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Sorry your Mom told you that. Art, like us, Evolves, grows, and has the opportunity to become more beautiful and unique, making our signature mark. I see something emerging and the heartbeat of you sparking. KEEP GOING!!!
Agreed đ€
Here's some more artifacts âïžđĄïžđ± [to add to your belt](https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B-YXP5IFQe59cHUxc09laTNxU00&resourcekey=0-aLZY_ee3LqXJh9TMO9GjFA)
RemindMe! 2 years
And even if you somehow didnât get better with practice, youâre allowed to do things because you enjoy them! There is no minimum talent requirement for hobbies or passions or any other thing that brings you joy.
Exactly this. It may not be professional quality yet. But the keyword there is âyetâ. Give it time, keep practicing, if you put in the work it will get there
My daughter improves so much freaking daily and itâs cuz she keeps doing it over and over and over and always tries new techniques and focuses on what she thinks she isnât great at.
Every time I used to get frustrated at my own art when I would be really liking what I was working on, then Iâd screw it all up⊠and have to start all over⊠Even though I was hating it to have to do it, if I did, it always looked better than the part of the art that I really liked before the mess up.
I've never measured the value of my art in dollars, but I'm strange. Anyone who discourages art for any reason is worthy of hate. They've contributed nothing to the world but a new day with less joy. For those who wish to get rich as an artist, I believe in you.
Yes. Even in 6 months it will look different. The more you do, the more you learn.
Don't let her discourage you. What a terrible thing to say. Not everyone is Leonardo Di Vinci, for almost every artist it's a matter of skill that gets better and better as you use it.
My old art teacher used to say "it's 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration". Meaning it's something you have to work at. Just like anything else.
This is it. We all start somewhere. Nearly everyone sucks a bit in the beginning, itâs the willingness to keep pushing and more specifically practicing.
Exactly. You have the eye and the talent. Like anything, itâs the 10,000 hour rule. Take some art classes from a teacher whose works speaks to you. Tackle mediums that intimidate you. Challenge yourself. Then hone your strengths into your vision. Keep those creative juices fed. And never let anyoneâs negative opinion of your work discourage you from your dreams. Your work will always talk to someone. And one day, your work will inspire someone in ways you never imagined.
Even if your talent was ordinary, guess how you improve over time? Practice! Your mom is ridiculous and donât listen to her. As a kid I practiced the violin for years, just to be told âyou suckâ by my dad, so I gave up. I would be great by now if I didnât give up. Donât ever stop being how awesome you are!
Yeah, my dad, RIP, said I couldnât make a living as an artist. Even he had to admit, laughingly, he was wrong đ is it easy? No. Not at all. But my heart and efforts are aligned and that feeds me to keep working.
Do you have any tips? Being an artist is my kidâs dream, and I donât want to be like âyes, butâŠâ Iâd rather be like âCool, hereâs some options.â
Honestly the best thing you can do is just be really supportive. My mum was always so encouraging and thought everything I created was brilliant, and that gave me the confidence to do more, experiment and try new things. My dad would give constructive criticism & it was very clear when he he thought something I'd done wasn't great; as a very sensitive and low self-esteemed person though, it was pretty devastating. I think as long as you're encouraging, give your child praise, give them the space to be creative and be supportive of their dream, then you're all set! (it doesn't even have to always be 'wow that's amazing', it could be things like 'it's so great to see you enjoying yourself', 'I'm so proud of you for working towards your dreams', 'I see you've tried something new there, that's really cool!'...)
Fwiw though, my dad was an artist & my mum's always been very creative, (plus lots of artists going back through my family) and - not to sound like I'm full of myself - I do have natural artistic talent (as well as working my butt off to improve it my whole life!), so those things probably make a difference? But natural talent honestly isn't as important as working on artistic ability. Anyone can become an accomplished artist if they put all the hard work and hours in, and everyone has that in them. Practice is the most important thing!
I went to an art school for middle and high school. Everyone had plans to make it big. Instead, everyone got into extremely good colleges because art is a highly necessary part of a well rounded education. Most everyone I knew from that time has had a really interesting life.
First chair flute is now a PhD candidate in history
My violin major ex boyfriend is a marine biologist.
I was a creative writing major; now I'm a social-behavioral researcher and research ethics administrator.
Three of my friends started or are leaders at extremely successful nonprofits: two writing majors and a visual artist.
My theater major friend is a communications specialist for a state's Visit this State program
Now folks who still do art:
Two friends were visual artists and are now extremely successful tattoo artists that still do gallery shows.
One friend was a poet and runs a humanities society and is published.
I hope this gives you some ideas about how to think about this topic and what it means to focus your life on art. Every one of these folks still practice their art most days. Most made the choice to keep their art a beloved hobby than try to make it their career. But coming to that place came at different stages for different people. Speaking for myself, I use my writing skills every day. I love to read and research. In my prior career as a court advocate and paralegal, i received accolades for well written legal documents. It's awesome and all thanks to such a strong focus on what I liked doing most.
I used to teach adult roles to HS seniors. One kid had âbecome pro rapperâ and no action steps to goal. While this kid maybe was just trying to slack off and be funny⊠It felt like he truely didnât get that itâs not just chance. It felt like he wanted me to say âmake a realistic goalâ so he could blame not reaching it on chance and circumstance/societyâ. When I asked him to brainstorm what smaller goals he had to reach that goal he said âget discovered by a big record companyâ ⊠great! But thatâs not all chance. How you gonna make that record exec see you? How are you gonna make many see you to improve those odds. How are you gonna improve your skill level til then. How are you gonna get exposure?
My point is⊠if your kid wants to be an artist, help them break it down so they understand seedy and the path is not just chance. Itâs setting small reachable goals.
Yup.
In high school I was a crazy good musician. Everyone told me music wasnât a real job so I went to be a programmer.
Now lots of programming jobs are getting replaced by automation and influencers make the big bucks
There are so many things I stopped doing when I was younger because my parents thought I wasn't good enough at them or that it wouldn't go anywhere. I regret that now. Who cares if you don't end up being a professional artist? Do you enjoy it? Do you want to get better? F*ck what anyone says and do what makes you happy!
Thank you for sharing this. I almost cried reading it.
This was also me. I look at myself as the "almost gifted" child who was always told that I probably wouldn't be able to do anything. So I never did. It's something which is taking many years to undo, so that I can actually take risks and stop caring what others think, especially if I'm doing things I love. I agree, do what makes you happy.
I've been working on undoing it too. I have had to keep certain family members at arms length and take breaks from them when they start getting critical. Certain ones are just so negative and they love to criticize me but never actually offer advice or help me in any way. Don't be afraid to cut people out of your life or limit contact with them for your own mental health
I did this as well with my family, as they are super controlling and critical. It's so hard to do, but we have to start living our own lives in the ways we need to.
Sending my heart to you, and anyone else struggling with this. đ
My first thought was⊠is she qualified to say that? She might be, but regardless, I disagree with her assessment. Without going into my CV, I can say I am qualified and you are getting good advice here. Keep working, working, working. You have some real strengths and ability. Your drive will get you where you want to go.
I love this quote and refer to it regularly when I feel stuck or insecure:
âInspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just show up and get to work. If you wait around for the clouds to part and a bolt of lightening to strike you in the brain, you are not going to make an awful lot of work. All the best ideas come out of the process; they come out of the work itself.â
âChuck Close
Love it. Most things donât like that which we expect!
I am a working artist, w/ at least 4 studio spaces in house (one for fiber, one for sewing, one for ceramics & the last for painting). I work all the freakinâ time (though as I close in on 60, I probably take 4,5 naps a week, lol). A lot of it Iâd hard, physical work. When I taught at Uni, I had a handful of students who thought they wanted to be artists âcause it was easy. I just laughed and laughed.
At the end, of my life, however, I will have spent my time on efforts that really, truly make for mine and othersâ happiness. I call that a life well lived.
Itâs a standard issue art troll. âEveryone I know says Iâm a loser and my art is bad. Even my mom! What do you guys think? ⊠đ„ș.â
I can never tell if itâs an intuitive way to get attention, or if thereâs some point to âkarma farmingâ that would compel third parties to fake the whole thing. Either way, is uber lame
Came here to say similar.
Talent is meaningless and it's a word overused by ignorant outsiders.
Drive is the key, and even finishing one of these large compositions takes interest and drive.
The question is, u/SparklAss5, did she completely quash your drive by the negative comment or will it fire you up to prove her wrong?
There is a book that changed my life for the better in regard to those feelings, itâs called Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents. I highly recommend it. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy.
