Fear's BFF: Paralysis

Denver...an arts meca, an artist's paradise, kindred spirits that share my love of arting-around.  Was so surprised to meet Macy Dorf, a nationally known potter, whose techniques are highlighted in this month's issue of Pottery Making Illustrated.  He owns "Artists on Santa Fe", a business fronted by a coop gallery and supported by thirty artist studios in the back. 

Macy gave us a tour of his own studio and showed me his improvised extruder  for his sculptural pieces as well as his slip trough.  We took bragging photos in front of his glazed functional works, and I invited him to visit our new Clay Station in Ponchatoula. We discussed the sad plight of artists trying to sell during this insufferable recession and both agreed that now is the time for all artists to build up their inventory. 

Leaving with promises of future encounters via an exchange of contact info, I knew I would see him again somehow.  The other galleries down the street paled by comparison to my Macy experience, and I wondered if their owners admired or resented Macy's competition.  How could the "Artists on Santa Fe" be anything but an aid to their existence? Everyone by now knows that McDonald's builds by Burger King, by Wendy's,     and by Arby's for a reason: the consumer gravitates to a retail area in which she has a choice.  Do I want an abstract acrylic on canvas with my Big Mac or a figurative metal sculpture with my sodium-glazed fries?

The concept of Freedom of Choice can sometimes be overwhelming and, I might add, fear-inducing.  If we are overloaded with possibilities, our senses backfire on us as we scream "Give me a break here!"  Sometimes, it's just easier to let someone tell us what to do, or better yet, to crawl into the security of a hole, a sanctuary, free of that pesky decision-making.  When we do just that, we have succumbed to fear's BFF, paralysis. 

We are instantly paralyzed when we amplify our fears.  Think how smoothly our paranoia blocks our quest for creative problem solving.  Phobias breed freely when we feed them with our worries causing them to multiply gladly as we sacrifice our lives to make room for their offspring.  I often think of those who are so afraid of changing their comfort zone that they even avoid leaving home except for a quick commute to the job and back.

Yes, this recession is making it difficult for artists to sell work. Now read that sentence again with more emphasis on the word "recession." Notice that I did not say your work is to blame nor is your timing to blame nor is your pricing to blame. This is not the time to be paralyzed by self-doubt. Just get some work done. Build up your inventory. Join together with your fellow artists in a nurturing support system. Brainstorm for new ideas. Break traditional ground. Most of all, be ready, for art will sell again.