Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Becky Duncan. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Becky, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.
The most challenging part of making art, I think, is to let go of control. You can’t be creative and be anxious at the same time; when we worry or stress about messing up, we don’t take risks, and creativity in itself is a risk by definition since it requires making something original.
“Creative”
Adjective
having the power to bring something new into being, as a creature, or to evolve something original from one’s own thought or imagination
So, in order to create, we must be willing to let go of the anxiety of perfection. Art nearly never turns out how we imagine, and we have to learn to see the beauty in that rather than disappointment. Simply put, confidence–an antidote to anxiety–is required to make art, and I believe the more art we do, the more confident we become.
As a kid, I naturally had a healthy dose of self-esteem; my first words, according to my grandmother, were “me do it.” (So maybe a healthy dose of stubbornness, as well.) I had a secure upbringing, supportive family, and I played sports all through my childhood continuing into adulthood; all these things, I’m sure, contributed to being self-assured. With art, my confidence grew as my skills improved, from elementary drawings to high school art classes, and again after picking up a paintbrush after five years of studying neurobiology and behavior in college–which didn’t allot much time for fine art.
After college graduation, I decided I wanted to prioritize artwork, so I posted on social media saying I’d watercolor anyone’s pet for twenty dollars (watercolor being my medium of choice all along). The commissions kept coming, and I’m so glad I only charged twenty bucks initially since looking at those portraits today makes me cringe a little. Since then, I’ve obtained a certificate in scientific illustration which improved my skill set exponentially.
But, looking at the pictures of myself holding those first dog portraits and remembering how proud I was of them tells me something about myself: I was confident regardless of the end product. I could still find the beauty in those muddy australian shepherd faces. They were the best paintings I had done at the time, and someone was willing to pay me for my skill set. How amazing is that?
And that’s the thing about confidence: It can exist regardless of skill, really. So, I think I had the confidence to start–to be bad–and then with practice, my confidence only grew, allowing my creativity to grow, as well.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I have a love of both art and science, so I often look for ways to combine the two; I like to paint California native plants and animals, for example. I think people generally relate to art and beauty more than scientific data and hard facts, so softening biology with a brush can make the subject more relatable; people may be more likely to learn about pollinators or snails or salmon migration, for example, if the information is presented as a pretty picture. My inspiration for artwork often comes from little organisms around me that I’m curious to get to know better through studying their features enough to draw them, and my hope is that my artistic interpretation of them inspires people to see them in a new light, too.
This year, I’ve begun teaching watercolor classes locally in Auburn, California, focusing on florals. I’m also traveling to Costa Rica this summer to paint a mural for an Airbnb; I plan to pack as much of the local flora and fauna onto the wall as possible over the week I’ll be there!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I’m still very much on my journey, but the three things that have impacted me the most thus far are the following:
1. Keep doing art. No matter what. Even if it’s just for yourself, the most important thing, in my opinion, is to continue to create regardless of how it turns out. One quote I keep in mind is by David Young which reads, “Every artist has a closet full of bad paintings.” Not everything you create will be a masterpiece, and that’s okay. The process of doing art is the best part, anyway.
2. Form first. My main takeaway from my art classes is to finalize the form of the subject first before adding color. The test is to see how the subject would look in black and white. If the shape, perspective, and lighting is on point, then color is an enhancement rather than a crutch.
3. Don’t listen to the naysayers. There will always be pessimists; don’t let them discourage you from creating and sharing your work. It’s vulnerable to share art, but it’s worth it. Because I like quotes, here’s another by Andy Warhol: “Don’t think about making art, just get it done. While everyone else is deciding if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.”
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
My parents have been my biggest supporters throughout my entire life, but also my art career. They granted me a studio space on their 5-acre property, and having the privilege of a creative space is something I never take for granted. As creatives and entrepreneurs themselves, my parents invested in my interests growing up; whatever arts or crafts I was passionate about at the time–from sewing clothes for my dolls and knitting scarves to molding clay–they would encourage creativity by taking me out to get supplies so I could explore that hobby. I’m forever thankful for their unwavering support growing up, for buying me my first How to Draw Animals books, and for their continued reassurance today to keep making art.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.beckyduncanart.com
- Instagram: @becktothedrawingboard
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/becky-duncan-a58195b4/
Image Credits
Kristin Healy Photography