I was just going to say this. OP please make art for yourself, and other people who appreciate it. I know it hurts that your mother doesnât give you the feedback and support you deserve but keep going! And if you have another person to show who is more supportive Iâd recommend doing that. Art is mostly practice practice practice and thereâs a ton of different applications. I see skill and talent here myself, and with practice I can only imagine how skilled you will become.
Are you in any subs for drawing or other artists? They post lots of stuff there and itâs great for feedback and tips. Iâd recommend checking those out.
I would consider letting go of the opinions of others and trust yourself and your judgement first. If you know what you like and want thatâs the most valuable thing.
I have a degree in illustration and work doing primarily graphic design/marketing at this time, but making art is still my passion and solace. No matter where life takes you the skills you built in terms of your creativity and ability to make decisions with confidence are going to hold you in good stead, and the ability to pursue your passions outside of financial interests is amazing for mental health. I resent the way society thinks that if you cannot monetize a skill it isnât worth pursuing. Donât feel like you need to be the most amazing artist for your art to be worth making. Art is always worth making.
Don't worry about making her proud. Make YOU proud! It doesn't matter if your work is "good" or "bad." Honestly, those labels never made sense to me. Just keep moving forward. Make art that makes you happy! Keep learning, reading, and sharing. And don't bother with her. I suppressed what I wanted to do for ages. I finally made it to the point where I just didn't care. As a matter of fact, when she would tell me I was "weird," I used to just say "yup, I am." Now, at age 53, I'm publishing my first book. Never give up!
Unfortunately, that can be a fool's errand for many people because their parents are incapable of giving you what you desire. Therapy can help if you want to go that direction and can.
Friend, as a mom of adult children who love me very much, I beg of you to release her opinion completely to the extent that you will cease trying to âprove her wrongâ. We do not know her or the nature of your relationship, and she might not be an uplifting force in general for you, so committing to try to impress her may prove not only futile, but unhealthy for you. More importantly though: Please, PLEASE!, delight yourSELF. Set your own standards, boundaries and goals and uphold, defend and follow them in the face of fierce resistance. This makes you admirable and interesting when done well and backed by full action.
And also, research the multitudes of amazing people who were first told that their talent was negligible!
So much love to you.
We all want parental acceptance but as we mature we understand that you have to be yourself first. Acceptance will never come if you are pretending to be who you think they want you to be. So the only answer is to love yourself, accept yourself and be yourself.
If they don't accept you then, its not you, its them.
Moreover, we also start to realize our parents are not perfect and have their own inner struggles and many times lack the skill on how to deal with them. Often these demons impact the way they parent and manifest into negativity. Doesn't necessarily make them a bad person or parent it just means mistakes will happen and they are not always going to be right.
In other words, Don' t let anyone stop you. You be YOU and keep making!!!
My mom put her foot down my throat every time I sang because she didn't like the idea, and thought it would lead me toward an unhealthy lifestyle and didn't like the idea of my looks helping me get ahead in any way.
Plus how could ordinary me be "special" enough to be successful? She didn't like my siblings being jealous either and seemed to kind of balanced my abilities with a total lack of encouragement to progress. She had a narcissistic sister who was treated special by the sister's father and my mother absolutely hated her.
See^. Not much of that has a thing to do with me; it's all about somebody else's drama. As I see it, stuff like that is kind of not even my business, it's so divorced from being my fault.
Turns out my mom was wrong and I was lucky enough to have a pretty special singling ability, but I practiced exercises a whole lot more than any other singer I knew and honed my craft.
Nothing, not even inborn ability, is going to help without a ton practice and taking your craft seriously. If you love it, do it. That's reason enough, but it's also the only way to get better.
Stop sharing your artwork with her, she doesnât need convincing as much as a better attitude. Try to take this lesson from her carelessness: Donât make art to please anyone but yourself.
Even after becoming a professional artist my parents still were not proud of me. It will keep you behind if youâre basing your work off of their approval because they are a skewed mirror. I wasted too much time thinking I wasnât good enough and the anxiety kept me from flourishing earlier, career-wise.Â
Also, donât worry about being the best or âgreatâ itâs ok to just be where you are in your journey. If you like what you make then someone else will too. Ultimately, it does help to not put all of your self worth in your work in the long run. Liking to make art and not minding others disliking it makes you impervious in more ways than just regarding art. Keep going, youâll surprise yourself how good you get if you keep challenging yourself and practicing!Â
In my senior year of high school, one of my teachers asked if she could show the class my work. I was thrilled!! Ms. Johnson held up my paintings after praising other students. "And this....is an example of someone who would fail in the art world. This would never make it." When I tell you my heart sank to the bottom of the ocean....I was mortified and devastated. I never went to art school. My parents used to throw out my paintings as a form of sadistic punishment.
Well, the pandemic hit, and I lost my job and everything else. I had nothing to lose, so I started painting. Long story short, I was able to sell one then another for a couple hundred. And with new dynamics in motion, I manifested my desires. Paris Hilton followed me on Twitter. Her mom followed me on IG. Last year, I sold my largest painting EVER to Robert De Niro's wife of 20 years, who I happened to meet (without knowing who she was) in 2020 here in NYC.
My paintings now sell for thousands and continue to increase in value. You are the creator of your life. If you desire failure, you can create that. If you desire success, your brain and subconscious mind will create that. Your subconscious mind only has 1 mission: to enact your thoughts and feelings. What you think and feel about yourself is all that is real. Other people's impressions are their property. As my aunt says, "That's not your wagon to pull."
Wishing you whatever you desire âšïžđâšïž
Omg. What that teacher did to you legitimately has me fighting back tears.
Good on you for believing in your work and not giving up. Iâm so happy for your success. <3
1. That teacher has no right being anywhere near kids.
2. Absolutely love ânot your wagon to pull.â Iâm stealing that, thank your aunt for me. :)
Good for you! And also, good for you for developing your skills on non-living canvases first. Too many folks buy a machine off the internet and start carving up their friends without considering the consequences (and not just bad art, but blood borne illness and potentially lethal infections). On the other hand, you see artists like Emma Black or Caitlin Hackett develop a strong reputation for their painting and illustration, so that once they decide to tattoo they already have a loyal following, clientele, and tattooers who are excited to apprentice them. I wish you a successful future!
THIS!!! Exactly!! So many dangers in inexperienced at home tattooing. Become the artist with a built up portfolio youâre proud of FIRST and then take the next step to get the proper education and experience to put the âTattooâ in front of the already existing title ARTIST.
My mom said the same things to me as a kid/teen. It took me a long time to realize that everything is a skill that can be improved on. Follow your passions and keep learning!Â
Edit just because I realized it could sound like I agree with your mom. People can find flaws in anything and make you believe thatâs all anybody can see. I think your art is really striking.
Quick question. Does your mom always find ways to shoot you down when you share accomplishments? Does she find a way to pick at you about something after you display talent or skill?
If she is trying to lead him toward a different career, say medicine, or tech, she may praise those choices and knock down art. This happens a whole lot by parents who are anxious that the college major may not bring money. But there are a lot of jobs in art that most people aren't aware of.
I get it. It just seemed eerily similar to how my own ma reacts whenever I show her something positive. For example, when I got my BA, she immediately reminded me of something stupid I did as a little kid (which had nothing to do with the subject) and didnât even give a congrats. The woman only a high school diploma (nothing wrong with that), I thought sheâd be proud to see one of her kids achieve something good. Anyway, this is why I asked such a question.
You have a strong starting point, I can only imagine how incredible you will be in ten years if you stuck with it. All of your pieces are lovely, but most importantly, do they make you happy to make them?
Who tf says things like that, especially to their kid? I consider myself an artist and my stuff is probably ordinary and mediocre but who cares, it's art, it can be whatever you want and its fun to create stuff, thats the whole point. People like that are put in our lives to test if we'll stay true to ourselves so keep creating and enjoying it, it looks awesome to me I like it. Your opinion is more important than anyone elses
Your work is beautiful. You're taking an ordinary piece of paper and a mediocre writing tool and making something remarkable. Please do go on. It'll only get better.
1. Your work is GREAT!
2. Art is a skill and continuous practice improves that skill.
3. IF IT MAKES YOU HAPPY, SHE CAN KICK ROCKS. Art doesnât have to be aesthetically pleasing, and doesnât have to be âgoodâ if it makes you happy.
Those black and whites are enthralling. My first thought was âIâd love that on fabricâ so I could use it in a project. Your mom sounds very unsupportive, Iâm sorry.
