The eleventh post of the series is up! For this article, we asked the talented botanical artist Heidi Willis what advice she would give to emerging artists.
To view our other posts in this series, please visit our main blog post ‘Advice for Emerging Artists‘.
What advice would you give to an emerging artist?
By Heidi Willis
Speak your truest voice when creating. When we talk about creating an elusive, but all-important unique identity in our work, we really need to learn to trust ourselves, to listen to our own truth and to be able to harness these things so our own uniqueness is reflected in all we do. Reflecting ‘unique self’ in our work is the best way to find a genuine point of difference as artists.
Don’t be afraid to go against the crowd. To be unique, you’ll often need to work against the flow of everyone else around you… but don’t be afraid of that. Understand that if you are drifting in that sameness, you are simply not being unique. It is not something you need to force, but just be aware of it. Pursue the truth of your own path no matter how against the crowd it may feel, and finally, don’t expect it to be easily done!
Have a speciality. This is perhaps the single most important advice I can give you. Having a speciality allows you to drill down into specific knowledge and skills of your craft to excel. It also provides you with a clear marketable identity and direction to start establishing a reputation and demand for your work.
Have goals to work towards. Sometimes we tend to feel a little disoriented in our direction and we can find ourselves floundering about a little too easily, so set yourself goals to strive for to help keep your balance. This keeps you moving and focused with some clear direction along the way and can also bring great satisfaction to your journey. Aim for something achievable, but that sits right on the cusp of your comfort zone so that you are always striving for new growth, heights and achievements.
Aim high and work hard. Practice your craft. Love your craft. Do it so well that the world will simply not be able to ignore you.
To view more of Heidi’s work, please view her Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and her website.
To view the other articles in this series, please click here.
Absolutely spot on Heidi!!! I could not have agree
more.
She’s a fantastic artist, isn’t she?
I have looked at a lot of pictures and I love these best. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you Angela!
That is the second interview you have done with Heidi. Her
work ethic, words and the pictures she makes are a great
inspiration. They have really helped to get me going. Thank
you very much.
Wow! Mind- blowing level of competency in both her
medium and genre! Also very concise and empowering
advice!
Thanks Amy!