the artist archetype

There is a quote and it goes something like “being an artist means forever healing your own wounds whilst at the same time endlessly exposing them”. Loosely translated, Artists dance feverishly on the fringe of social norms in an attempt to self-process: they are the ones who question, revere and express life as they see & experience it, all the while remaining open to the critique of the world.

Artists are brave as fuck.

They are the ones who transmute their stories of neglect, oppression, abuse, survival, physical challenge, heartbreak, trauma and illness into ART. Just like a magic trick. The Artist recognises beauty, freedom and love so very closely because they know how it feels to be removed from it. They weave their stories into their work, all the while learning who they are, where they have come from and where they are going.

Art initiates social and individual change like nothing else due to the way it EDUCATES. Think that art is something extra curricular to everyday life or perhaps a meaningless luxury? Think again. Ever been unloading the dishwasher when a song comes on that punches you in the guts, pulls tears out of your eyes & leaves you a wreck on the kitchen floor? Or been nose-deep in a novel that has engulfed you so thoroughly that you begin to feel you are actually part of the story? Witnessed a dance that literally left you breathless? Watched a documentary that encouraged you to start living your life differently? Built something with your hands?

When art speaks - we listen.

Through art, we are able to commune & connect regardless of the barriers of language, age, physicality, mental ability, gender, ethnicity, religion, culture and education. It's a universal mother tongue that we all speak.

Creativity is medicine for the Artist and it’s how they thrive in the world. Their motives extend well beyond the means to make money or become famous (in fact that kind of pressure will kill their buzz entirely). They travel beyond the periphery of their five senses to become a conduit between what is spiritual and what is tangible. And in that space between - they disappear into the void to produce something extraordinary out of nothing.

Like I said – a magic trick.

Artists are warriors of vulnerability. And in a world where power is valued over integrity, being an Artist is tough. As children, we are encouraged to produce as much art as we can fit into our school bag however as we ascend into adulthood (and the capitalist world), creativity is more discouraged because it is viewed as an unreliable career path & financial gamble.

An Artist risks judgement and criticism, creative shaming, humiliation and, (in the day and age of social media), an extended list of opinions. The admirable thing about artists is that they know this… but they continue to make art anyway.

Some argue that there is no great art (or great artists for that matter), as art is subjective and will only ever be as good or as bad as the person receiving it believes it is. This notion can take a weight off the Artist as well as encourage the audience to observe the message of the artist a little more closely and judge a little less harshly.

As Brene Brown so quaintly puts it:

“If you aren’t in the arena getting your ass kicked, I’m not interested in your feedback”.

Touché.

The Tortured Artist

The Shadow of the Artist Archetype is the Tortured (Starved or Suffering Artist) who fears that their creativity is finite, scarce & limited. They approach their art with either dread or disdain because they believe it will never be good enough or perhaps someone else will do it better... or do it first. Some bastard will copy their idea so why bother? They can unconsciously perpetuate anguish in their life as they fear that without negative drama, their world is dull and devoid of inspiration. They self-deprecate. Or perhaps the saddest case is that they aim for perfectionism to the point that they never end up sharing their art with the world.

The Tortured Artist archetype can overcome these issues when they remember that their creativity is a wellspring. It is an endless vein that each and every one of us can access. Art is a collection of ideas, inspiration & dreams that we all harness and express in our own unique way. It is inexhaustible…The Tortured Artist needs to locate & address the source of their creative shame and pull it out by the roots - realising that the people who creatively shame & humiliate us are generally the people who have painful wounds themselves.

Frida Kahlo-The Brush of Anguish by Martha Zamora

Discover what brings colour, vibrancy, texture, joy and meaning to your life. The Artist is more than just the painter or drawer - they are gardeners, graphic designers, poets, pianists, tango dancers, death metal singers, comedians and everyone else in between who visit the cosmos in order to create something unique.

Life is too short not to make art.

xx

Journal Enquiry:

• How do you identify with the Artist archetype?

• How did you creatively express yourself as a child?

• Do you creatively express yourself or are you holding yourself back?

• Do you self-sabotage your artistic attempts?

• Have you been creatively shamed?

• What can you do to wholeheartedly express yourself?

*References: Brene Brown: Daring Greatly

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