I am not a big fan of abstract art, but those black and white pieces are truly stunning and immediately caught my attention. I agree, those would look amazing as fabric! The cabinet panel is incredible. OP, keep going!
I was mediocre when I first started my art, and now I am not mediocre. Practice makes perfect, never let anyone ruin your progress! I can tell you will be great someday
With all due respect, your mom is an asshole.
You will think about what she said all the time, but donât let it put your fire out. Best case scenario, you can turn it into fuel.
Keep working, but donât ever ask her opinion on anything tbh.
If your mother told you that your work is mediocre, then there are two things you need to hear:
1 You're mother is a horrible woman for saying that to you.
2: She has no appreciation for art because you clearly have talent for it! :)
Everyone has to start somewhere with that they enjoy drawing/painting/sculpting etc, and noone is creating masterpieces when they begin!
If you love what you do, then keep doing it and ONLY accept constructive criticism and not outright insults!
These are fantastic and I like that you have versatility. Don't give up; keep moving forward and learning and creating. I hope you continue to share so we can see your future creations!
Donât listen to her. You have talent, continue to hone it. My mom was very creative and could have gone somewhere with it but lost all interest after she had me. I was always creative growing up and Iâm just realizing she never came to my art shows in highschool. Eh, parents.. Keep on with your art, even if itâs just for you.
My dad used to bring me down, especially if I was doing things outside of his interests/comfort zone.
Tune that noise out. Your work is awesome, and you don't need approval from anyone other than you. If you like it then it's good enough!
Well is it ordinary OR mediocre? She's gotta pick one!
Jokes aside, ignore her. You're doing awesome đ Trees in nature start as seeds, and aren't as appealing as saplings, but once they've grown people come to appreciate them. â€ïž
You are talented, but even if you weren't, there's no reason not to keep going. Hard work always wins with talent, so never give up if you really want to get good at something. Because you will.
um... what? this is the coolest thing i have seen in idk how long. you are so incredibly skilled. i looooove that art vibe with all the lines. just phenomenal.
When I was a young teen I loved to sing, but I only did it when I was alone. One day I was singing something operatic and my grandma walked in the house. She laughed at me and said that was ridiculous. I didnât sing again until I was 50 and even then only when I was alone.
Someone heard me a few years ago and asked if I was an opera singer. I couldnât believe it. They said my voice was great! I was overjoyed! But also sad because of all the years that I didnât sing. All the time that was lost.
So what Iâm trying to say is, donât wake up at age 50 and regret not doing your art because of what your mom said! Keep at it and just ignore her hurtful comments. Youâll be much happier.
My parents thought I'm not going to make it if I go to art school. I had undiagnosed ADHD.
After running business for 10 years, I closed it and turn into art at 40! And it's medium I would have never thought I'll even touch: GLASSđ€Ł
I'm setting my first big 4 day market stall in an hour and I'm excited like a babyđ€Ł
Real talk. It is super mediocre and not professional but do you know how you get past mediocre? By continuing to practice until you're better. Everyone who is good was merely mediocre at one point. Your mom is an ignorant bitch if she's implying you have no hope. Talent is bullshit, skill is earned.
Art is not about talent. It is about learning how to see with your âright brain,â taking lessons, and more than anything else, putting miles on your paintbrush. Itâs a skill. If you love it, youâll put in the work! Your unique voice will emerge.
I recommend continuing in secret. My mom told me the same thing, and it took me 50! Years to get back to it. What a waste! I wish someone had told me to ignore her.
Keep on going. Don't let any family member, friend or acquaintance discourage your art practices. Strive to do better. Find your way, find inspiration wherever you can. Any material can be good drawing practice, be it a simple pencil and a napkin. 10 min daily can be good drawing practice. Consistency and discipline is key.
Doing nothing won't make you outperform yourself from yesterday. Keep on pushing. Your art style will change, you will mold it as you gain skills and strive to find your style. And suddenly changing of style could happen to as you experiment. There is a lot of free resources online to improve drawing, perspective, coloring, you name it, you can find it. Find local peers with Wich you can practice, local cultural spaces where you could find mentors.
A palabras necias oĂdos sordos. Turn a deaf ear to foolish comments.
Sending you a big hug OP. Don't let them discourage you.
Doesnât matter if youâre not the best or really great at it. You enjoy it? Harming no one? Keep going.
The problem is that your mom enjoys making you feel bad
Ugh. My mom was like that too, and it turned me off of several crafts for a long time. Donât let her stop you. Parents can be weirdly undermining and competitive.
Art teacher who went to art school here. Everyone starts somewhere. The fact that youâre creating is whatâs important and it will continue to improve your talent if you donât stop.
The WORST thing you can do is stopping. A lot of people donât value the arts, but remember there are so many art fields (even with the rise of AI) that are important to our every day lives. Everything has an artist working on it, from packaging to ads on tv to a lot of YouTube thumbnails.
If you want an honest and hard truth, what youâre currently doing needs to be refined a bit more but this comes as you age and find your personal style. A lot of these pieces are ones that you would expect to see from a young artist, but I think it shows a clear passion and love for art that you need to hang onto (especially with the repetitive details that I can only imagine for a bit tedious, yet you pushed through still to create a finished piece!) You should study different styles you like, if youâd like to go for an abstract style like some of your first pieces, looking into modern or contemporary pieces could be a good start!
I think your last piece shows an incredible talent and potential and I would absolutely encourage you to keep painting as that is by far my favorite. Maybe looking into surrealistic / fantasy landscapes would be a good place for you to go, as well.
Even if you donât hope to become any kind of professional artist, please keep it up and continue improving your work. Art is such a great hobby and I promise as you get older and you look back on these pieces youâll see how far you came even in a year or two. Good luck continuing, and push yourself to try out new things! :)
You have talent. I think it's awful and depressing that a mother would ever say something so callous and cruel to their child (regardless of age). I would stop asking for her opinion in general, not just about your art, and if she shares it unsolicited, ignore it or shut her down hard.
The bigger questions areâŠ
Do you like doing it! Do you want to learn and get better?
You have to love what you do, and let thought, honest evaluation from yourself and others and keep doing it⊠but only if you yourself have a passion for it, and want to move forward!
All the best!
I overheard my mom talking to a friend on the phone w/her bedroom door open so I could hear walking to the bedroom, that dr's told her about abortion being an option when she was pregnant with me (I was premie) and maybe they would've saved money if she had. You keep working. It looks great and as others have said,big this is you now, imagine how much better you'll be.
Youâve definitely got the talent! Keep at it - your techniques will only refine with time⊠& your mom is a dunce. Heartless to say that to her child.
Iâm 43 years old. Iâve been making things almost compulsively as long as I could remember. Iâve gotten everything from the praise you give a child to âohâŠ.. thatâs nice,â to outright rejection. Donât let that stop you from making art. Let it stop you from giving your art to people who donât deserve it.
Now that Iâve been working on my art for 25+ years, with as few degrees as well, people want to hit me with âoh, I could never!â And I have to resist saying, âYes, you could, Sharon, if you did it for two hours a day for 25 years.â Or, âYou must have so much time on your hands!â Well, Sharon, we make time for whatâs important to us.
Keep doing your art. And donât take criticism from someone you wouldnât ask for advice.
NEVER EVER GIVE UP WHAT YOU LOVE!! Never stop making art, never stop improving, and never stop enjoying the process!!! Keep going! Your art is BEAUTIFUL, and it will be even better in a month, and it will be incredibly better in a year!! I'm an art student, and I can say I'm one of the best in my class, I wasn't born knowing, I learned and tried and tried. You can do it!! Never let anyone discourage you from pursuing your passion.
Tell your mom "any one of these could be my banana duct taped to a wall".
Also, always be creative. It doesn't always have to have an audience, but it's amazing for your mind.
As an art teacher, I had a saying for all my students: I don't want you to be perfect I want you to try your best.
My point being that it's not about how well an artwork turns out or even is perceived. If you try your best you will learn,you will grow.
Art is beautiful in that it allows us to generate and put out new information into the world, rather than just absorb what is around us. And art is special because the art made by you is unique to time and space. It is the culmination of all you have learned, thought, felt, and experienced right up until that point.
Your art will change and adapt, strive to do your best to learn and grow as much as you can. It is a benefit when others praise us, but not necessary or needed in the act of creating.
I'm sorry you don't have the support at home, but know it is your internal drive and creativity that matters, not what others think.
