I gather that it is a commonplace of the counselling business to tell people to “feel the fear, and do it anyway.” In other words, it is important that we recognise that fear is a perfectly normal response to situations, and we ought not to feel that by experiencing fear we are letting down ourselves and possibly other people.
In certain circumstances, of course, anybody would be deranged if they didn’t feel fear. I once heard and experienced rock-climber say that he wouldn’t want to climb with anybody who was never afraid. If you are not afraid in some circumstances you simply don’t understand what is going on. But what about art?
I’ve just finished a piece today, and as I contemplate the next item in the series I have projected I have to admit that I find it just that bit scary. I have the general idea in mind …. but that leaves unclear still quite a lot of the detail and the method of execution. It is distinctly possible that I might make as mess of it. The overall concept seems pretty straightforward to me, but on the basis of past experience I have to admit that there have been occasions when there have been huge gaps between what leaves my mind and what arrives in the minds of other people. What I have to offer could strike other people as just plain silly. It isn’t an exaggeration to say that quite often I find this situation produces fear. But I’m going to do it anyway.
I had fun this morning up at the South Square Centre, working with several colleagues from the Unit 9 group, with whom I share a gallery there. It is really good to be able to work in such a cooperative way with other artists, hanging a group exhibition. Artists are often caricatured as being individualists, almost to an extreme degree. Perhaps it is because we all recognise the degree of isolation imposed by our work that we are able to recognise the value of mutual support.