#vulnerableart

[ravenlillith]

First piece of the season!!!

[athenanfaymont]

Publishing online

Hitting “post” has never stopped feeling like a small act of courage. No matter how many times I do it, there’s always that moment of hesitation—will anyone care? Will anyone understand? Will the story fall into silence, or will it find a home in someone else’s heart? Am I accidentally uploading it to the wrong place, messing up AO3 all by myself, and everyone will see how stupid I am?

Publishing online is both terrifying and intoxicating. It strips you bare. You release something that has lived inside you, often for weeks or months, and suddenly it no longer belongs to you alone. It belongs to whoever stumbles upon it, to whoever reads it at two in the morning and feels a flicker of recognition.

I still remember those early posts in fandom, how raw and imperfect they were, and how kind strangers reached out anyway. A single comment, even a few words, could turn a fragile day into one filled with light. That is the magic of sharing art online: the way it creates bridges between people who might never meet otherwise.

(I also have a fanfic that appeared on a Spanish forum dedicated to "bad fics and their authors," but that's for a different kind of post.)

Yes, the vulnerability is real, but so is the joy. Every time I press “publish,” I remind myself that stories aren’t meant to be locked away. They’re meant to breathe, to travel, to live many lives beyond our own. And, even if only one person finds meaning in my words, then the risk was worth it.

So… be kind and comment a lot and always.

[fallonraeart]

Excited anatomy 16 x 20 $25 Acrylic on Canvas Going to learn to let go and give into what matters- creation. It doesn't matter what thoughts in my head keep me back from posting, creating, or talking about the big ideas in my head. These feelings... make me uncomfortable. Posting at times that don't fit with the analytics... Painting something that isn't in my typical style... And being vulnerable with my feelings... These feelings are okay feelings to sit with. I'm enhancing my spirit. #vulnerableart https://www.instagram.com/p/CEQNtMslB8k/?igshid=10hqmxdukodx9

[livelouder]

Some sage words from Ira Glass (This American Life), ESPECIALLY relevant to anyone starting out in any creative endeavor, or trying to ramp things up as an adult. Whether you're painting, writing, drawing, singing, playing, or dancing, it's crucial that you EMBRACE THE DISCOMFORT OF SUCKING A LITTLE, but probably in a really charming way. Consider how the process feels and how you can make it feel better. Praise yo' damn self for every tiny thing you complete. Find affection for your work the way you would the work of a friend starting out. Show it off. Ask people what they love about it (because they're guaranteed to find it more impressive than you do). Embrace the raw, messy, realness of your earlier or less polished work. Become a rawness activist - know your willingness to put yourself out there gives others permission to do the same. And some of the most powerful work you ever make will come from this vulnerable, human place. Do it with conviction.