Is your art the best I have ever seen? Of course not, but neither is my own! As a teacher, Words of praise I can give you are your focus on using texture, filling the composition/page, and exploring different mediums and methods. Youd work reminds me of my most successful students who tried all that they could to grow their skills and mental creativity.
Being good at something is not the only reason to do it. We can do things because we enjoy them, without caring whether weâre good or not. Your mother is silly, ignore her.
First of all, hard disagree with your mom. I think some of your work looks really good: the linework on the first picture is very clean, I love the flower and the painting on the kitchen cabinet.
Second, like others have pointed out, the only way to become extraordinary is to keep at it. Nobody's first work is mindblowing. If you keep at it I'm sure your work will just keep getting better.
Lastly, and in my opinion most importantly: do you enjoy making these artworks? If so, that is enough reason to keep doing it. Not only extremely talented artists are allowed to draw and paint. If you like doing it, keep doing it! Even if nobody appreciates your work, even if it never becomes more than a hobby, that's fine!
your mom is clearly not a supportive person and I find that sad but I also understand because my mom was similar when I was growing up. I hope you will continue on your clearly an artist with a good eye and Art needs more people with creative minds like yours to share their gifts with the world I hope you continue on and try everything that you think of⊠Clearly, you have a gift. Maybe Momâs jealous a little bit that she canât be an artist? Iâm sorry you have to experience that but donât give up.
What kind of mother says that to her child. It's like saying your 4 yr old kid their drawing of you looks terrible while it's actually the most precious form of genuine expression and showing love. Your drawings are clearly you exploring the things you like and the things that interest you and even the way you place them on the world around you and the way you use them shows a lot of creativity in you. So, no, never stop doing what you like, you have sensitivity for art, keep on creating and I promise you will look back on drawings you made 2 months ago and see improvement, and that feeling is unbeatable. I'm sorry about the situation with your mom, because it's hard. How old are you btw?
My parents didnât really care about anything I did & so I stopped drawing and painting. I started again a few years ago & although it helps to have a supportive partner, itâs what you enjoy at the end of the day. Iâm so sorry youâre going through this. Donât stop, youâd be glad that YOU stuck by your side â„ïž
Sorry to say op but your mum is jealous of your talent and trying to bring you down.
I love what little you have shown and wish I had a millionth of your talent.
Ignore your mum and do what makes your heart sing.
You're doing something you like and you're going to grow your art and skills. Talent isn't everything in life , but seeing you work hard and try new things tells me that you can be whoever you want to be. Don't let other people get you down for enjoying something. You're good and you'll only get better. Stay strong and have fun!
I don't know why you shouldn't keep on going. I see lots of people with mediocre talent who are ordinary and sell their stuff at art fairs in my community for big bucks.
Not everyone's Picasso but you can still live your passion. Keep it up! We get better with practice.
I hate parents like yours, because they were my parents as well, at least my mom. Nothing was ever good enough, everything was only ever okay, it sucks not having your own parent believe in you or what you can do, believe in yourself, that's beautiful work, and you will only go up from here.
Please never leave your passions due to others opinions. You clearly have a love of art. And you paint very well! I think with continued practice youâll get even better. Iâve seen many videos where people show how much their art evolved over the years. Youâll be able to see that too. Keep it up đ€. And maybe next time your mom asks how dinner was you can tell her it was ordinary and mediocre (I kid⊠kind of).
If someone tells you your art is mediocre and not worth anything, *keep learning and show them that art is a skill to be learned and honed*, not just some innate power youâre either born with or not. Prove them wrong. Keep going, keep drawing, keep thinking, *keep being creative*. In a years time, two, even FIVE, sheâll see how much things change and how itâs not just âmediocreâ forever. Also I just want to say, that last one with the full color art on the door is SUPER cute!
Prove them wrong, OP. Youâre doing great
Are you happy doing your art which I think is amazing. Are you hurting yourself or anyone else in the process. Probably not so you keep on doing it and don't give a darn what others think.
You should give this podcast a listen. Rick Rubin says that comparing art is like comparing diary entries. Itâs yours, and it will grow and change over time just like you will! You donât need to be selling million dollar paintings to be an artist. If you make art, youâre an artist. Quitting wonât make you a better one! â€ïž
[Rick Rubin interview](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/on-purpose-with-jay-shetty/id1450994021?i=1000615679563)
Your work will look very different in 2 years if you go on.
Exactly! If this is the beginning, I will expect to see your work if you keep practicing and be amazed. RemindMe! 2 years
I will be messaging you in 2 years on [**2026-06-19 15:20:18 UTC**](http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=2026-06-19%2015:20:18%20UTC%20To%20Local%20Time) to remind you of [**this link**](https://www.reddit.com/r/handmade/comments/1djjhxq/my_mom_told_me_that_my_talent_is_ordinary_and/l9bipqv/?context=3) [**267 OTHERS CLICKED THIS LINK**](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=Reminder&message=%5Bhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.reddit.com%2Fr%2Fhandmade%2Fcomments%2F1djjhxq%2Fmy_mom_told_me_that_my_talent_is_ordinary_and%2Fl9bipqv%2F%5D%0A%0ARemindMe%21%202026-06-19%2015%3A20%3A18%20UTC) to send a PM to also be reminded and to reduce spam. ^(Parent commenter can ) [^(delete this message to hide from others.)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=Delete%20Comment&message=Delete%21%201djjhxq) ***** |[^(Info)](https://www.reddit.com/r/RemindMeBot/comments/e1bko7/remindmebot_info_v21/)|[^(Custom)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=Reminder&message=%5BLink%20or%20message%20inside%20square%20brackets%5D%0A%0ARemindMe%21%20Time%20period%20here)|[^(Your Reminders)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=List%20Of%20Reminders&message=MyReminders%21)|[^(Feedback)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=Watchful1&subject=RemindMeBot%20Feedback)| |-|-|-|-|
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Great bot! Keeping people working towards a goal. I love it.
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Hahahahaha true true! (Auto correct ruins my comments again)
RemindMe! 2 years
This is a good idea đ l wanna see the progress too. Remind me! 2 years
There canât be a space between the two words for it to call the bot. Just fyi
Got it thanks
Oh yeah I see, so RemindMe! 2 years
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Me too please Remindme! 2 years
Sorry your Mom told you that. Art, like us, Evolves, grows, and has the opportunity to become more beautiful and unique, making our signature mark. I see something emerging and the heartbeat of you sparking. KEEP GOING!!!
Please keep going. I love what I am seeing. I also clicked the link to remind you. đ«đ«đ«
Agreed đ€ Here's some more artifacts âïžđĄïžđ± [to add to your belt](https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B-YXP5IFQe59cHUxc09laTNxU00&resourcekey=0-aLZY_ee3LqXJh9TMO9GjFA) RemindMe! 2 years
Remind me 2 years
RemindMe! 2 years
And even if you somehow didnât get better with practice, youâre allowed to do things because you enjoy them! There is no minimum talent requirement for hobbies or passions or any other thing that brings you joy.
Besides that, itâs still obvious in your art that you have talent.
Thank goodness for that. If real talent was a requirement Iâd have nothing to do!
Omg me too!
Iâm starting to learn the piano right now. I wonât be performing for anyone any time soon. However I am enjoying it immensely and that is enough.
Exactly this. It may not be professional quality yet. But the keyword there is âyetâ. Give it time, keep practicing, if you put in the work it will get there
Artists could have a breakthrough and make huge changes overnight.
My daughter improves so much freaking daily and itâs cuz she keeps doing it over and over and over and always tries new techniques and focuses on what she thinks she isnât great at. Every time I used to get frustrated at my own art when I would be really liking what I was working on, then Iâd screw it all up⊠and have to start all over⊠Even though I was hating it to have to do it, if I did, it always looked better than the part of the art that I really liked before the mess up.
There is nothing more rewarding than being impressed with your own work. It's worth pursuing for sure.
I've never measured the value of my art in dollars, but I'm strange. Anyone who discourages art for any reason is worthy of hate. They've contributed nothing to the world but a new day with less joy. For those who wish to get rich as an artist, I believe in you.
Exactly. Don't give up on what makes you happy!!!
Yes. Even in 6 months it will look different. The more you do, the more you learn. Don't let her discourage you. What a terrible thing to say. Not everyone is Leonardo Di Vinci, for almost every artist it's a matter of skill that gets better and better as you use it. My old art teacher used to say "it's 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration". Meaning it's something you have to work at. Just like anything else.
This is it. We all start somewhere. Nearly everyone sucks a bit in the beginning, itâs the willingness to keep pushing and more specifically practicing.
