We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Julie Schumer a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Julie, 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 have always had a bit of imposter syndrome. It comes from growing up in a family that valued achievement highly. I am also a perfectionist by nature. As a way of overcoming this I have faked confidence until I really felt it, celebrated all successes and worked hard at developing self-compassion. But the most important thing is I always tried to take on challenges that scared me and have never let fear hold me back. For example, I taught workshops before I thought I was really ready, eliminating the self-talk about why anyone would want to take a painting class from me. When the pandemic first started I realized I would have to take my live workshops online, which I knew nothing about in terms of the process of creating an online course, marketing it and the technology involved. So I took an online course in how to create an online course and developed my own course while learning from the course I was taking. And never looked back. I also launched my course knowing it wasn’t perfect, there was more I could do but I thought I could wait forever tinkering with it so I had best just put it out there. That experience went a long way in helping me overcome my imposter syndrome.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am a contemporary abstract expressionist painter of medium and large format abstract paintings. I create works that are bold, dynamic and edgy as well as ethereal and mysterious. These paintings are my explorations of my own interior landscape and are my way of knowing myself and putting that Information out in the world.
I also teach abstract painting workshops, both online and live, group and individual that focus on building skills, embracing risk, and strengthening one’s own unique artistic voice. My courses are excellent for abstract painters returning to their creative journey after a long break who need help reconnecting to their art practice. These courses have been life changing for many painters who finally found the courage and learned the skills to paint what they wanted. I also offer workshops with Cat Tesla, a Florida based painter. We have our Boldly Abstract course for abstract painters wanting to access their inner boldness, a suite of Business of Art courses for artists wanting to develop their art business and a Business of Art Membership program that helps artists create and grow their art business. The Membership program contains a wealth of information in video form on over 100 topics and is ever expanding.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1. Commitment and perseverance 2. Willingness to accept help
3. Willingness to take a risk.
My advice is you must commit yourself 100 percent to your creative journey and be willing to follow wherever it takes you, even if it is into unknown territory which it will be for sure. You must be willing to put in the hundreds of hours it takes to develop yourself into a good painter, there are no shortcuts for this. The fact is the more you paint the better you will get. It’s a simple equation. Take risks in your work, it’s the only way you will discover the hidden facets of yourself that contribute to your painting’s value. This means allow yourself to be uncomfortable and work through that phase of your creative development.
Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?
My number one challenge at the moment is how to best use my time so that I can get everything done that I want to accomplish. I need time to create and market my art, market my online courses, improve my online courses and programs, and have time to open my studio to live group and private workshops. All of this takes more hours than there are in the day.
Every week I am creating a priority list of what tasks are the most important to do for that week. I am also cutting down on time spent on unnecessary interactions with people and relegating those interactions to a certain time of the day.If I have 5 projects I want to do, I am focusing on the 3 most important and accepting that the other two have to wait for a while. Gradually I have become better able to manage my time.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.julieschumer.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julieschumerartist/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/julie.schumer
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-schumer-87569315/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm3HVHm0GYfxTe5lwWAO7Vg
Image Credits:
James Koskinas for first, second and third photo. Julie Schumer for all other photos, using a photo she took of each painting and the Art Rooms app.
