Dear friends,
I’m truly happy to take a few moments to write to you and get away from the turmoil of life. This new month will be full of reflections and goodbye because * drumroll* I’m moving to a new flat. After 7 horrible spent in a noisy-disgusted-polluted neighbourhood, it’s time for a new beginning.
As it coincides with my birthday month and the beginning of my favourite season of the year aka fall & winter, I took time to reflect on what I’ve learned from the last years.
Patience is a muscle, use it or lose it.” talented” or not, if you’re not dedicated to your art, you’ll not go anywhere. Buying another course, materials or anything that you do to keep you distracted from your work won’t lead you anywhere. Try, make mistakes, get messy, enjoy the process, and don’t be too precious with your art, you’re learning, you’re creating, you’re doing.
You don’t need to find your style. What I mean is style is not something that comes from outside, it’s not something that you can find randomly, and it’s not a quest. Your style is choices that you keep doing, consciously or not, it’s a melting pot of your influence, your taste, interests, and life, and most importantly, it will change throughout your life.
The supplies won’t make you a better artist. Buy a cheap one then upgrade, buy 4/5 colours and complete: buying that whole set of “insert name” won’t give you any superpower (and this advice comes from someone who spent around 1200 euros on art supplies last year that she’ll probably never use).
You’re allowed to change your mind. I wanted to be a children's book illustrator, then an editorial illustrator and now I’m more of a painter. I started with watercolour, then coloured pencil and now I’m in love with oil pastels. I was a bit ashamed of what I saw as a lack of consistency but the truth is, the things I wanted in my head were not always as good as I thought in real life. Taking a different path doesn’t mean that you’re a loser or a failure, explore whatever feels good for you.
I’m an introvert and it has a big impact on my work. I’m obsessed with lonely people, empty landscapes, lights, and people doing things while they’re lost in their own minds. Took me years to realise that pattern, I tried to change it but this is what I do and it’s time to be at peace with it. Doesn’t mean that I’ll do that for the rest of my life but for once, let’s enjoy the view and make the magic happen. Same things with social media, I still don’t know how to be social on substack & instagram, everytime I try to get out of my shell, make some connections, talk about my work, I feel so stupid and useless but maybe this essay by Whitney could help some of you dealing with the same “problem”
What are the things that you’ve learned that changed your life recently?
That’s all for me now,
Wishing you a lovely August & See you next month,
Lyly <3
You put that lovely photo by Zambeli. It´s my country Argentina and I promise you there are so many beautiful and colorfull places here.
Thank you!!!!
Good Luck in your new life!! It´s nothing bad to be an introvert person. Be yourself and face the world on your own way!!!
I recomend you a special book for introvert persons, it colled Quiet (Susan Cain)
(sorry if my english scared you, I´m a native spanish speaker