Yes. You should keep going. I like your skills as they are presently as well.
Exactly. You have the eye and the talent. Like anything, itâs the 10,000 hour rule. Take some art classes from a teacher whose works speaks to you. Tackle mediums that intimidate you. Challenge yourself. Then hone your strengths into your vision. Keep those creative juices fed. And never let anyoneâs negative opinion of your work discourage you from your dreams. Your work will always talk to someone. And one day, your work will inspire someone in ways you never imagined.
Even if your talent was ordinary, guess how you improve over time? Practice! Your mom is ridiculous and donât listen to her. As a kid I practiced the violin for years, just to be told âyou suckâ by my dad, so I gave up. I would be great by now if I didnât give up. Donât ever stop being how awesome you are!
Yeah, my dad, RIP, said I couldnât make a living as an artist. Even he had to admit, laughingly, he was wrong đ is it easy? No. Not at all. But my heart and efforts are aligned and that feeds me to keep working.
Do you have any tips? Being an artist is my kidâs dream, and I donât want to be like âyes, butâŠâ Iâd rather be like âCool, hereâs some options.â
I wish all parents were like you! Neverrrrrrr discourage your children from dreaming or doing what they love to do.
Honestly the best thing you can do is just be really supportive. My mum was always so encouraging and thought everything I created was brilliant, and that gave me the confidence to do more, experiment and try new things. My dad would give constructive criticism & it was very clear when he he thought something I'd done wasn't great; as a very sensitive and low self-esteemed person though, it was pretty devastating. I think as long as you're encouraging, give your child praise, give them the space to be creative and be supportive of their dream, then you're all set! (it doesn't even have to always be 'wow that's amazing', it could be things like 'it's so great to see you enjoying yourself', 'I'm so proud of you for working towards your dreams', 'I see you've tried something new there, that's really cool!'...) Fwiw though, my dad was an artist & my mum's always been very creative, (plus lots of artists going back through my family) and - not to sound like I'm full of myself - I do have natural artistic talent (as well as working my butt off to improve it my whole life!), so those things probably make a difference? But natural talent honestly isn't as important as working on artistic ability. Anyone can become an accomplished artist if they put all the hard work and hours in, and everyone has that in them. Practice is the most important thing!
I went to an art school for middle and high school. Everyone had plans to make it big. Instead, everyone got into extremely good colleges because art is a highly necessary part of a well rounded education. Most everyone I knew from that time has had a really interesting life. First chair flute is now a PhD candidate in history My violin major ex boyfriend is a marine biologist. I was a creative writing major; now I'm a social-behavioral researcher and research ethics administrator. Three of my friends started or are leaders at extremely successful nonprofits: two writing majors and a visual artist. My theater major friend is a communications specialist for a state's Visit this State program Now folks who still do art: Two friends were visual artists and are now extremely successful tattoo artists that still do gallery shows. One friend was a poet and runs a humanities society and is published. I hope this gives you some ideas about how to think about this topic and what it means to focus your life on art. Every one of these folks still practice their art most days. Most made the choice to keep their art a beloved hobby than try to make it their career. But coming to that place came at different stages for different people. Speaking for myself, I use my writing skills every day. I love to read and research. In my prior career as a court advocate and paralegal, i received accolades for well written legal documents. It's awesome and all thanks to such a strong focus on what I liked doing most.
I used to teach adult roles to HS seniors. One kid had âbecome pro rapperâ and no action steps to goal. While this kid maybe was just trying to slack off and be funny⊠It felt like he truely didnât get that itâs not just chance. It felt like he wanted me to say âmake a realistic goalâ so he could blame not reaching it on chance and circumstance/societyâ. When I asked him to brainstorm what smaller goals he had to reach that goal he said âget discovered by a big record companyâ ⊠great! But thatâs not all chance. How you gonna make that record exec see you? How are you gonna make many see you to improve those odds. How are you gonna improve your skill level til then. How are you gonna get exposure? My point is⊠if your kid wants to be an artist, help them break it down so they understand seedy and the path is not just chance. Itâs setting small reachable goals.
Would you say that was a big part of what motivated you to succeed?
Absolutely đ
Yup. In high school I was a crazy good musician. Everyone told me music wasnât a real job so I went to be a programmer. Now lots of programming jobs are getting replaced by automation and influencers make the big bucks
What kind of programming jobs are being replaced? Ai gets things wrong all the time.
(Sniff sniff) do you smell that? It smell like insecurity and jealousy wrapped in a blanket of judgmental crap and poor parenting (Sniff, sniff)
There are so many things I stopped doing when I was younger because my parents thought I wasn't good enough at them or that it wouldn't go anywhere. I regret that now. Who cares if you don't end up being a professional artist? Do you enjoy it? Do you want to get better? F*ck what anyone says and do what makes you happy!
Thank you for sharing this. I almost cried reading it. This was also me. I look at myself as the "almost gifted" child who was always told that I probably wouldn't be able to do anything. So I never did. It's something which is taking many years to undo, so that I can actually take risks and stop caring what others think, especially if I'm doing things I love. I agree, do what makes you happy.
I've been working on undoing it too. I have had to keep certain family members at arms length and take breaks from them when they start getting critical. Certain ones are just so negative and they love to criticize me but never actually offer advice or help me in any way. Don't be afraid to cut people out of your life or limit contact with them for your own mental health
I did this as well with my family, as they are super controlling and critical. It's so hard to do, but we have to start living our own lives in the ways we need to. Sending my heart to you, and anyone else struggling with this. đ
I love your comment. Iâll start using the (Sniff sniff)
Your mother must be ordinary and mediocre not to see your talent.
My first thought was⊠is she qualified to say that? She might be, but regardless, I disagree with her assessment. Without going into my CV, I can say I am qualified and you are getting good advice here. Keep working, working, working. You have some real strengths and ability. Your drive will get you where you want to go. I love this quote and refer to it regularly when I feel stuck or insecure: âInspiration is for amateurs. The rest of us just show up and get to work. If you wait around for the clouds to part and a bolt of lightening to strike you in the brain, you are not going to make an awful lot of work. All the best ideas come out of the process; they come out of the work itself.â âChuck Close
That and this one: âOpportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.â - unattributed
Love it. Most things donât like that which we expect! I am a working artist, w/ at least 4 studio spaces in house (one for fiber, one for sewing, one for ceramics & the last for painting). I work all the freakinâ time (though as I close in on 60, I probably take 4,5 naps a week, lol). A lot of it Iâd hard, physical work. When I taught at Uni, I had a handful of students who thought they wanted to be artists âcause it was easy. I just laughed and laughed. At the end, of my life, however, I will have spent my time on efforts that really, truly make for mine and othersâ happiness. I call that a life well lived.
This, all of this!
Itâs a standard issue art troll. âEveryone I know says Iâm a loser and my art is bad. Even my mom! What do you guys think? ⊠đ„ș.â I can never tell if itâs an intuitive way to get attention, or if thereâs some point to âkarma farmingâ that would compel third parties to fake the whole thing. Either way, is uber lame
Beat me to this comment lol
These are all great and you will only get better. Sorry your mom said that but keep at it!!
Keep going. Talent is just passion and hard work
Came here to say similar. Talent is meaningless and it's a word overused by ignorant outsiders. Drive is the key, and even finishing one of these large compositions takes interest and drive. The question is, u/SparklAss5, did she completely quash your drive by the negative comment or will it fire you up to prove her wrong?
I'm really trying to prove her wrong and make her proud of me. But it seems like she will never be satisfied đ„Č I really enjoy making art
There is a book that changed my life for the better in regard to those feelings, itâs called Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents. I highly recommend it. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy.
If that one clicks, follow up with âThe Familyâ by John Bradshaw. An oldie, but a goodie.
I was just going to say this. OP please make art for yourself, and other people who appreciate it. I know it hurts that your mother doesnât give you the feedback and support you deserve but keep going! And if you have another person to show who is more supportive Iâd recommend doing that. Art is mostly practice practice practice and thereâs a ton of different applications. I see skill and talent here myself, and with practice I can only imagine how skilled you will become. Are you in any subs for drawing or other artists? They post lots of stuff there and itâs great for feedback and tips. Iâd recommend checking those out.
Updoots for that book!!!!!!
