got a different perspective. Sometimes that’s all we can do on a “bad” day only to realize all the lessons learned and growth we’ve achieved. The painting was gorgeous! Good luck on the visa!!!!!!! The up side of PMS is that the sensitivity does give me a higher desire to create and also allows me to view subjects differently. Probably a bit of what I like to call “high functioning ADHD” on my end too. Was a bit OCD in my youth but outgrew it through mindfulness practices and am now a practicing Buddhist. Your forays into nature are one form of meditation.
Well said, Sarah! You have come such a long way in your painting since I first discovered you in a gouache Etchr demo (remember the winter forest scene?). It’s so true that we often criticize what we’ve painted, get frustrated that we’re not successful, then on second view a day or two later that the artwork does actually have successful elements. I now share my thinking (positive and negative) when doing demo paintings for my students. It’s good for them to see the problem solving that an artist goes through with every single piece. Love your scenic videos and background music as well.
Yes I remember! Seems not that long ago...yet also I feel like a different person then!
Thank you for sharing this difficult and important aspect of making art. You show great generosity and rare honesty!
Sarah, I'm absolutely confident that Scotland will choose you. Absolutely. Thank you for your candid, heartfelt sharing about the artist process, even the hard stuff. It resonates with me after a particularly difficult year personally and artistically. Keep going. Keep breathing. Keep painting. Keep walking and biking and playing with Floki. Keep connected to Wolfie, we are all rooting for you.
Thank you! I struggle a lot with anxiety. Today has been really rough. It was good to see your video. It made me feel a bit better. I also struggle with feeling my art isn't good enough and sometimes it makes it hard to even start or do anything more than doodling because I fear it will just be a disappointment and waste of time, supplies, and emotional energy.
It's always worth it to paint, no matter what the results
Sarah!! This was a perfect video for you to give to me today. I leave in about a week to go to this art retreat in Wales. I am so excited & I'm so happy!! And also a little tiny bit so scared! There's that part of me that says: I am way way under prepared & under educated. I remind myself: This is a retreat / vacation where I get to do a little art! I also tell myself: The only paint that's wasted the stuff that's left in the tube, The only paper wasted is paper with no art on it!
I think I'm going to add the phrase, This is probably better than before!
I also want you to know that I think that picture you did in the forest was really really nice!
I am sure you’ll have an amazing time! I was nervous before Iain’s retreat but it turned out to be stress free and amazing!
Thank you. This video means so much to me, I cannot explain. I no longer feel awkward and isolated, thank you Sarah.
Thank you Sarah, this was definitely very helpful. Learning never stops! Progress, even when it’s baby steps, does happen. Now if we could stop comparing our art work to others, we would all be a little happier.
I love your “Practice not for perfection but for progress” is GREAT! That is going in my sketchbook. Your cat is adorable 💕 TFS
As a painter myself I fully get what you were expressing in this video. I always start every painting with freedom and hope of what I want to accomplish. Somewhere in the middle of the process I can get frustrated and angry at myself and lack of process or just not being satisfied with the way things are looking.
I paint in stages and when I come back for the that final stage I am full of apprehension but when I put my brush down I way see something that I created and I see some part of it that shows me what I wanted to accomplish. I can still see mistakes but more and more I lean into the joy of the process and recognizing that it’s a journey all of the time.
Thank you Sarah, this was so helpful. Btw your painting was lovely. I often feel that as long as I actually put pencil, pen or paint to paper I have achieved something no matter how much I am unhappy with it, and as you say it's very important to enjoy the process otherwise what is the point, easy for me to say because I am not trying to make a living from art. Thank you again ❤
I love both forest paintings in this one, you captured a glimmer of light that day in a way that makes me think of Impressionism. (my favorite style of painting😁) About self-criticism and progress: My Buddhist teachers teach about letting go of expectations and accepting what comes in the present moment. If and when things fall apart, and they eventually do, then come back together again, let them fall apart. Aline yourself with the rise and decline of what is, this is the nature of life in our mundane reality. As you were talking I thought of a few lyrics from one of my favorite Joni Mitchell songs, Chelsea Morning:
Oh, won't you stay, we'll put on the day
There's a sun show every second.,
...And the sun poured in like butterscotch
And stuck to all my senses
Oh, won't you stay, we'll put on the day
And we'll talk in present tenses
I wouldn't worry too much, at the end of the day we all end up as we should. obsessing over details are too confusing and a senselessly complicated distraction to what is really important in life. Margaret Atwood said once "It's not the beginning or the end of the story that's important, what the most important part of the story is the middle bits of a story. " Well, thats my two cents for whatever it's worth.
