We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Katie Yarnold a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Katie, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
For many artists, the way that imposter syndrome manifests itself is an apprehension around identifying as an artist. I’ve heard dozens of incredibly creative people say “I’m not an artist” because they don’t make money from their art, don’t make enough artwork, or simply think their art isn’t “good enough.” The truth is that anyone who makes art is an artist!
I learned this myself when I was a summer camp art teacher. At the time, I was a college student and felt like I couldn’t call myself an artist for many reasons: I’d never sold a piece, I was just a student, I didn’t have the technical skills I wanted. I spent every day that summer teaching 6-7 year olds how to draw and paint. During those lessons, I’d hear rounds of “I can’t draw” and “I’m not an artist” from my students. It broke my heart to see that even at such a young age, those kids had already internalized messages around being “not good enough” to call themselves artists. From then on, I decided to embrace my identity as an artist so that I could encourage my students to embrace being an artist themselves. I proudly say “I’m an artist” so that those around me feel empowered to do so as well.
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 a realistic oil portrait painter, but my style focuses on somewhat surreal and fantastical portrayals of people. I layer my portraits with real and imagined landscapes and often include imagery of sunrises, sunsets and starry skies. My goal is to represent not only the outward appearance of someone, but also their inner world.
I’ve been a studio painter for more than a decade and now I’m excited to be expanding into mural and live painting work! I’ve done some live painting events in San Jose, California with a group called Together We Create. Check out their website for future live painting events: www.twc408.com. You can also see my studio work in person every First Friday at FM Oakland, located at 483 25th St., Oakland, CA. Follow me on Instagram for updates about new work and upcoming exhibitions,
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
As a visual artist, I think the three most important qualities that have impacted my journey are technical oil painting skills, community-building, and perseverance.
For me, taking the time to learn realistic drawing and painting techniques were critical to developing my own artistic style. I continue to build on these skills through weekly figure drawing sessions and attending art workshops and classes in my area. For any artists looking to develop their technical skills, I’d recommend the books “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain” by Betty Edwards and “Alla Prima” by Richard Schmidt.
A passion for community-building is a critical quality for artists because none of us can do this alone. There are so few resources out there for artists, it’s important for us to share resources and support each other! I build community by attending local art events, classes, and exhibitions to meet other artists. I’m also part of a group studio in Oakland, CA and it’s been a wonderful experience to work alongside friends at the studio. In the past, I founded two art collectives in Berkeley, CA and in Tokyo, Japan. We organized group exhibitions, figure drawing classes, and other local events. If you find a lack of art or art events in your community, band together with other creatives in your area to fill it. A group of artists aligned with a purpose can accomplish so much!
Finally, perseverance is vital for anyone who wants to achieve great things. In my artistic journey, I’ve received and continue to receive hundreds of rejections. Most artists will face tons of rejection throughout their career. It’s easier said than done, but I’ve had to learn to not take these rejections personally so that I can move past them and continue working. If you’ve built up a strong art community, you can find comfort in the fact that everyone experiences rejection and you’re not in this alone.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
Although it feels counter-intuitive, I think the best thing one can do when feeling overwhelmed is to slow down. As an artist with a day job, I often find myself overwhelmed managing multiple projects and competing priorities. When that happens, I take some space to breathe, write out and prioritize a to-do list, and make a manageable plan for accomplishing everything on it. In the past, I used to pull all-nighters to plow through projects when I was overwhelmed, but I found that I often made mistakes and produced sub-par work. Now, I prioritize my sleep and rest time during busy periods– even if it means pushing some deadlines back.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.katieyarnold.art/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katieyarnold/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YarnoldArt/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-yarnold/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@katieyarnold
Image Credits
Studio photos by Jonathan Botkin