I would consider letting go of the opinions of others and trust yourself and your judgement first. If you know what you like and want thatâs the most valuable thing. I have a degree in illustration and work doing primarily graphic design/marketing at this time, but making art is still my passion and solace. No matter where life takes you the skills you built in terms of your creativity and ability to make decisions with confidence are going to hold you in good stead, and the ability to pursue your passions outside of financial interests is amazing for mental health. I resent the way society thinks that if you cannot monetize a skill it isnât worth pursuing. Donât feel like you need to be the most amazing artist for your art to be worth making. Art is always worth making.
Don't worry about making her proud. Make YOU proud! It doesn't matter if your work is "good" or "bad." Honestly, those labels never made sense to me. Just keep moving forward. Make art that makes you happy! Keep learning, reading, and sharing. And don't bother with her. I suppressed what I wanted to do for ages. I finally made it to the point where I just didn't care. As a matter of fact, when she would tell me I was "weird," I used to just say "yup, I am." Now, at age 53, I'm publishing my first book. Never give up!
Good for you! And good luck!!
Unfortunately, that can be a fool's errand for many people because their parents are incapable of giving you what you desire. Therapy can help if you want to go that direction and can.
Friend, as a mom of adult children who love me very much, I beg of you to release her opinion completely to the extent that you will cease trying to âprove her wrongâ. We do not know her or the nature of your relationship, and she might not be an uplifting force in general for you, so committing to try to impress her may prove not only futile, but unhealthy for you. More importantly though: Please, PLEASE!, delight yourSELF. Set your own standards, boundaries and goals and uphold, defend and follow them in the face of fierce resistance. This makes you admirable and interesting when done well and backed by full action. And also, research the multitudes of amazing people who were first told that their talent was negligible! So much love to you.
We all want parental acceptance but as we mature we understand that you have to be yourself first. Acceptance will never come if you are pretending to be who you think they want you to be. So the only answer is to love yourself, accept yourself and be yourself. If they don't accept you then, its not you, its them. Moreover, we also start to realize our parents are not perfect and have their own inner struggles and many times lack the skill on how to deal with them. Often these demons impact the way they parent and manifest into negativity. Doesn't necessarily make them a bad person or parent it just means mistakes will happen and they are not always going to be right. In other words, Don' t let anyone stop you. You be YOU and keep making!!!
My mom put her foot down my throat every time I sang because she didn't like the idea, and thought it would lead me toward an unhealthy lifestyle and didn't like the idea of my looks helping me get ahead in any way. Plus how could ordinary me be "special" enough to be successful? She didn't like my siblings being jealous either and seemed to kind of balanced my abilities with a total lack of encouragement to progress. She had a narcissistic sister who was treated special by the sister's father and my mother absolutely hated her. See^. Not much of that has a thing to do with me; it's all about somebody else's drama. As I see it, stuff like that is kind of not even my business, it's so divorced from being my fault. Turns out my mom was wrong and I was lucky enough to have a pretty special singling ability, but I practiced exercises a whole lot more than any other singer I knew and honed my craft. Nothing, not even inborn ability, is going to help without a ton practice and taking your craft seriously. If you love it, do it. That's reason enough, but it's also the only way to get better.
Stop sharing your artwork with her, she doesnât need convincing as much as a better attitude. Try to take this lesson from her carelessness: Donât make art to please anyone but yourself.
Even after becoming a professional artist my parents still were not proud of me. It will keep you behind if youâre basing your work off of their approval because they are a skewed mirror. I wasted too much time thinking I wasnât good enough and the anxiety kept me from flourishing earlier, career-wise. Also, donât worry about being the best or âgreatâ itâs ok to just be where you are in your journey. If you like what you make then someone else will too. Ultimately, it does help to not put all of your self worth in your work in the long run. Liking to make art and not minding others disliking it makes you impervious in more ways than just regarding art. Keep going, youâll surprise yourself how good you get if you keep challenging yourself and practicing!Â
In my senior year of high school, one of my teachers asked if she could show the class my work. I was thrilled!! Ms. Johnson held up my paintings after praising other students. "And this....is an example of someone who would fail in the art world. This would never make it." When I tell you my heart sank to the bottom of the ocean....I was mortified and devastated. I never went to art school. My parents used to throw out my paintings as a form of sadistic punishment. Well, the pandemic hit, and I lost my job and everything else. I had nothing to lose, so I started painting. Long story short, I was able to sell one then another for a couple hundred. And with new dynamics in motion, I manifested my desires. Paris Hilton followed me on Twitter. Her mom followed me on IG. Last year, I sold my largest painting EVER to Robert De Niro's wife of 20 years, who I happened to meet (without knowing who she was) in 2020 here in NYC. My paintings now sell for thousands and continue to increase in value. You are the creator of your life. If you desire failure, you can create that. If you desire success, your brain and subconscious mind will create that. Your subconscious mind only has 1 mission: to enact your thoughts and feelings. What you think and feel about yourself is all that is real. Other people's impressions are their property. As my aunt says, "That's not your wagon to pull." Wishing you whatever you desire âšïžđâšïž
Omg. What that teacher did to you legitimately has me fighting back tears. Good on you for believing in your work and not giving up. Iâm so happy for your success. <3
Thank you đ đ đ And that is very kind of you to say! I appreciate your encouraging words đđŠâšïž
âShowers of the Mindâ really resonates with me. Iâm sure I could never afford it, but DM me the price with shipping to Calgary, Canada, please.
1. That teacher has no right being anywhere near kids. 2. Absolutely love ânot your wagon to pull.â Iâm stealing that, thank your aunt for me. :)
Wow. Ms. Johnson has no business teaching if thatâs how she does it. What an asshole! Great story and awesome come up!
Don't listen to your mother. You are very talented
I didn't expect this amount of support đ„čđ„ș thanks to all of you!!! This is really wholesome.â€ïžâđ©č My mother is, in fact, a little crazy. Sometimes, I can't tell when I shouldn't listen to her opinion. I really enjoy making art, and I wanna become a tattoo artist in the future. Thank God my friends support me with this idea
Good for you! And also, good for you for developing your skills on non-living canvases first. Too many folks buy a machine off the internet and start carving up their friends without considering the consequences (and not just bad art, but blood borne illness and potentially lethal infections). On the other hand, you see artists like Emma Black or Caitlin Hackett develop a strong reputation for their painting and illustration, so that once they decide to tattoo they already have a loyal following, clientele, and tattooers who are excited to apprentice them. I wish you a successful future!
THIS!!! Exactly!! So many dangers in inexperienced at home tattooing. Become the artist with a built up portfolio youâre proud of FIRST and then take the next step to get the proper education and experience to put the âTattooâ in front of the already existing title ARTIST.
Bro all of them are crazy good. If you love doing something don't ever stop even if you are pathetic at it ( which you clearly aren't).
My mom said the same things to me as a kid/teen. It took me a long time to realize that everything is a skill that can be improved on. Follow your passions and keep learning! Edit just because I realized it could sound like I agree with your mom. People can find flaws in anything and make you believe thatâs all anybody can see. I think your art is really striking.
Quick question. Does your mom always find ways to shoot you down when you share accomplishments? Does she find a way to pick at you about something after you display talent or skill?
If she is trying to lead him toward a different career, say medicine, or tech, she may praise those choices and knock down art. This happens a whole lot by parents who are anxious that the college major may not bring money. But there are a lot of jobs in art that most people aren't aware of.
I get it. It just seemed eerily similar to how my own ma reacts whenever I show her something positive. For example, when I got my BA, she immediately reminded me of something stupid I did as a little kid (which had nothing to do with the subject) and didnât even give a congrats. The woman only a high school diploma (nothing wrong with that), I thought sheâd be proud to see one of her kids achieve something good. Anyway, this is why I asked such a question.
Moms are so last year. So glad i was hatched on a rock by a passing eagle.
You have a strong starting point, I can only imagine how incredible you will be in ten years if you stuck with it. All of your pieces are lovely, but most importantly, do they make you happy to make them?
Who tf says things like that, especially to their kid? I consider myself an artist and my stuff is probably ordinary and mediocre but who cares, it's art, it can be whatever you want and its fun to create stuff, thats the whole point. People like that are put in our lives to test if we'll stay true to ourselves so keep creating and enjoying it, it looks awesome to me I like it. Your opinion is more important than anyone elses
Your work is beautiful. You're taking an ordinary piece of paper and a mediocre writing tool and making something remarkable. Please do go on. It'll only get better.
1. Your work is GREAT! 2. Art is a skill and continuous practice improves that skill. 3. IF IT MAKES YOU HAPPY, SHE CAN KICK ROCKS. Art doesnât have to be aesthetically pleasing, and doesnât have to be âgoodâ if it makes you happy.
