We were lucky to catch up with Katrien Van der schueren recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Katrien, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
I don’t think you ever overcome truly- you learn to live with it 😉
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 am an artist working in a variety of clays and materials such as bio resin, plaster, concrete and wood. I also am a passionate large scale mural sculptor. I love making huge sculptures or bas relief. I love how they become part of the architecture and the impact these have within their environment due to their scale and depth. I am self taught and experiment with new materials daily. In my work I use a combination of my own methods, material combos and formulas that I developed over the years. Recently I launched a collection of lighting sculptures and currently working on free standing sculpture.
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?
What I love about my life as an artist is that I learn daily, my eagerness to explore has definitely shaped my journey. There are so many possibilities, you just have to get at it and create and play and work till you get the pieces where you want them and along the road there are so many learning moments that you take along in future creations. I wish I would have had the confidence to dare to be an artist and my own voice earlier.. Self doubt and insecurities can keep you back for a long time. The earlier you get to it, the better.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
The creative part or the making itself has never been a challenge for me. My biggest challenge has been to value myself and to dare to take my own art seriously and hence to dare to commit to the journey. There are several people that have been crucial for me ithat way Whilst I had built a custom fabrication and picture framing studio, there were dear friends of mine that would keep telling me to just make my art and go for it. Eventually I did take the step to commit to that journey.. I guess when I was ready for it, And once I did there were other people who who pushed me forward along the way, encouraging me and supporting me and my work, Its been an incredible journey that way.
Contact Info:
- Website: kvdsart.com
- Instagram: katrienvanderschueren
Image Credits
Photography by @Dalmiro Quiroga and Marcia Prentice
