How to Make Your Holidays Happier

I used to give my friends and family pieces of my artwork on a pretty regular basis, particularly small art quilts. I was just starting out and I was working on sharpening my skills and just growing my creativity muscle. It felt good to give someone a piece of art that had come out better than I expected or better than anything I had previously made. And I was careful to give the work to someone who would appreciate it. I knew that when you are starting out, you can feel like a little kid giving someone your artwork. You just want it to be worthy of being pinned up on the fridge with a magnet. Anything more than that is a great boost to your motivation to continue. However, anything less is a crushing blow to your inner child and can really put a damper on your desire to keep creating.

When I decide to give my artwork as a holiday gift now, some 20+ years into my creative journey, I feel a lot more confident in what I present to the recipient. However, as an abstract painter and art quilter, I find that the only time I give my artwork to friends or family is when they express a sincere and specific interest in a particular piece. I understand that if they don’t like it or don’t connect with it, it can’t be secretly exchanged without hurting my feelings. They’re “stuck” with it.

When you look over your holiday list, consider a few things in order to preserve your creative mojo. First, did they express interest and specifically like something? Second, will they appreciate it and you will be as happy to give it as they are to receive it? If you don’t have a positive response to either of these questions, you should probably get them a sweater, small appliance or personal item that they would be happy to receive. This way you can feel just as happy giving them that item as they are to receive it. It’s the thought that counts. If you think (or know) they’ll like your work, give freely. If they’ve never expressed interest, then self-preservation tells us to give them something they know you selected with them in mind.

As the holiday deals and cyber shopping continue, I wish you peaceful moments of sipping hot chocolate, watching the winter season’s changes and stealing some time for yourself to just create because you want to.

Happy creating and stay tuned for more art inspiration in the coming months.

Warm regards,

Claude

PS. Coming soon - The Petrified Forest Series

Here’s a quick peek!

Acrylic on Cradle Panel in solid maple floater frame 13” X 13”