Day 15 of 31 Days of Art:
Managing the Beginner's Blues

Ira Glass on Storytelling from David Shiyang Liu on Vimeo.

I replaced the original Youtube video showing Ira Glass with the transcipt.


The Beginner's Blues.   

Are they avoidable?

Ira Glass, of This American Life, talks about the gap for developing artists between what you envision and what you're actually able to do in the beginning.  I wrote about this in sharing why I cried in art school.  Watch the clip above, because Ira Glass has some encouragement for those of us who are in the beginning of our craft.

Seth Godin talks about the beginner's blues in his post about The Red Zone.  Read his post, it sheds some light on the ups and downs of creativity and meeting goals.  The red zone is that area where the hassle to  learn to do the thing exceeds the joy of doing it.  I call this time the beginner's blues.  Seth says you need someone just over the summit of the learning curve who is an encouragement to you - that shows you it can be done.  These are the "green dots" who help keep you fixed on the idea that your goal is do-able.  They give you the energy to do the heavy work needed in the early stages of the learning curve.

Even seasoned artists can get The Beginner's Blues.   Especially if you're trying some new materials and techniques.  It's GOOD to be a beginner.  It brings an element of humility to your work.  The works show the creative struggle a bit more. You discover new perspectives along the way.


In what way are you a beginner?

Is there someone who is a green dot for you?




4 comments:

Debra said...

I was drawn to your blog post because I am in a frizzle just now-I'm not exactly a beginner-but I feel LOST....not sure just where to go with what I do....perhaps it is not so good to be always looking at the wealth of art on the Internet-I'm not sure. I like what you said about the aspect of humility in art-making. Maybe that's where I need to start over....
~Debra

JDConwell said...

I'm a beginner in my attempts to make antique inspired dolls. I've made a few, but haven't gotten them "right"--to use a horrible word for "matching what I envision starting out"--yet.

You have been a green dot for me, as have a few other artists who pioneer the pattern-making and research, and are generous enough to share with someone like me who may never see such dolls in person. (Not sure if I've said thanks yet, but...thanks. :~)

Dixie Redmond said...

Debra - I think we feel that way because there are soooo many options available to us. At the beginning of this 31 Days I talked about choosing what to do. That's an issue for me.

Dixie Redmond said...

Jan - it makes me feel good to be a green dot for someone. I really like to see other people meet their potential. But part of the journey is slogging through the learning curve in the beginning. As you get more experience the product matches the envisioning more. Experience is important.


"Do not let what you cannot do
keep you from doing what you can do."

John Wooden