We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Doug Pisik. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Doug below.
Hi Doug, 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?
When I was a kid I used to mess around trying to fix things around the house that were broken. Lawnmowers, cassette tape recorders, and junk like that. I didn’t know what the heck I was doing, but I had a unique mindset for being so young: “It’s already broken, so it doesn’t matter if I mess up.” I think this way of thinking grew with me as I got older and turned into confidence to try all sorts of things I wasn’t necessarily good at or knew anything about. I figured, “What’s the worst that can happen?” If I mess up, nothing was really lost except maybe some time and a few bucks. The thing is, I knew the time and dollars I might lose, and for me it was no different than spending the time and money on any form of entertainment. If I succeeded, great! If I didn’t, I learned something along the way and just moved forward.
Many people think confidence is a form of cockiness. For me it’s quite different. My confidence comes from being honest about the risk of failure and just not worrying about it. If I enjoyed the effort, I might try again and get better. When I get better, I feel good about it and it feeds my self-esteem, which makes me more confident that I will do better, and the cycle continues. The result is that I often take commissions for unique art installations that are like nothing I’ve ever done before. When clients ask me “can you do something,” I almost always say “yes” because I know I can figure it out. Confidence has allowed me to take on new and exciting projects that I would never consider if I wasn’t willing to take the risks. My advice to anyone who lacks confidence is to ask yourself, “what’s the worst that can happen?”
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’m an artist that specializes in wood, but sometimes works with other materials for visual interest. I create unique art boxes, sculptures and 3D wall art. Many of my pieces are created with a large number of wood species to create interesting color and grain combinations and patterns. I’ve spent years perfecting techniques that allow me to create patterns in my work with dozens, and sometimes thousands, of pieces of wood with absolutely perfect seamless connections between the pieces. Where many wood workers create patterns with thin veneers, my art is mostly created by using solid pieces of wood that flow through the final works. As a result, my one-of-a-kind art boxes have intriguing patterns on the inside that match the outside, and my sculptures are detailed no matter what angle they are viewed. I also carve sold-wood sculptures with curves inspired by what I see in nature.
When I talk to new clients, I try to find out what “speaks” to them both visually and mentally. If feasible, I work those elements into the art I create so the work is special for them. For example, I created a hanging light fixture for a client that had a specific number of hanging elements that matched their son’s lucky number. I used hard-to-find wood for a client who had a favorite tree. I created a heart and lung sculpture for a pulmonologist. And I made boxes with handles that represented mountain peaks for a client located in the Georgia mountains. Giving my clients something personally meaningful makes my work significantly more enjoyable and rewarding.
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?
First would be an adventurous spirit. This doesn’t mean wanting to travel. It means wanting to try anything new. It could be learning new skills, meeting new people, viewing new art, listening to different music styles, or even trying new foods. This lust for new experiences feeds my creative energy. Every new experience fills my head with new ideas that lead to new artistic creations.
Second would be listening. To be very honest, I’m not the best at this and want to become better. Listening to others, especially people who have different views, ideas, or skills is how I become better. This is how to learn, and you never know what will come of it. One could learn how to be better at their job, gain insight into how and why others think the way they do, and even just be entertained by what you hear from others. The HUGE bonus, is that people want to be around good listeners which makes you more likable. It may be an old book, but I recommend Dale Carnegie’s book, “How to Make Friends and Influence People” if you want to be a better listener.
Third would be knowing when (and how) to say “no.” Some opportunities aren’t worth the time to pursue. They may not help your brand, might take too much of your time, or create emotional aggravation. For example, I recently was asked to work on a piece for a well-known celebrity. The piece was more of a manufacturing assignment, and my focus is more on creating unique designs. In addition, the client was very difficult to work with. I had other opportunities available to me, so even though the idea of creating a piece for a celebrity was exciting, I politely declined the offer. The actual work was going to take time away from better long-term prospects, and I didn’t need the stress of working with a difficult client.
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
My best clients are those who understand and appreciate what an artist does to create their art. Difficult clients micro-manage the design, material selection, and/or the creation process. By contrast, great clients appreciate my work and trust me to create outstanding works with their minimal requirements that look good and have meaning for them. I’ve only had a few ideal clients, but the work I created for them have been among my best works since I wasn’t stifled by unnecessary factors that only limited how good the work could become. Interestingly, this applies to more than just artists. I have seen talented people do their best work in engineering, IT, writing and every other field when left to do what they do best.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.DougPisik.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/dougpisik
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/DougPisikWoodArt
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/@dougpisik
Image Credits
Doug Pisik