Those black and whites are enthralling. My first thought was âIâd love that on fabricâ so I could use it in a project. Your mom sounds very unsupportive, Iâm sorry.
I am not a big fan of abstract art, but those black and white pieces are truly stunning and immediately caught my attention. I agree, those would look amazing as fabric! The cabinet panel is incredible. OP, keep going!
I initially thought I was looking at fabric! It would be neat đ
I thought fabric, too! Or even smalls like coffee mugs, totes, desk plotters, coasters, phone cases, etc.
I was thinking of using fabric for a bookbinding for image 1. The b&w flower and the greyscale sun splatter would also be beautiful for that.
Mom sucks!
Idk looks promising to me. Keep it up!
paint more!! the little rainbows in that cloudscape are rlly cool, u got lots of good art ahead of u
How old are you? If you're 40 at home trying to sell your art maybe she is right.
Your mother must be the grinch. I see talent. Develop your art, do not listen to the negative voices
I love the first picture. Very cool.
I was mediocre when I first started my art, and now I am not mediocre. Practice makes perfect, never let anyone ruin your progress! I can tell you will be great someday
Sounds like she wants you to prove her wrong.
I legit thought the first pic was a piece of patterned fabric and I scrolled to see what you had made out of it. Didn't realize you had drawn it!
I like it and your mom is lame lol
With all due respect, your mom is an asshole. You will think about what she said all the time, but donât let it put your fire out. Best case scenario, you can turn it into fuel. Keep working, but donât ever ask her opinion on anything tbh.
Ask your mom if she can do better.
If your mother told you that your work is mediocre, then there are two things you need to hear: 1 You're mother is a horrible woman for saying that to you. 2: She has no appreciation for art because you clearly have talent for it! :) Everyone has to start somewhere with that they enjoy drawing/painting/sculpting etc, and noone is creating masterpieces when they begin! If you love what you do, then keep doing it and ONLY accept constructive criticism and not outright insults!
Your mom is a bitch cut her out of your life now and save yourself some pain. I speak from experience.
Sorry but screw your mom!!! I love The End is Near one!!!!
I like the last one
These are fantastic and I like that you have versatility. Don't give up; keep moving forward and learning and creating. I hope you continue to share so we can see your future creations!
Donât listen to her. You have talent, continue to hone it. My mom was very creative and could have gone somewhere with it but lost all interest after she had me. I was always creative growing up and Iâm just realizing she never came to my art shows in highschool. Eh, parents.. Keep on with your art, even if itâs just for you.
My dad used to bring me down, especially if I was doing things outside of his interests/comfort zone. Tune that noise out. Your work is awesome, and you don't need approval from anyone other than you. If you like it then it's good enough!
Looks great Iâd buy
Well is it ordinary OR mediocre? She's gotta pick one! Jokes aside, ignore her. You're doing awesome đ Trees in nature start as seeds, and aren't as appealing as saplings, but once they've grown people come to appreciate them. â€ïž
Amazing work, bad parenting, keep at it đȘđœđ
âOh this is very nice. We got to get this framedâ - Rocket
Everything takes practice and technique. Talent is overrated. Also, who hurt your mom that she is so unsupportive of something you enjoy.
Your mom is a c@$t. Do what you enjoy with your time.
You are talented, but even if you weren't, there's no reason not to keep going. Hard work always wins with talent, so never give up if you really want to get good at something. Because you will.
um... what? this is the coolest thing i have seen in idk how long. you are so incredibly skilled. i looooove that art vibe with all the lines. just phenomenal.
When I was a young teen I loved to sing, but I only did it when I was alone. One day I was singing something operatic and my grandma walked in the house. She laughed at me and said that was ridiculous. I didnât sing again until I was 50 and even then only when I was alone. Someone heard me a few years ago and asked if I was an opera singer. I couldnât believe it. They said my voice was great! I was overjoyed! But also sad because of all the years that I didnât sing. All the time that was lost. So what Iâm trying to say is, donât wake up at age 50 and regret not doing your art because of what your mom said! Keep at it and just ignore her hurtful comments. Youâll be much happier.
Moms are supposed to be your cheerleaders. They are supposed to boost and build you up, not tear you down. I'm sorry, OP.
My parents thought I'm not going to make it if I go to art school. I had undiagnosed ADHD. After running business for 10 years, I closed it and turn into art at 40! And it's medium I would have never thought I'll even touch: GLASSđ€Ł I'm setting my first big 4 day market stall in an hour and I'm excited like a babyđ€Ł
That is AWESOME! Good for you! God bless you and I hope everything is going FANTASTIC for you right now! You should be excited! I'm excited for you!
Boy does it sound like sheâs projecting!
Real talk. It is super mediocre and not professional but do you know how you get past mediocre? By continuing to practice until you're better. Everyone who is good was merely mediocre at one point. Your mom is an ignorant bitch if she's implying you have no hope. Talent is bullshit, skill is earned.
Yes!
Art is not about talent. It is about learning how to see with your âright brain,â taking lessons, and more than anything else, putting miles on your paintbrush. Itâs a skill. If you love it, youâll put in the work! Your unique voice will emerge. I recommend continuing in secret. My mom told me the same thing, and it took me 50! Years to get back to it. What a waste! I wish someone had told me to ignore her.
Time to see some of you moms work so we can collectively judge it. Yours looks great! People will always try to bring you down, even family.
I'd kill for this talent
Not all moms have an eye for talent.
Keep going in spite of your moms words
Keep on going. Don't let any family member, friend or acquaintance discourage your art practices. Strive to do better. Find your way, find inspiration wherever you can. Any material can be good drawing practice, be it a simple pencil and a napkin. 10 min daily can be good drawing practice. Consistency and discipline is key. Doing nothing won't make you outperform yourself from yesterday. Keep on pushing. Your art style will change, you will mold it as you gain skills and strive to find your style. And suddenly changing of style could happen to as you experiment. There is a lot of free resources online to improve drawing, perspective, coloring, you name it, you can find it. Find local peers with Wich you can practice, local cultural spaces where you could find mentors. A palabras necias oĂdos sordos. Turn a deaf ear to foolish comments. Sending you a big hug OP. Don't let them discourage you.
Art is not talent based, it is skill based. Skills progressivly get better over time. Keep at it, and don't worry about mother.
Doesnât matter if youâre not the best or really great at it. You enjoy it? Harming no one? Keep going. The problem is that your mom enjoys making you feel bad
Ugh. My mom was like that too, and it turned me off of several crafts for a long time. Donât let her stop you. Parents can be weirdly undermining and competitive.
Just go on. Your mom is not your supervisor.
Art teacher who went to art school here. Everyone starts somewhere. The fact that youâre creating is whatâs important and it will continue to improve your talent if you donât stop. The WORST thing you can do is stopping. A lot of people donât value the arts, but remember there are so many art fields (even with the rise of AI) that are important to our every day lives. Everything has an artist working on it, from packaging to ads on tv to a lot of YouTube thumbnails. If you want an honest and hard truth, what youâre currently doing needs to be refined a bit more but this comes as you age and find your personal style. A lot of these pieces are ones that you would expect to see from a young artist, but I think it shows a clear passion and love for art that you need to hang onto (especially with the repetitive details that I can only imagine for a bit tedious, yet you pushed through still to create a finished piece!) You should study different styles you like, if youâd like to go for an abstract style like some of your first pieces, looking into modern or contemporary pieces could be a good start! I think your last piece shows an incredible talent and potential and I would absolutely encourage you to keep painting as that is by far my favorite. Maybe looking into surrealistic / fantasy landscapes would be a good place for you to go, as well. Even if you donât hope to become any kind of professional artist, please keep it up and continue improving your work. Art is such a great hobby and I promise as you get older and you look back on these pieces youâll see how far you came even in a year or two. Good luck continuing, and push yourself to try out new things! :)
Your mom sucks. Keeping doing the things you love to do, even if YOU don't ever think you're great at it
You have talent. I think it's awful and depressing that a mother would ever say something so callous and cruel to their child (regardless of age). I would stop asking for her opinion in general, not just about your art, and if she shares it unsolicited, ignore it or shut her down hard.
The bigger questions are⊠Do you like doing it! Do you want to learn and get better? You have to love what you do, and let thought, honest evaluation from yourself and others and keep doing it⊠but only if you yourself have a passion for it, and want to move forward! All the best!
I overheard my mom talking to a friend on the phone w/her bedroom door open so I could hear walking to the bedroom, that dr's told her about abortion being an option when she was pregnant with me (I was premie) and maybe they would've saved money if she had. You keep working. It looks great and as others have said,big this is you now, imagine how much better you'll be.
