I Could Do That vs. I Am Doing That

The difference between saying you can do something and actually doing it.

I truly admire artists of all sorts. They put themselves out into the world in a very bold and vulnerable way. 

For most of my life, I would look at art in public spaces with admiration but also think, “I could do that.”  Or, at the very least, “I wonder if I could do that.”

I even avoided buying art because I thought I might create something similar myself. But, I never did. I didn’t even try, not until 4 years ago at the age of 42.

Life is a crazy roller coaster of priorities, and I finally hit a point where prioritizing my creativity became a force I couldn’t ignore. Even the fear of vulnerability couldn’t stop me. And once I took my first classes, I kept just gaining momentum.

I have been looking back at the change in mindset this weekend after hanging my artwork in downtown Ann Arbor in Michigan. I admired artwork in many coffee shops, restaurants, and small shops over the years, always with a feeling that I could probably do art like that.  It took me years to do something, but now it seems like my mindset changed overnight. 

It didn’t, of course, change overnight. It is always challenging to change your mindset, and it is an ongoing process. I have made many bold and vulnerable choices in the past 4 years that have led up to my current exhibit. I didn’t expect it to impact me as much as it has. 

No matter if anyone buys a single one of my artworks off the walls of the coffee shop, I am super happy with the exhibit. I love that my work is up. I think it looks good. I did something I knew I could do.