Dear Sarah. Yes ! I also have to say at the level you are now , frustration is really something more relative to yourself and your expectations. I mean this his more a mental disposition that many artists go through. But this is much less coming from the painting itself. For exemple, how many are the virtuoses doing daily, repetitively, exercises, how they do mistakes in répétitions to get the goal at the decisive moment !
Don't worry Sarah, deceptions and disappointment is just a part of the process to be a professional artist, it just must be here like a light cloud passing through the sky ! And it is useful to push you always and don't be the artist who thinks that he is totally accomplished. The perfection is something to seek, to become close to, not to absolutely get as if not you might fall in a kind of danger.
Especially if you are painting into a current sketchbook. Remind you that it is a sketchbook not a board that you have to sell to live and eat from your art.
Other side, it might happen at our era that the pressure of showing to a public to "promote your name incessantly" risking there the danger to fall down into forgetting, crave in the inconcient a kind of reflex to be the best or to attract enough people.
Anyway we don't have to let grow the stress because it can create all kinds of disorders including illness !
This video as many others show us that you have an healthy thinking to be able to share some negativity that you are going through. This is good for yourself as well as sharing your emotions help other people to identify their own experiences and, yes, don't feel weird neither alone.
When I began, I was used to don't finish my paintings, or to hate them at the point they finished into the garbage can. Now I think I am still a beginner but some people buy my best " exercises" which are something they are happy to hang on their walls.
Perhaps think that we are eternal students could help.
I finish this long personal points of view by saying that gouache is a very good medium to wipe and coming layering above to the mistakes. Every artist experiment some day that a mistake can bring to an unexpected excellent result.
I am speaking at the time where I just achieved a gouache painting that was a nightmare, like the award of the most retouching painting 😅, but the result was good because of my new determination.
Taking time to relax is including in the work schedule 😉
My best wishes to you.
Thank you so much for sharing this video. I struggle frequently to even start any painting. I am in Utah and love following your journey.
This video is totally relatable to me; everything from not liking what I painted, to not being able to focus, to taking a break and appreciating what's around me. This was my week. [Full moon issues??? hmmmm.] I love your work, and I'm very grateful for all your videos. Thank you.
Bob Ross used to do a lot of wild abstract stuff to create a complex background with depth, and sometimes on his show he'd say, "Now I'll bet you're saying, 'Bob, you have REALLY done it this time!' You may be right. Let's see." I think I'd have trouble starting with so much going on visually, but it looks like at every step you did the most recommended thing, focus on simple shapes, find a main subject to feature, and prioritize composition. Your painting looks great, even though you got too much in your head, probably because of the external stuff happening. Good luck with that stuff, btw. Great video!!
Thanks for your sweet words. I love the thought that we can't chase perfection after all, just progress. Just what I needed this morning. Hope u also feel better.
Soo true. I sure many of us resonate with frustration. I love your work and have just bought your brushes so that i can explore gouache. Looking forward to it. The forest is so beautiful. I am lucky to have one near me and i get so much peace from it.
You help us so much. You don’t make me feel like you’re above me (tho you have all that lovely experience) but that you’re like me!! That’s so encouraging!! Thank you ❤
Loved this. Thank you for sharing the beautiful Forrest. Your painting 0:15 appeared beautifully fresh to me.
Hope all turns out well with your visa, Sarah. I'm a writer, and I get a lot from your videos: getting some marks on the blank paper, don't compare, practice not perfectionism. Thank you for sharing your good days and not-so-good days with us!
I’m glad to hear you say that you were happier with your sketch when you looked at it again, because when I saw it, I thought Wow! That’s awesome! I wish I could do that. Wonderfully inspiring 😊
Terrific video. Beautiful location. Exquisite catharsis. Thank you, Heather Burns, I mean, Sarah.
Great video. I live in the midwest and can't imagine having a forest to go to. I'm sorry you have stress from your visa process. Sometimes when I paint I forget about the ugly phase of every painting. Sometimes the ugly phase goes on for days. It can be very discouraging. Persist with a smile. Sometimes it's dig yourself out. I just finished a WC cat in fall leaves that looks a lot like Floki. But it took me over 3 weeks to paint. I usually work on 2 or 3 paintings at a time because I have to step away from each one. I love your videos. You are so generous to share with us.
