We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Susy Siddens a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Susy, 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.
My confidence comes from trusting my intuition.
It took many years for me to recognize that my intuition was worth trusting, but the moment I did, everything changed for the better. Trusting my intuition and having a positive self-esteem comes from years of taking the time to get to know myself, which in my opinion, is the most essential skill you can learn.
Studying yourself, means knowing and recognizing your likes and dislikes, your moods and your needs. When you know what you want, and you appreciate what you have, it makes your whole life easier. As I started to understand my own purpose and values, I learned to be at ease with myself, to push fear aside and to care a whole lot less about what others might be thinking.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I work full time as managing director of a graphic design agency and I separately create art under the name Fat Pencils which I founded in 2019.
My intention for Fat Pencils was to begin a 10 year journey to find my creative voice. Each year I set myself goals, some of which I complete, while others morph into something entirely unexpected. I’m now 5 years into my 10-year plan and my big goal this year was to start showing my work in my community. Next year’s big goal is to show my work in galleries.
I’m currently make papier-mâché vases, and clay and wood wall hangings, often with found materials. Almost all my work incorporates geometric patterns with the occasional floral. I’ve also made papier-mâché sculptures that I’ve decorated with my patterns. And more recently I have a series where I paint tea and coffee cups on rocks, which have led to some fun collaborations with local cafes and which allow me to practice my recognizable illustrative style.
All my work is available on my website fatpencils.com and can be viewed on Instagram @fatpencils
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Giving myself a 10-year plan while continuing to work full time has allowed me to thoroughly explore each creative step with patience and joy, and provides me the flexibility to completely change direction as I learn. Because I’m not under pressure to sell my art, I can explore ideas that bring me joy without concern for whether others appreciate it or not.
There was a strong temptation to make more of the things that get likes on Instagram, but I quickly realized when I did that, I wasn’t enjoying myself anymore and the work wasn’t as good.
My best advice for artists is just make–don’t worry about what others are doing or saying, and don’t worry if you don’t know the techniques yet. Just dive right in and make with wild abandon!
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
I am easily overwhelmed and anxious. Creating my art alone in my studio is my self-care, but artists can’t create all day. There’s a whole lot of work to do online and in the community. If you want to become a successful artist you have to step outside and present your work to people, which is perpetually terrifying but always rewarding.
My strategy is to stay present, and to make a prioritized list so that I can tackle one thing at a time in the most efficient order.
In the words of Priyanka Chopra-Jonas, you can’t be too prepared. I always have my work ready well in advance of deadlines, and if a deadline is too tight I either ask for more time or, I change my plan to make it something I can achieve. Which brings us right back to having the ability to recognize what you need in order to set yourself up for success.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.fatpencils.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fatpencils/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susysiddens/
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
