Last week I wrote about what I think can happen when I spend too much time looking at work other artists make. I mostly placed the blame for this on social media with its constant stream of images and video. We become very good at receiving this visual information in mass quantities.

The side-B of this idea has to do with what we can get from posting our work on these same platforms. Validation, the sweet feeling that someone out there is picking up on what we are making. 

I will admit to y’all that I need this validation, not the kind that comes from looking in the mirror in the morning and saying a self-affirmation. I need the kind that comes from another person and is about my work. 

For me, validation from my work comes in a few ways.  I am very lucky to have a group of collectors who buy my prints and take them into their lives. Every time this happens, I get a needed hit. Once in a while, someone sends me a photo of my pictures on the wall in their home, and I feel the warmth.  Recently, an email arrived with a photo of 3 of my pictures hanging on a wall in France next to 3  pictures by Josef Sudek. This has carried me for almost a month. I often submit my newest work to The Hand Magazine. When the magazine arrives and my work has been included, it helps me move forward with my most challenging new ideas. 

You get the idea. Yes, I can work without feedback, but it is much harder for me. Self-doubt and imposter syndrome start to creep in and slow me down. It is not always just positive feedback; sometimes it includes criticism, and I embrace both equally. It is the silence that can slay me.

So share your work where you can. I like Flickr, IG, and The Hand Magazine, but there are many others where you might find some like-minded artists. Ask your artist friends to come gather and look at work in person. It feels good, and everyone wins. 

I would love to hear your thoughts on how much you rely on this kind of engagement to stay on track with your art making.

Be well,

Ray