Quote of the day: “I get by with a little help from my friends.” – John Lennon
Three Sisters' Sludge Photo Exhibit #1
Thursday night was my first ever photography exhibit opening! I was so amazed at all of my wonderful friends who stopped by to help me celebrate, and while they were there bought lots of photo cards and matted prints. I am feeling so blessed to have so many in my life who are rooting for me and celebrating my journey as a photographer.
Several of the people I used to work with came. Old friends and new friends showed up. And family members rounded out the wonderful gathering. My husband spent hours figuring out how to hang the photos and making up clever hangers that made setup a breeze. He has been so incredibly supportive of me on this journey. I am very lucky to have him in my life.
While preparing for the exhibit, I went through various stages of anticipation, fear and doubts about putting my work out there. Thoughts like, “I’m not a good enough photographer – I’m a phony. I have nothing worth saying. People are going to say I don’t know what I’m doing. They aren’t going to like my work.” kept popping up.
And each time I recognized a fear or doubt-based thought, I let it go and told myself that I would learn a lot from doing the exhibit. From start to finish it has been a learning experience. I’ve learned many things, but most importantly I’ve learned how my thoughts have power to shape my experience. When I recognized the fear and doubts and made a conscious effort to think differently, my whole experience shifted. Sure, I still had moments where fear popped up, but I found that by reminding myself of my purpose, I could reconnect with the joy that photography brought me. A book I’ve been reading reinforced this learning. In Art and Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking, David Bayles says. “What separates artists from ex-artists is that those who challenge their fears, continue; those who don’t, quit.”
In my experience, it’s the fear of being seen, that’s at the heart of my fears and doubts about exhibiting my work. Bayles says something very similar in Art and Fear: “In large measure becoming an artist consists of learning to accept yourself, which makes your work personal, and in following your own voice, which makes your work distinctive.”
I’m so glad that I have friends who support me and encourage me to follow my passion and who come out for photo exhibit openings in coffee shops. What a blessing all my friends and family are! Thanks to all of you!
Here are the rest of the photos of the exhibit:
Three Sisters' Sludge Photo Exhibit #2
Three Sisters' Sludge Photo Exhibit #3
Three Sisters' Sludge Photo Exhibit #4
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