Lovely video Sarah. The mindset is everything. I ask myself: Am I having fun? Even when I'm struggling with my ability to capture my vision (as a professional artist who has painted for over 50 years, yes I still struggle with my paintings🙄) I'm so grateful to be a painter and to still be able to just schmeer some paint around. Your paintings during this video were really beautiful. It's haaaaaarrrrrdddd doing plein-air.😝
Yes we are not invincible to the stresses of daily life just because were an artist..especially if you are or in my case will be earning from your art as a lot of pressure as so much to think about. Beautiful forest and love your painting too ❤😊
Thank you for posting this today. I went out to the forest to paint with gouache just a few days ago. I was trying to catch the specific way the light was golden in the evening sun and hitting just the tops of trees through other trees. I epically failed at what I wanted to do, so I hated it and never wanted to use that sketch book again. But, others outside me saw an appealing painting that didn't look bad. With this video, you let me be on the outside. I really like your finished painting. It is gentle, textured, and very appealing to me, even if it wasn't what you had in mind. Thanks for this. I am trying to look at my work with gentler eyes.
Thanks Sarah
This couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. I was painting by a lake with a friend after a great day if kayaking. I was feeling like my painting was so over worked and the water wasn’t turning out like I wanted. I stopped painting thinking if I did anymore it would be a disaster. After getting home and looking,the painting didn’t seem so bad and actually captured the feeling of the day. It will be a great memory of a wonderful day with a good friend.
That's a great way to remember the day
Thank you for making this honest video. The struggles you put into words so well are exactly the ones that occupy my mind a lot of the time. Seeing an accomplished artist like you go through the same thing makes me feel a lot less alone. I also love how you are able to capture the peacefulness and beauty of the forest in your videos as well as your paintings. They are both true pieces of art! I only recently discovered your channel, but I'm looking forward to see more from you. Cheers, and a big hug for your adorable cat!💛
AGREE with every word!
We're all human... also, most of the time on social media platforms.. people only want to post the positive days.. uplifting stories..
or to seem as if they have a perfect life. But, in reality we all go through up's and down's. That's just life!!
Thank you so much for sharing. I love that you told us how to walk ourselves back from the harmful thoughts that’s we all have from time to time. Much love to you.
love love love this. i am so so guilty of comparing myself and my progress to other artists. this is such a good reminder that even on the bad days, when i feel like nothing is working right, i'm still learning. and i love how both of your paintings turned out 😄Cheers Sarah! wishing you as many moments of peace as you can find in the midst of the anxiety surrounding your visa 💙
It definitely helped me feel less alone ❤❤
That forest looks like it’s straight out of a fairytale 😍 good luck with your visa🤞🏻✨we all make some blah art sometimes, especially when stressed, pushing through a week of very blah art myself and trying to not let stress paralyze my process and find the courage to post work that I would not normally share
Omg...Sarah...go. back and look at the little vignette of the tree video...pause it as you pan the camera down to the roots....there are several faces crawling out from under the tree....and just above....there is a frog...not a live frog...but the appearance of a frog. Laterally jumped out at me! Lol
Big hugs! Great video and good luck with your visa...I'm sure it's all worry for nothing.❤
Thank you for this video Sarah.. I love your Art and equally I love your honesty and sincerity in equal amounts.. a great insight to how we all feel from time to time.. !
Great video today! Thanks you for keeping it real. Life is real, full of ups & downs, and often just waiting. I’m going through my own trials right now. Your video helped. It reminded me, do what I can, forget the rest, and deal with each moment, each day, as it comes, and enjoy each days moments as they will not come again. Here you were in a beautiful environment, and if not taking it in, enjoying just that (while dealing with the what-if’s in life), would be a tragedy in itself too. Thank you for this keeping it real video Sarah.
Thank you Sarah! ❤
Thank you, for sharing ALL of this wisdom and your insights. You are always so inspiring to me. I hope you get everything else sorted out so it won't be causing you any more stress. Hugs 😊 Also, thank you for playing in the dirt with Floki ... he is adorable and it is good to see you both healing. ❤
So helpful and you are not alone. Its interesting how our art really reflects our moods
Another beautiful vid and sentiment in the books 📚 thanks for sharing your gorgeous stroll through nature. Be well
I am always so inspired by you! I appreciate you sharing your journey. ❤
I teach my elementary kids that if you know you made a mistake, then you have learned what is the right way to do something. Change the mistakes into something else. I may teach it, but think totally differently about my own work. I compare my work with others all the time! It is an ongoing battle. I think without the struggle we would become complacent and stale. The struggle is real 🎨
Oh soooo true! Thank you for sharing!
