Two Ways to Make Your Creative Life Miserable

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Walk in Peace and Serenity

 

Unleashing your creativity and finally deciding to do something about it is fun and exciting. However, every artist (regardless of your craft) is vulnerable to taking a dangerous path that leads to disillusionment. Here are two of the easiest ways to do it:

1. Compare yourself with others.

There’s a whole world of difference between having someone’s work as a source of inspiration and enviously looking at someone’s work as a point of unhealthy comparison.

Two things can happen when you start comparing yourself with others. It’s either : 1. You exalt yourself and believe that your work is superior (which is really pathetic) or 2. You get cranky for being “not good enough” and eventually find your way to discouragement (which kills your creativity).

I love the wisdom from the Desiderata: Do not compare yourself with others for you will become vain and bitter. For always there will be greater and lesser person than yourself.

2. Always seek external validation.

Just like how you spend hours refreshing your post on Facebook and Instagram for the sole purpose of checking how many likes and “nice” comments you get, convincing yourself that you are indeed likeable and everyone is really excited to see that duck-face selfie photo with a caption that says “just being me”. (Yes I know that kind of smile you have right now. A lot of us are guilty of it to some extent. Probably not the duck-face selfie.)

I want to make it clear that it’s not wrong to desire for appreciation. That’s part of us and we need something to satisfy our need for love and belonging. But if your core motivation in doing your creative stuff is praise and self-exaltation then I won’t be surprised if you need antidepressants later on. Because there’s no such thing as enough “praise” and “likes”.

Here’s my encouragement:

Do your craft to build meaningful connections and as a way to give back to the world for receiving such great talent and gift.

Always believe that you are good enough. No matter what. Because that’s how you were created in the first place. Remember that there was no one in the past and there will never be someone like you who could do the special things you are doing right now. You are unique, irreplaceable, and beautiful. Don’t let anyone steal that truth in your life.

Lastly, realize that your creative journey is not really all about you. It’s about connection and love.

And when you finally get it, you’ll walk in peace and serenity.

 

Stop Dreaming. Start Doing.

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Start Now

It’s been three years since I started this blog. And as I look back on the myriad things I did in name of creativity I am filled with joy and gratitude. I am so glad I had the courage to start this blog in the first place. Just reading my very first post here made me realize how good it is to simply start.

Just start. No matter how small it is. If you know you have been keeping that dream since long time ago and you have been replaying those excuses in your mind for the nth time, this is the moment.

Yes. Today is the perfect day to start working on those dreams. If you wait for that   “perfect moment” (when you are no longer too busy… when you have enough money, etc.) prepare yourself for an epic disappointment – because it will never come. I’d like to repeat what I said three years ago:

No matter how magnificent our ideas (or dreams) are they mean nothing until we start acting on them. 

You don’t have to come up with a detailed five-year plan nor spend all your savings impulsively. You only need to begin taking the first step.

Five years back I was searching for something I felt was missing in my life. That was the time when my nursing career was going well yet I felt I was incomplete. After a period of reflection, the moment of enlightenment came. It dawned on me that I’ve been creative all my life and suddenly stopped when I began working as a staff nurse in the old medical ward. I then picked up my brush I bought from a 2-dollar shop and entered an artistic journey that lead to a solo art exhibition this year. If I didn’t have the courage to even start painting I would probably be the same old Kris who wished he’s pursued the things that make him come alive.

Sometimes it’s not necessarily a process of discovery. Sometimes it can be a process of recovery – reconnecting to your passions that you have been keeping in your heart since you were a kid.

Just start. And believe in the beauty of your dreams. As long as you know that it is worthwhile and it will eventually give you an opportunity to give back to this world go for it! I promise you will never regret it.  Because I didn’t. Just like the many others who are now living their dreams.

What are you waiting for?

The Story of Mysteria Lucis

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Mysteria Lucis (Oil on Canvas)

It was quite overwhelming just looking at the signage that had my name and exhibition title on it at the Thistle Hall Gallery. That was the moment I felt I finally reached my dream.  Five years back I was only imagining how it would be like to have my work displayed on a gallery and call myself an “artist”. Indeed I am so much blessed to be in position to tell a story of achievement by the grace of God.

 At Thistle Hall Gallery

So here I am today on the 6th day of my one-week show named “Mysteria Lucis: Unraveling the Mysteries of Light” – a body of work heavily inspired by the light we perceive in nature. It is my way of telling those stories that are familiar yet infrequently revisited – stories we keep in our hearts but remind us of our longing for higher things in life.

As an artist, I always believed that part of my purpose for existing is sharing the gifts I received and celebrating life with exuberance. I am deeply grateful to the wonderful people who offered so much of themselves to help fulfill this purpose.

Thank you for joining with me in my artistic journey. If you couldn’t come to the gallery, these photos are for you.

Cheers,

Kris

PS: You can view photos of all my paintings HERE

Mysteria Lucis

Exaltation

Nocturna

Sunset Meditation

Exuberance

I’m Back

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Fantasy Series

I’ve been on hiatus for around three months and have been posting sporadically during those months prior to that. I got extremely busy with my full time work, postgraduate studies and art school. A lot of people think I’m a little bit crazy to have done that. And yes, there have been moments when I recognized my creative insanity. But hey I survived and I am happy (which is a really good thing).

This post is not going to be about why I disappeared in the blogging world for a while. This is about me saying “I’m still here”.  I miss blogging. I’m now overwhelmed with that kind of feeling similar to what I have for that special cup of coffee that I haven’t had for a couple of months because I was away for my holiday. I miss myself doing this. And it’s good to be back.

Last week I did a photography project with a friend who was kind enough to be my model. She is one amazing person with a fiery and highly contagious passion for creativity. To Kim and Budz, thank you so much!  I’ve always wanted to take photos of someone in the woods near a river in Hutt (New Zealand) and I can’t tell you enough how ecstatic I was for having done that.

So, here are the photos for you to enjoy. Have a wonderful day everyone!

Fantasy Series

Fantasy Series

Fantasy Series

Fantasy Series

Pride and Weakness

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No one enjoys feeling weak, whether it is emotionally, spiritually or physically. There is something within the human spirit that wants to resist the thought of weakness. Many times this is nothing more than our human pride at work. Just as weakness carries a great potential for strength, pride carries an equally great potential for defeat.

– Charles Stanley