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5 tips to deal with art criticism

How to deal with art criticism? I believe every artist wants to know the knack for dealing with criticism of art. A few days ago while browsing the Youtube channel I came across an old talk show which must have been aired on PTV in either ’80s or early ’90s. As I’m a die heart fan of legendary writer Bano Qudsia and Ashfaq Ahmed (my favorite couple in the art industry) I clicked on the thumbnail comprising these two artists as the show’s guests named “Mulaqat”. (Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/h4dOP8_WX7A) I got hooked the moment Naeem Bukhari; a phenomenal anchor introduced them to the show rules using his good-humored hosting skills. Those of you who are familiar with the work of Bano Qudsia or Ashfaq Ahmed wouldn’t think twice in admitting how amazingly they have served in the fields of literature and Art. But in this show, they were supposed to face only “Critiques”; who were the ONLY audience and belonged to the world of art and literature (Mustansar Hussain Tarar, Firdaus Jamal, etc.). I watched the entire interview to get hold of the ingenuity with which the writers were hurling back to the critic’s judgment over their creative ventures. They talked over the couple’s successful write-ups and failed experiments masked in humor and light-mannered discussion. For instance, beginning with Ashfaq Ahmed, they mocked ( in good humor) how people walked out of the cinema in between intervals of a flop movie experimented on by him long ago in response to which the couple quite amusingly explained the whole story behind the venture. The critics also questioned some of the contents of Bano Qudsia’s novels (e.g. Raja Gidh) in response to which she explained the rationality behind her write-ups without a hint of losing composure. The discussion during the interview took place in good spirits with no intention of disrespect, of course. But as with all artists, the writers must have faced a lot of criticism and negative feedback during their course of life. Did they not bring about even more popular novels, write-ups, and scripts? or did they hold back anything said against their beautiful pieces of writing? I believe not. A “skill” that every artist must possess apart from being great at art is a forte of biting the bullet amidst a world full of critiques. Whether the criticism is humorous or not an artist’s heart skips a pound every time his/ her work is underappreciated by any means. A critic would try to judge an artist’s intellect and creativity process based on his/ her own perspective, knowledge, and experience. Some artists are well-versed naturally in dealing with criticism over their work while others need to learn it with the passage of time. Take a look at 5 tips that should help artists deal with negative criticism of their work: Be positive If a critic has pointed out a mistake in your artwork it won’t hurt to take another look from a critic’s eye and bring it to the discussion. You might learn a technique you were oblivious to before or you might end up convincing about your own “unique” approach toward the subject. Jot down points to remember and do not ponder over the discussion unnecessarily. Don’t take it personal Art criticism shouldn’t influence your personal capacity to think creatively. If not an art critic most feedback comes from family, friends, acquaintances, or people who do not professionally belong to the field of Art themselves.  Take it and move on. Do not let the wisecracks attack your motivation to move on to your next project. Keep the critical feedback limited to the particular piece of art rather than letting it sink into your skin and affect your thought process adversely. Believe in your skill Though keeping oneself collected and unshakable against criticism isn’t as easy as it seems then that’s a skill set that beginner artists to need to brush up on. As someone wisely quoted that “self-doubt is the anchor that keeps our ships from sailing”, nevertheless who and what pushes you in the state you have the power to lift the anchor up and stay the course. Use polite phrases Hold your instant responses until you hear them out completely. Reflect and take a while before getting defensive about your work. The critic would try to judge your idea without knowing the artist in you, which may put you off. Try and use phrases such as, “Thank you for your feedback”, “I appreciate your time and analysis of my work”, or ” please visit my studio and check out more of my work”. Anything new on canvas takes a while before viewers start getting a hold of it. It happened with all famous artists who brought a massive change in art styles so consider yourself lucky every time you face criticism. Take it as a phase before success All artists, before reaching a level of success, go through a phase popularly known as ” creative dilemma” (ref. book “becoming a life change artist” by Fred Mandell and Kathleen Jordan). They come up with a new idea, face criticism, sit and take it, and bring the idea into existence to get rid of the dilemma which might be received with a lot of criticism. Pablo Picasso, Claude Monet, Frida Kahlo, and Vincent Van Gogh are a few of many examples who have been through a lot of criticism before their work started to receive true appreciation. Once you have presented your work out there be prepared to face positive as well as negative feedback. Believe in your skill, own your pieces of art, and be confident about your creativity. By all odds process requires patience and consistency. As quoted famously by an American artist: “I don’t listen to what art critics say. I don’t know anybody who needs a critic to find what art is.”-Jean-Michel Basquiat  Artist & Author: Rabia Adnan www.biazartstudio.com