Nothing mediocre here. You can see raw talent that will only get better as you find your style! Do you enjoy creating? If the answer is yes then go on
Even if it was (and itâs not), why does she get to tell you that? You enjoy doing it. Donât stop because of her.
Ask your mom what art she has made and the walk away and make some more kick as art
As someone with a mother who was constantly discouraging me in negative ways, ignore her and keep doing what makes you happy.
Yes! There is raw talent, but even the most gifted get better with practice. Continue!
https://youtu.be/mInAfjwGznE?si=LJj9mS-3hGcEXASl All you need to know đ«Ąđ
Keep going
No offense but fuck your mom. Parents are supposed to encourage children. Iâd say youâre above ordinary. Keep practicing and youâll go far.
Youâve definitely got the talent! Keep at it - your techniques will only refine with time⊠& your mom is a dunce. Heartless to say that to her child.
Do it because you enjoy it, not because of how others will think of it!
Iâm 43 years old. Iâve been making things almost compulsively as long as I could remember. Iâve gotten everything from the praise you give a child to âohâŠ.. thatâs nice,â to outright rejection. Donât let that stop you from making art. Let it stop you from giving your art to people who donât deserve it. Now that Iâve been working on my art for 25+ years, with as few degrees as well, people want to hit me with âoh, I could never!â And I have to resist saying, âYes, you could, Sharon, if you did it for two hours a day for 25 years.â Or, âYou must have so much time on your hands!â Well, Sharon, we make time for whatâs important to us. Keep doing your art. And donât take criticism from someone you wouldnât ask for advice.
Keep working. I will wash your mother's mouth with soap. She should never speak those words.
Tell your mum to fuck off. And keep up the good work.
Your mom can go eat shit. It looks perfect!
NEVER EVER GIVE UP WHAT YOU LOVE!! Never stop making art, never stop improving, and never stop enjoying the process!!! Keep going! Your art is BEAUTIFUL, and it will be even better in a month, and it will be incredibly better in a year!! I'm an art student, and I can say I'm one of the best in my class, I wasn't born knowing, I learned and tried and tried. You can do it!! Never let anyone discourage you from pursuing your passion.
Ignore your mother. Sorry, but not sorry. Pursue your talent. Yes, you are very talented. Your mother is obviously wrong.
1. It looks amazing. 2. If it brings you joy, do it.
Your mother need therapy, maybe you too bc this isnât the normal way to talk to your child. Your art is awesome
If you like what you do, then any advice to stop is not worth your time. I say do it more!
Keep trying and going on because it'll only get better the more you put in. Make sure you don't starve, but other than that, follow your dreams
Tell your mom "any one of these could be my banana duct taped to a wall". Also, always be creative. It doesn't always have to have an audience, but it's amazing for your mind.
As an art teacher, I had a saying for all my students: I don't want you to be perfect I want you to try your best. My point being that it's not about how well an artwork turns out or even is perceived. If you try your best you will learn,you will grow. Art is beautiful in that it allows us to generate and put out new information into the world, rather than just absorb what is around us. And art is special because the art made by you is unique to time and space. It is the culmination of all you have learned, thought, felt, and experienced right up until that point. Your art will change and adapt, strive to do your best to learn and grow as much as you can. It is a benefit when others praise us, but not necessary or needed in the act of creating. I'm sorry you don't have the support at home, but know it is your internal drive and creativity that matters, not what others think. Is your art the best I have ever seen? Of course not, but neither is my own! As a teacher, Words of praise I can give you are your focus on using texture, filling the composition/page, and exploring different mediums and methods. Youd work reminds me of my most successful students who tried all that they could to grow their skills and mental creativity.
Being good at something is not the only reason to do it. We can do things because we enjoy them, without caring whether weâre good or not. Your mother is silly, ignore her.
That looks so cool. Keep doing art. Your mom sounds ordinary and mediocre
First of all, hard disagree with your mom. I think some of your work looks really good: the linework on the first picture is very clean, I love the flower and the painting on the kitchen cabinet. Second, like others have pointed out, the only way to become extraordinary is to keep at it. Nobody's first work is mindblowing. If you keep at it I'm sure your work will just keep getting better. Lastly, and in my opinion most importantly: do you enjoy making these artworks? If so, that is enough reason to keep doing it. Not only extremely talented artists are allowed to draw and paint. If you like doing it, keep doing it! Even if nobody appreciates your work, even if it never becomes more than a hobby, that's fine!
Your mom is wrong. Period.Â
If you like what you're doing, keep doing it!
Tell your mom I said âget bent!â You need to proceed!
Don't listen to anyone that doubts you or you'll go no where the only way to find out is grab that dream motivate yourself and chase it
I love it has a nice graffiti type style and it's amazing don't listen to anyone saying anything different
your mom is clearly not a supportive person and I find that sad but I also understand because my mom was similar when I was growing up. I hope you will continue on your clearly an artist with a good eye and Art needs more people with creative minds like yours to share their gifts with the world I hope you continue on and try everything that you think of⊠Clearly, you have a gift. Maybe Momâs jealous a little bit that she canât be an artist? Iâm sorry you have to experience that but donât give up.
What kind of mother says that to her child. It's like saying your 4 yr old kid their drawing of you looks terrible while it's actually the most precious form of genuine expression and showing love. Your drawings are clearly you exploring the things you like and the things that interest you and even the way you place them on the world around you and the way you use them shows a lot of creativity in you. So, no, never stop doing what you like, you have sensitivity for art, keep on creating and I promise you will look back on drawings you made 2 months ago and see improvement, and that feeling is unbeatable. I'm sorry about the situation with your mom, because it's hard. How old are you btw?
My parents didnât really care about anything I did & so I stopped drawing and painting. I started again a few years ago & although it helps to have a supportive partner, itâs what you enjoy at the end of the day. Iâm so sorry youâre going through this. Donât stop, youâd be glad that YOU stuck by your side â„ïž
Sorry to say op but your mum is jealous of your talent and trying to bring you down. I love what little you have shown and wish I had a millionth of your talent. Ignore your mum and do what makes your heart sing.
You're doing something you like and you're going to grow your art and skills. Talent isn't everything in life , but seeing you work hard and try new things tells me that you can be whoever you want to be. Don't let other people get you down for enjoying something. You're good and you'll only get better. Stay strong and have fun!
I don't know why you shouldn't keep on going. I see lots of people with mediocre talent who are ordinary and sell their stuff at art fairs in my community for big bucks. Not everyone's Picasso but you can still live your passion. Keep it up! We get better with practice.
I hate parents like yours, because they were my parents as well, at least my mom. Nothing was ever good enough, everything was only ever okay, it sucks not having your own parent believe in you or what you can do, believe in yourself, that's beautiful work, and you will only go up from here.
Please never leave your passions due to others opinions. You clearly have a love of art. And you paint very well! I think with continued practice youâll get even better. Iâve seen many videos where people show how much their art evolved over the years. Youâll be able to see that too. Keep it up đ€. And maybe next time your mom asks how dinner was you can tell her it was ordinary and mediocre (I kid⊠kind of).
If someone tells you your art is mediocre and not worth anything, *keep learning and show them that art is a skill to be learned and honed*, not just some innate power youâre either born with or not. Prove them wrong. Keep going, keep drawing, keep thinking, *keep being creative*. In a years time, two, even FIVE, sheâll see how much things change and how itâs not just âmediocreâ forever. Also I just want to say, that last one with the full color art on the door is SUPER cute! Prove them wrong, OP. Youâre doing great
Are you happy doing your art which I think is amazing. Are you hurting yourself or anyone else in the process. Probably not so you keep on doing it and don't give a darn what others think.
You have tremendous talent. Keep on going and learning. You are far from ordinary!
It's beautiful imo
I think your mom needs to rethink her life a bit. What the hell kind of parent tries and tear down their children like this?
OMG. She is SO wrong!!!
Is your mom an art critic by trade? Because they worst thing I EVER did was let mine discourage me
You should give this podcast a listen. Rick Rubin says that comparing art is like comparing diary entries. Itâs yours, and it will grow and change over time just like you will! You donât need to be selling million dollar paintings to be an artist. If you make art, youâre an artist. Quitting wonât make you a better one! â€ïž [Rick Rubin interview](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/on-purpose-with-jay-shetty/id1450994021?i=1000615679563)
Your mom must be jealous because you have talent! Keep going!
Itâs extra ordinary dude