We recently connected with Lynn Sisler and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Lynn, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?
I developed my self-esteem and confidence over many years. I was a shy kid and a good student because I was a rule follower. I wanted to please everyone, even if that meant doing something that was not in my best interest. Fortunately, my parents always supported my interests, including my life-long obsession with animals and drawing.
I have a very close relationship with my mother. Her parents were Dutch and came from stoic traditions, and my mom likely got her confidence from them; especially her father. She was the main decision-maker in our family and my role model and confidant growing up. When I was 15, we started going to the local gym to do aerobic classes. This was in the mid-1980s when health and fitness became a big thing. I started teaching classes and fell in love with exercise. Workouts teach you to push through hard things, and you reap the benefits. There have been so many times in my life when I’ve had a particularly bad day (or week or year) when running, yoga, or weight training hasn’t made things better and more manageable. It’s a mindset that you have, and then can apply in various areas of your life; it’s a coping mechanism that builds fortitude physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Something I discovered about confidence came when I turned 40. I decided that I wanted to go to London to visit a friend for my birthday. I made the trip by myself, which was adventurous for me. I was nervous about traveling outside of the country on my own. On the way home I was having difficulty figuring out how to get to the airport, and I asked for directions. This man couldn’t understand what I was saying (he had a thick British accent) and all of a sudden, this woman stepped in front of him and “took over” giving me directions. She was bold and kind and I was so grateful. This stranger reminded me that we have to help and look out for each other. Traveling can be daunting because there is so much unknown—and the unknown can be terrifying! It made me realize that trying new things, engaging with other people, and taking risks builds self-confidence because you realize that you can do it! You can do anything you set your mind to if you are willing to fail (sometimes repeatedly) and learn from it. It’s the only way to grow.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I always wanted to be a professional artist, but I didn’t know how. Nothing was taught about how one might go about doing that except for getting into galleries, which was also a complete mystery to me. In the early 1990’s, I tried to figure it all out. Later, as a single mom, I went back to school to be a teacher, and I was an academic elementary school educator for 10+ years in the Atlanta area. When I moved to New England, I got a position teaching art to grades 2-4. Being a lifelong artist, I wanted my young students to have artistic experiences and allow for the freedom to embrace their ideas and grow their creativity. Rather than teach art more traditionally with everyone doing the same project, I revamped the school’s art program to allow for a more student-led, constructivist framework.
I got my MFA later in life mainly because I wanted to teach college—that was how I reckoned with the cost of the degree—but it had always been my dream to take my art practice to a deeper level (thinking back to the early ’90s!) and so the degree afforded me both perks. I love teaching college students because they are interesting, funny, and so open to new ways of thinking. I have been teaching as an adjunct in the art department, but I would someday love to have the opportunity to be a full-time faculty member. For me, teaching has been such a rewarding experience, and my career has afforded me many opportunities to pay it forward.
About a year ago, I was feeling discouraged that some of my goals as an artist seemed thwarted by the “gatekeeper” syndrome. I know that getting turned down for things is very common—if you aren’t getting rejected, you aren’t trying hard enough! I decided to take some control back and taught myself how to build an online shop for my work. I did research about what I needed to start a small business and sell my artwork online. The result is Menagerie Fine Art Studio (lynnsisler.com) online shop where I sell original paintings, ceramics, and archival prints. The most exciting part of creating the shop was the fact that I could take what I loved (making art) and pair it with research on how to build a website, get a tax ID number, set up payments, get tips on how to promote via social media, and all of the other business-y stuff an artist and small business owner must do! It can be intimidating, but also empowering! I think Menagerie has done very well in its fledgling year, and I am always experimenting with how I can do better. For instance, the focus of the shop has shifted a little bit to allow for smaller, more affordable items. I believe that everyone should be able to have original art in their home–art that speaks to them and reflects them in some way. I love being a part of that communion between artist and client, but also a way for humans to connect through art. Everyone should be able to have a creative life, and having art they love in their home can be a part of that.
