I want to make art but...

Meeting resistance, fear and seeking answers

Jul 04, 2025

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One of my mentors says that any sentence followed by but makes the previous part of it useless. But I still use ‘but’ a lot 😉

Onto the topic now :)

I am currently reading two books, ‘Art & Fear’ by David Bayles and Ted Orland and ‘The War of Art’ by Steven Pressfield. Both have been such eye-openers. You can probably guess what phase I’m in by the books I’m reading.

Yes, I’m not making art.

There’s a lot of fear…the kind that’s hard to explain to someone else. Someone might say, “Then just make art, what’s stopping you?”

Well, my dear friend, I can’t put it into words.

So I turned to my pseudo friends — books. I often seek comfort in them when I feel like my current safe circle may not understand. Sharing with people who haven’t been through something similar sometimes puts me in a loop of self-judgment, which then means avoiding the work for even longer.

I remember reading about resistance in The War of Art and thinking, Oh my god, was this book written just for me? It felt so real. I couldn’t sleep that night. 😮

I can see my resistance showing up as fear.

David and Ted write that making art is difficult because it means living with uncertainty, doubt, and contradictions. You’re constantly trying to do something that may have no audience, no reward, and no one checking in to ask what you made today.

Creating art means putting all of that aside so you can see what’s there when none of it exists (imagine zero likes on your shared artwork). It means learning to find nourishment within the work itself.

Pretty tough, right? As humans, we’re wired to crave acknowledgement. Or acceptance.

One thing both authors discuss is how creators need to treat art like work — to show up like professionals. Not rocking the boat as an amateur and telling yourself, Oh! I am still not an artist and just trying it as a hobby.

Steven also writes that it may have been easier to be an artist during caveman times. Because they didn’t even know that the work they are doing counts as art. Back then, people weren't concerned with identity, and the whole concept of 'I' didn't seem to exist. They probably didn’t even think of themselves as artists. They just told stories in whatever way they could.

Now, we define our identities so formally. I recently went to an art exhibit, and while filling out the feedback form, I paused and wondered — Can I write my profession as an artist? I chose the safer word instead - creator :)

I also feel that, as a society, we’re still far from building a real ecosystem for artists. An engineering student has thousands of companies to practice in. But someone with an art degree has far fewer places to keep making art. All of these may sound like excuses — or maybe they’re just resistance in another form.

As I sit with my fear and try to get more comfortable with it — instead of waiting for it to go away — I thought of sharing this with the world. Maybe this post can add more friends (other than books) to the conversation.

Maybe you're sailing in the same boat. Or maybe you've already reached the other side

Wherever you are, share what might help me or others work through this phase.

My Moment of Pause/Calm🌿

Treating myself with some rest after completing my 10-day advanced yoga program.

What have you heard, seen, or done this week that brought you a moment of calm? I’d love to hear! 💛

Now?

Sharing what I’m watching, reading, and learning!

📺 Slowly watching: Nothing at the moment. Any suggestions?
📖 Happily reading: The above two books and ‘Right Kind of Wrong’ by Amy Edmondson(More book recs? Check my list!)
🎨 Doing: Continuing with my Procreate exploration. On Day 18 of 100.

PS: If this newsletter brought you a moment of calm or a spark of inspiration, feel free to share it with a friend! You can also tap the ❤️ button so others can discover it on Substack. No pressure—just love and good vibes. 💛

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Take care! 💛
Rachna

I write Take a Little Pause for those who wish to live a wholehearted life. This newsletter is a journal of my experiments in living wholeheartedly, with each post accompanied by visuals created by me. If you’re on a similar journey, subscribe for free, or consider becoming a paid Patreon to support my writing and help me publish a coffee-table book. 💛

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