I've sat with many souls who have looked downward upon their own art and work. Who grieve that in some way there is something lacking, or that they have grown worse or in some way failed themselves. Some even believe that there can only be failure to be found in art. That if there is not some forward meaningful take from it, or dare I say, utilitarian purpose to the effort, then it has proven fruitless.

I just..want you to sit with yourself for some time. I want you to look at your art or writing. I want you to stare at what you are doing here and I want you to ask yourself what you really want. I mean what you really want.

Some people would say money, others would say recognition, many would say acceptance. Deep down inside though what we all want is our own happiness and peace. We want to feel validated, alive, beautiful. The greatest challenge any one artist will face in their lifetime is the overwhelming doubt that they are not good enough. They'll call their work ugly and by extension they'll believe they are ugly too. That whatever is on the inside will only reflect something terrible..and it's not true. None of it is true. all art is beautiful because in so many ways it reflects you.

So I worked on this piece that I call " Fun with shapes " because really it is just that. It is a reminder of what art is meant to be: having fun with the shapes in our minds, sometimes without a single reason, story, or meaning. I have a deep and profound respect for those of you who struggle daily with how you view your work. I have a fondness and admiration for those of you who have grown to fear even working upon your art.

You care so deeply, and fear so much that something so wonderful might be ruined, or that you could somehow magically walk backwards and get worse. But it's you we're talking about here. We're not here to laugh at you. We're not here to hold you up on a pedestal and compare you to giants. You're not in the shadows of great people. You are in the candlelight of your own wonderful glow, and we're waiting to watch you hold it on higher.

You don't need to prove anything to anyone. You don't deserve to believe you'll never be good enough, or that you are worthless for not doing what is expected of you. Just..breathe and have fun with it. Stop demanding the world from you, and remember that we love you.