I offer commissions, too! I just completed a painting for a friend who is having her first baby this year. The painting will hang in the nursery, and that has been such an incredible honor. The most exciting thing for me is to share my work with other people. When someone buys my work, they are saying that they want to spend their hard-earned money and have something beautiful and meaningful to grace their home or office spaces. Nothing gives me such a sense of connection. My art is personal to me, of course, so when someone else loves it, that feels really good! I’m so grateful for all of the people who have purchased my art over the years and supported who I was meant to be.
Since I opened the Menagerie shop, I have gotten gallery representation at the Elizabeth Moss Gallery here in the Portland, ME area. As many artists do, I will continue my artistic career by doing a bit here and there. In the near future, I’d like to expand my shop into offering artist services, such as online workshops and as an art consultant. The teaching experiences taught me that it lights me up to share knowledge and encourage other people to reach their goals. Creating and sharing my art and artistic experiences bonds people together with a common ideal and emotion. I love being part of the art community. The arts simply bring people together, and it’s an incredible thing.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
If I had had the opportunity to give advice to my younger self or to anyone who is early in their journey to realizing their purpose and evolving a mature mindset, I would narrow it down to these:
1. Live a creative life. You don’t have to focus on one kind of art. Find out what really interests, inspires, and lights you up, then learn all that you can about it. Do those things as often as you possibly can. Get involved with that community and you will find your tribe. Find a mentor and ask questions. Read a lot of books from people who are doing what you want to do. Reach out to others and see where your experiences lead you. Work hard. The more time and effort you spend on something, the more that energy comes back to you.
2. Enjoy the journey and the process now. I speak to so many young people who are just starting out and they want to be “experts” right away. If you love what you are doing, love it today. Look at the process of becoming and practicing as a privilege. What do I get to learn today? What did I discover about myself or my craft? Then every so often, reflect on how far you have come. We tend to focus on what we need to do to get better, but we rarely recognize how much better, stronger, and more capable we are vs. a year or more ago. Celebrate the failures, successes, and progress made because you were resilient and persevered.
3. Live in your power. You have a right to be here, like anyone else. You have power and sometimes you need to get yourself (that voice in your head) out of the way to manifest it fully! Grow your self-confidence by taking risks, and don’t ever let fear lead or make any final decisions. Sometimes a person’s self-confidence is low because they don’t want others to know that they don’t know what they are doing and they are afraid of looking like an amateur. Here’s a secret—most of us (maybe all!) don’t know what we are doing. We are all amateurs in some ways! Have a positive growth mindset and know there is always more to see, do, and learn, no matter where you are on your journey.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
About 12 years ago, I was looking at a friend’s book selection on his bookshelf and I pulled out “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron. Maybe having this book play such an important role at a time in my life when I felt very lost is somewhat of a cliche, but I read and completed all of the prompts and guidelines in the book and it really helped me psychologically. As I answered many of the weekly prompts, I began to realize that the people in my past who either supported or rejected my art played crucial roles in how I saw myself as an artist–or otherwise. I allowed myself to let the judgment that was not serving me go and I felt much more free of a burden that I didn’t even know that I had.
As a current art teacher and small business owner, I am reminded of the power of beauty, encouragement, and thoughtful, constructive criticism rather than the practice of tearing your students’ artwork down in critique. I recognize that everyone has their own process, which stems from a unique outlook on life. Whether you want to do art or simply enjoy looking at it, it is all valid. Art fills in the gaps and enriches us, no matter what that looks like in someone’s life. Art is for everyone.
Cameron prescribes writing “Morning Pages” in a journal daily to create flow in the mind and get the negative thoughts out of the way. I have been doing Morning Pages ever since, and daily journaling has been so incredibly therapeutic in grounding myself. I get many of my best ideas as I write, and it’s helpful to go back and read what I wrote 2, 5, or 10 years ago. I can see my growth as an artist and as a person, and it’s comforting. The Artist’s Way put me on a path to a fulfilling, creative life. I am eternally grateful for this and for all of the people and experiences along the way who have brought me to where I am today.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lynnsislerstudios.com/
- Instagram: @lynnsislerart
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/menageriefineartstudio/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lynn-sisler-menagerie-studio/
- Other: https://www.artworkarchive.com/profile/lynn-sislerhttps://lynnsisler.com/
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