9 ways for artist moms to pick up where they left off

Most of us artist moms settle on a career break once we choose to have kids and decide to raise them with mindfulness and ease. Most of the time we limit ourselves to our homes and schedules that we intently set for our kids to follow. As time goes by, hardly do we realize the extent to which we get accustomed to our comfort zones. We may find ourselves in the middle of cluttered brain activity the moment we decide to hold a brush and start to paint or anything, for me; “I guess the dresser needs to be dusted again”, “maybe a nap is a good idea”, “let’s surf a bit more on what to draw” or ” I promise I’ll sketch only after I’m done watching a movie” and above all “why paint with so many distractions?” was all I struggled with, initially, as I decided to grab a pencil and actually draw after a long career gap. Trust me, nothing has been more challenging than dragging myself out of my comfort zone into initiating my creative journey once again. I followed a few kick-start tips that I would like to share on how to resume an art career after a long break, specifically for artist moms. Here are 9 ways that worked for me, of course, they might not be everybody’s cup of tea, but even so, have a crack at them: Grab a pen and a notebook. Ask yourself 3 questions;” What is my creative focus?, Where do I place my passion on my priority list?, If I pursue my passion would it still make me happy?”, answered? move to the next point. Open up yourself, explore, and list down art careers that interest you. Choose the one that suits you best depending on your present lifestyle. I started off designing home adornments and absolutely loved embellishing mirrors, pottery, cushions, rugs, and vignettes. However, such delicate and focus-oriented work craved more time and space than I could spare later on in life, so, I hopped on to another creative yet manageable domain of visual arts which excites me as much as the one I postponed for a while. It doesn’t have to be a long one. After all these years, it took me 4 art classes to find myself again. I took them on weekends so I had a whole week to practice and re-align my imaginative self. Thanks to a really treasured artist and dear friend of mine Shahnila Rashid(aka Shaila) for her flexible attitude and for giving me the luxury of schedule adjustment just the way I wanted. Get in touch with a friend having similar interests and plan visits to exhibitions and art fairs. Meet other artists and indulge in conversations, do not hesitate to ask questions. I usually prefer to take my kids along as well, mostly to blow the whistle on the world of colors and imagination that their mom belongs to. You can also plan a “painting day” with your friends, have them over to your place, and paint together, the process becomes much more interactive and upbeat. It’s important to write, either in your planner or notebook, and adjust your artwork routine among all the other important tasks of the day. Fix hours or don’t, it totally depends on you. Early morning works best for me or after putting the kids to bed at night. Sometimes, I sketch in the car or even on public transport, it’s actually fun! My husband says” That beam on your face every time you spot a bookshop or an Art shop is unmistakable”, I say, he knows me so well:). There is nothing better than the moment I enter the art shop and reconnect with colorful art accessories. They, undoubtedly, act as motivational boosts. Additionally, I get to meet other artists which help in updating myself with new mediums and trends. Books and tutorials help a lot in enhancing and updating your knowledge about Arts. I Will update you about my favorite artists, books, and tutorials in my posts to come. Get hold of a sketchbook as small as size A5 and carry it in your bag along with a sketch pencil. You can sketch on the go, in a waiting area, cafe, or in the kitchen, while kids are busy playing indoors/outdoors, all in all anyplace that you choose to go at any time of the day. It’s all about convincing oneself in developing a habit. Worse enemy. Indeed. Avoid delaying projects otherwise, you’ll feel stagnant and ultimately demotivated, and you wouldn’t want that, right? for after all the effort you have put in you need a regular driving force. Steadiness and consistency is the key, keep a hold of them. It may seem like a no-brainer to someone who has a benefit of 7 to 8 hours to sit, relax, walk around, surf, plan a day out with friends, and peacefully wait for the perfect moment of inspiration to kick in and grab a brush to start painting. Yes, we all have been there, something we miss a lot and now value with all one’s hearts.  But then again, we have moved forward into the world of motherhood with “multitasking” as a hand-me-down gift of womanhood, I believe we can, undeniably, bring about our dreams one baby step at a time. Rabia Adnan Artistwww.biazartstudio.com

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