I know this is a common topic but I think that it is something that should be discussed fairly often, because the highs and lows always fluctuate, they don't suddenly stop. What I really like hearing about is how different people deal with their lows and how they bring themselves back up. Self-motivation is one of the most important skills to practice in order to reach high levels of success, so we should help each other when we can.
For me, when I feel a bit down on the art path, I still stay focused and keep the practice up. Although, during this time the work is more uncomfortable. Since I am feeling a bit unsettled, the work reflects that, sometimes it can put more spirit into the picture, or stifle all of it, so that the picture looks lifeless or like a landfill. The feeling is only temporary, so I usually tolerate it and eventually it will dissolve.
I wrote about this before, but I really like looking at the old work of my superior artists, because it makes it clearer that those pictures have already been done by them, and that we all need to go through our growing pains.
I listen to loads of music. Musicians tell wonderful stories about themselves when they were young, broke, and infamous, and these are fantastic because they share their perseverance. I think it is unfortunate that many visual artists do not tell those kinds of stories. Every personal picture that I create is a small piece of my journey and can be put together like puzzle pieces. This makes the pictures full of life, because they are straight from my mind and heart. It is good for me as the creator, so I recommend anyone who has not done this to experiment with it.
Usually, I share visual art with you, but this time I'd like to honor a different type of artist and a piece of his story:
Growing Pains II by Logic