Wonderfully honest video - I think I go through this with every painting and have to keep muttering 'trust the process, trust the process' during the ugly stage. Hope your visa situation is sorted soon and thanks for the bonus Floki content :)
Hi Sarah, I can understand you so well! I think it's normal when you don't feel good that you are struggling with your work. You did the right thing by going into the forest. It is such a wonderful source of strength. Maybe you shouldn't take any art materials with you and just breathe and enjoy the peace. Be mindful of yourself. Let go of the thoughts. I know it's easy to say, but it helps:). I liked your painting very much. When you look at it the next day, it's usually not so bad. Thank you for sharing your bad day:). Take care. Gabi:)
Thank you for this video. I have been experiencing high levels of anxiety, and it's resulted in me being very stuck with my painting.
Wow, so timely finding this video today. I just finished a watercolor piece about an hour ago that did not go well. I'm a beginner, so I know I should expect it, but it's still a bit disappointing. Thanks so much for this honest video, I really needed to hear this today. Framing this as practice instead of failure is a good shift in my mindset. Thank you.
So relatable. 🤍
Thank you for this video. It definitely helped me and I will remember this video next time I start a drawing or painting and get frustrated with the way it looks. Sometimes having a strong preconceived idea in your head, of what your finished piece of art should look like, is the most destructive thought you can have. It's a constant battle inside my head. Your thought process is very helpful. You also reminded me of how beautiful the country side and forests are, I haven't been to Scotland for some years now. Really stunning.
thank you for taking us to a Beautiful place🥰😘🤩
Sarah, I haven't caught up with you in a while. Thank you for this video. I have been feeling frustrated in my worklife and frustrated not to have time for painting. I needed to hear this talk today. AND, you paintting is wonderful. Thank you for this gift.
The forest is so beautiful, it reminds me of trails I've walked on. Lucky you that you get to spend time there without having to travel for hours by car!
Good luck with the very important visa!!!
Loki digging in the garden at the end was so happy and fun! He's really beautiful, too!
Thanks for sharing your ups and downs. Your art is amazing to me, so it's good to know that you still struggle sometimes!!
Hugs and good wishes from S. Cal.💜🎨🐾💙
Sarah, thanks so much for this honesty! I hope your visa resolves soon and again just really thanks for the honesty and the vulnerability
Thank you for this video that realness and vulnerability is really valuable and powerful.
I really like the piece it's really different of what you usually share. I feel I can see the frustration in your strok.,
Not just because of the results but probably all you had in mind. Sometimes I feel that even if we want some result and know how to get there our emotions are the one in charge yelling you can't put me in the corner I will come out.
Its a beautiful place and a beautiful painting, Sarah. I completely know the feeling of being frustrated with my paintings, but I honestly think this painting is beautiful.
Regardless of what you thought at the time, that's an awesome sketch! The marks you make are wonderful. I can so relate to that forest. Mine is in CA inland from the north coast, but somehow similar and as peaceful.
I do not paint to sell as a primary reason, I paint & live with them study them play with them until I feel Ive captured its story, some may even take a year to paint. I find many paintings direct themself, If they don't come up to my expectations they dry until i'm ready to explore them again. i'm simply the guy exploring with my oils, gouache & watercolour. Nature & landscapes give us so many rewards. TIP. try using a combo of gouache and water colour this will give you depth in your work keep painting Sarah. ⭐
Thank you for sharing your struggles. We all need to see that struggles are a natural and likely necessary part of the art journey. We are always problem solving, well, at least I am at any rate because nothing is easy for me. How wonderful to enjoy the struggelous (I know it s not a word but should be 🤣) outcome! You are always such an inspiration. Thank you for that!
Wonderful trees, and progress!
Thank you for sharing this. I’m not alone. You’re wonderful and so helpful.
Your thumbnail was beautiful! You're really too hard on yourself! But thank you so much for sharing your frustration. I regularly have art anxiety when I'm convinced I didn't do something well enough. So glad you were able to see your work more clearly after you got home. This was a truly helpful video, you always inspire me Sarah!❤
Thank you for your honesty and sharing it really helps my state of mind!!!