Embracing Vulnerability as an Artist

The entire art process is a very vulnerable one. It requires you to tap into how you're feeling and express this feeling. And sharing your art is even more vulnerable:

"When we share our art, our photography, our writing, we share who we are, our ideas and our emotions, with the risk of not being accepted or appreciated. This also means to be vulnerable," artist Silvio Kramar stated in his blog.

"The funny thing is that it's easy to just be what everyone else is and do what they're doing," said Buffalo-based artist Shyani Lopes. "When you feel criticized or just too scared to be yourself, it's a first resort. 'Oh, I'll do what's popular.' And that's not bad, but it's also not you."

Lopes explained that doing what's popular may gain you more followers or fans, but they're not liking you for your real work. As a painter, she sometimes engages in trends on social media, but said she always makes space for her own work too.

"I realized a long time ago that being vulnerable was the only way I could exist as a vessel for the flow of energy for transformative art," said Zahyia Rolle, a Rochester-based artist. She said her work is all about challenging the industry, pushing back on what's beautiful while having a genuinely fun time. Her music is just as fun to dance to as it to think about.

So how do you genuinely embrace who you are? Zahyia said it's about realizing that your art is bigger than your ego or expectations:

"The art you create serves a purpose greater than yourself and you have to realize that. When it's created from a vulnerable state, it has the power to acknowledge pain, uplift spirits or provide understanding to a life perspective that may be foreign to the viewer/listener."

In short, you have no idea how your vulnerability can change someone's life and help them understand themselves better. By leveraging expectations on your art, you don't give people a chance to engage in it meaningfully.

Ultimately, you have to start small to show yourself you can take criticism (because it will come) and that your work and your unique attributes are worth pursuing. It's easy to be like everyone else but so much more rewarding to be yourself.

"Vulnerability and authenticity isn't something you are," said Lopes. "It's something you do and it's something you practice every day: showing up for yourself so be kind and allow yourself to simply create!"