Artistic Abundance
A collaboration between Melody Aminian and Ambar Ancira about the importance of Artistic Abundance as a mindset for artists of all kinds.
Ambar
There is always going to be a glass that is filled to the halfway point, and the two people who describe the glass in two very different ways. Is it half full, is it half empty? Is it the third person coming out of the shadows to say it is simply in the middle?
As an artist— or really in any area of work— it can be startling to be told that you are up “against” so many people doing the same thing as you are, relaying the same message or telling th same story. To be told that you are reaching for the same ray of light that someone else is reaching for and only one person will rosy their cheeks.
In reality, this is not the case. At all.
As a writer I have spent a lot of time thinking about my ray of light at the end of the tunnel and wondering if someone already beat me to it, or if I still have a chance to reach it when in reality — there is not a single ray but a sunny day.
For every reader there are dozens of favorite books, and for every city there are thousands of readers, so why should a writer think they are competing for a single pair of eyes?
The beauty of writing is that no matter who has told a similar story before, or expressed the same sentiments throughout their work, no one is you. We each have a unique voice, and an authentic way of expressing ourselves that someone out in the world is waiting to read.
We have to view our work as adding a new perspective, a new voice, and most importantly as carrying significance into the world. The more we believe in it, the more we will share it with the world, and the sooner someone out there who needed to hear what you have to say will find it and connect with it.
The narrow view that we are competing for a single audience closes us off to connecting with other artists and growing in our craft. When approaching the idea of sharing your work, always keep in mind that there is an abundance of space in the creative universe, an abundance of readers, viewers, listeners, just as we ourselves consume more than just one single view point, artist, or book.
Melody
Yes, I agree! For art, especially our appetite and consumption is boundless!
In any area of work, we all deal with over saturation. We worry and paralyze our creativity thinking that someone has already stolen and published our idea, style or thought.
When we put our art out in the world, it can feel redundant when someone else you know or follow has done something similar to you, but if you really think about it, you paralyzed by your own echo chamber of artists. Not everyone in the world is seeing the same thing.
Try navigating social media without following your fellow artists. Do you see anyone like you speaking on your experiences, what you find beautiful or insightful? Someone one day will come across your art and have a revelation. It could have been anyone. But it just so happened to be YOU.
Someone else across the country or even across oceans, may have said the same thing. Yet, you reached this audience. And this audience SUPPORTS YOU.
You have influence within your community. Your signature touch on things is worth sharing. Own it!
Don’t let fear of failure or success get in the way either. Stepping into the energy of worthiness is necessary to hold and cultivate success.
As a creative, an abundance mindset has been top of mind. How can we support each other in maintaining a positive mindset and caring about what thoughts we recycle daily?
Cognitive reframing and whole-heartedly believing in what messages you want to convey with your art will push you through doubts or any shame spiral. Your intuition and purpose will always find a way to interrupt your life and redirect you to the path you are meant for.
I’ve always known that the most expressive part of myself came through my writing. When it came to choosing a profession, I was tied between my journalism and graphic design courses. In the end, I was seduced by commercial art and wanted to keep writing a personal passion. Although I've kept a steady role in design and marketing, my real talent kept pushing onto the surface. And this moment came during the lockdown year of 2020.
I had a strong urge to share my poetry and life learnings publically. It was time. It came like a rush. And I’ve never stopped evolving since. The immediacy and importance of sharing my messages triumphed over any doubts or reservations. It’s when you’re carried on and hastened by destined forces that your drive for creation overpowers any inkling of a lack.
Ambar
As Melody said, it is important to consider– how can we support each other in maintaining a positive mindset and caring about what thoughts we recycle daily?
If we had sank into the competing for a single ray of light idea, we would have never collaborated on a post and had the opportunity to grow in our writing by challenging ourselves to work with another writer. Instead of perpetuating the idea that we are both competing for one audience because we are interested in writing about similar topics, we brought our heads together to write something far more insightful and we grew as writer.
Sharing your work with readers and sharing your ideas with writers is never going to be easy, but it is something you should push yourself towards in order to grow as an artist. Always keeping in mind that there is an abundance of space for both you and all other artists to reach the audience that is meant for you.
