We recently connected with Wendy Michelle Davis and have shared our conversation below.
Wendy, 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.
Imposter Syndrome is a very real thing that many people deal with in different fields and in different ways. Honestly, I have dealt with it, not just as an artist, but as a teacher, a tennis player, a Christian, and in other areas of my life. We can feel like a foney, a fake, like we are just pretending at what we’re doing and before long, someone will find out and reveal to the world that we are not who we claim to be. I can’t say that I have fully mastered a way to not fall into this mindset at times, but I have learned that it truly is a lie. I am an artist! And when I fully embrace this and belive it I am typically the best version of myself and the best art flows out of me. This is because I am less concerned about what others are thinking of me and my work. In a sense, I am my truest self.
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?
Although I have been an artist since I can remember, I have spent most of my adult life working in other fields. I was under the misconception that it was not possible to make a living as a painter, mostly because people around me and the majority of society told me this was true. Just over two years ago I decided it was finally time to do what I have always wanted to do and launched out as a full time artist. It has been one of the best life decisions I’ve ever made. Can I just say to you, if you’re not doing what you love, what you’re passionate about, then find a way to do it. Don’t be like me and wait until you’re over 40 to make that change.
It has not been an easy road. It is a lot of work and there are definitely ups and downs, but it brings me tremendous joy to pursue my passion. And when we do what we love it’s infectious, right?
When I prep a canvas with black gesso as I mull over an image I plan to paint on it, there is a kind of excitement that wells up inside me, knowing that I have the opportunity to make something that no one else has brought into existence. I am a one-of-a-kind, made uniquely. As a result, each work of art I create is my own individual expression. And as ordinary acrylic paint transforms into the sole representation of my eye, my vision, my expression, it is as if a window to another world has been opened, and it is pure joy for me.
My aim when I make art is to capture moments, whether it’s a spot along a trail, a scene from travel, or close ups of fruit and florals. I am captivated by the ever-changing beauty of the natural world and it always kindles a desire in me to create. I will take photos, then bring them back to the studio to look over and select which ones to paint.
I think many artist wish they could simply stay in the studio and their art would sell itself. Wouldn’t that be nice? As a natural introvert it can be a bit daunting to have to be the business side to my art. I am the social media expert, the representative at art fairs, the teacher for workshops, the host of open studios, and art retreats. It can be exhausting, but it can also be wonderful to see first hand how people react to my work, and essentially, to me. Even when I am feeling a bit shy in certain situations, I make an effort to value each person I connect with whether they want to know more about my art or not. Sometimes it is knowing the artist that draws them into the art, and other times they are drawn into the art of its own accord. I always want to be as genuine as my art, since it is a likeness of myself.
If you head to my website you can subscribe to my email notifications which will keep you up to date on all that I am doing including art shows, painting workshops, artist retreats, and you will see what I am working on in the studio. Currently I’m preparing for an art retreat where we will be teaching acrylic painting and watercolor painting for the weekend of September 29th. It is always an amazing time of artist collaboration and community. I have more info and a sign up link on my website if you’re interested.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
In some ways I feel I am only at the start of my journey, especially if I look at it from a business standpoint. I have been painting for over 20 years, so my skills as an artist have certainly improved although I still have much to learn. One thing I have newly learned is not to hold on to my work so tightly, meaning don’t be so close to it that every opinion of it (or non-opinion) shapes my view of myself as an artist. It’s okay for people not to like it, or like it, or to think it’s priced too high, or whatever. It is good to get real feedback on my work, especially from others in the art world, but this feedback should not turn me or my art into something that it is not.
To other artist, or artists starting out, remember you are one person and you can only do so much in a day. It’s a good idea to have a plan, to set achievable goals, be disciplined about your practice and make time to create. There are so many different ways to make a living as an artist. Explore those different ways, and create multiple revenue streams from your art/skills. Learn from other artists and be in community. We need each other.
Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played an important role in your development?
I was given the book “Walking on Water ” by Madeline L’Engle about 15 years ago from a dear friend and artist mentor. For some reason I only read a bit of it and then it sat in a box for the past decade or so as I traveled, lived abroad and moved from house to house, It wasn’t until I settled into my current residence in Waco, Texas that I found this book again. I’m not joking when I tell you I almost felt it calling out to me from the box.
As a person whose faith is more important to me than anything, this book has been like balm to my artist-soul. L’Engle has a way of expressing the heart of the Creator and his call for us to create in union with him, in a way I have never heard it put before. She states, “Unless we are creators we are not fully alive.” This does not just mean artists. We are all given the ability to be creatives and for some this has not been activated since childhood. When we do create it can awaken such beautiful things.
I highly recommend this book!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.
wendymichelledavis.com/ - Instagram: Wendy Michelle Davis (@wendy_michelle_davis) … Instagram https://www.
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