We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Linda Lucas Hardy. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Linda (Lucas) below.
Linda (Lucas) , we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
My resilience comes from the love of what I do, as does my work ethic, my optimism, my purpose, my confidence and self-esteem. I get a great deal of satisfaction from what I do because I do it for me. If I were to lose focus and start panting solely for galleries or competitions, which is a never-ending balancing act, I’m sure I’d lose sight of why I do this in the first place and I doubt I would have the drive to continue.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am an artist whose first love is fine art. For me the most exciting thing is learning, which comes from exploring surfaces, light, shadow, shapes, values and colors, entwined with discovery, or solving a mystery if you will, and a challenge. But it’s always about the challenge! I equate it to solving a puzzle. I have in front of me an unblemished surface, usually white. My goal is to see if I can translate what I am seeing on to that surface using various shapes, values and colors with paint or pencils, depending on my medium of choice. I know ahead of time it’s going to be a struggle, invariably work, sometimes frustrating but always, and I do mean always, gratifying, and satisfying. If it’s pleasing to me overall when I have completed the piece, I feel it’s a job well done, never perfect, but well done. And if it’s not, I don’t allow myself to get stuck, because there will always be another challenge and a puzzle to solve.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I am an artist! There, I said it! But it wasn’t until I said it, that I actually became what I’d always longed to be. I think my greatest fault is the tendency to make things more difficult than they have to be. Early in my career I thought I needed something external, like an art degree, which I don’t have and a big studio, which I don’t have. After a while I realized I actually did have everything I needed, and that was what was within, mostly the love of what I do, but also desire, drive and determination. I’ve learned to make use of what I have and let nothing limit me. So, with patience, love and nurturing, my dream of ‘being an artist’ evolved into much more than I could have ever thought it would be, and good things, well, they just keep coming.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
In April of this year, I fell while doing a demonstration for an art league 60 miles from my home. I have no idea how or why I fell. Unfortunately, the fall resulted in a broken wrist and shoulder, which much to my dismay, required shoulder replacement surgery and five months of physical therapy. For the first time in my life, I was unable to do anything. At that point everything came to a standstill. Even though I found myself in an extremely difficult, and painful situation I refused to feel sorry for myself. For months my hand was stiff and swollen but I maintained a positive attitude and never entertained the thought that my life as an artist was over. I used my hand as much as I was able, which included meal preparation and cooking. With excellent therapy, and follow through at home, in time, I was able to do more and more. Four months later I was back at my drawing table but only for short periods. Eight months have passed since my unfortunate fall. My hand is still a little stiff but for the most part, I am able to do just about anything I want to do, including any and all of my artistic pursuits. I’d say that’s a win-win and a challenge revised!!!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lindalucashardy.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lindalucas.hardy
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boTp90nUhGQ
