A Letter To My Creative Self

Good day, my dears,

Today I want to share a Letter to my Creative Self. This is a part of the May 2025's Challenge from Ko‑fi and I think it's an absolutely lovely idea! 

As an artist it's very easy to be highly critical of yourself, hold yourself to higher standards, to your potential, and it can be a challenge some days to remember that you deserve gentleness, softness, and compassion. It's important to try to show yourself kindness and understanding when you're working on challenging projects or dealing with creative blocks.

To My Creative Self:

You've learned so much over the years, from watercolour painting, to linework, to chainmail and scalemail. And this is truly just the beginning of your journey. Exploring new ideas, patterns, and mediums of artwork, is how you continue to be in a state of learning and growing. There have been and there will always be moments you hate your artwork, that you don't enjoy what you're working on, when you want to quit, throw it out, give up. But the fact that you feel like you are failing means you are still learning. 

And it's okay to fail.

It's okay to throw out old artwork you don't like, don't want to give away or sell, that you feel doesn't resonates with who you are anymore. That's okay. It's healthy to let go. It gives you space for new creations and perspectives.

You deserve to have fun and enjoy creating artwork. The first promise I made for myself when I started this journey was to create because I wanted to, because I enjoy it. It's why I've been careful to not jump into the deep end and run with it as a full fledged business. I don't want to lose the joy that artwork brings me. 

Whenever it does feel scary and overwhelming, it's okay to take a step back. It's okay to take time to just enjoy life, enjoy video games, shows, movies, time with loved ones. Those moments with loved ones are what helps inspire and motivate me to keep creating. Brainstorming ideas for art and even packaging, reusing and recycling what I can, is a part of sharing my artwork with the ones I care about. You never know what someone else has to give in regards to their experience, wisdom, and perspective. It's easier to take in these different ideas when you're open to receiving them, so you need to set aside your creations from time to time to actually engage with others.

At the end of the day, artwork is for you, it's something you've personally created and brought into existence. It can be a way to process your emotions, like Feminine Pride Artwork. It can be a way to connect with others in your community, like LGBTQIA+ artwork. As much as it is for others, to help them feel seen, heard, and know that they belong no matter what, it's also for you.

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As much as this is a letter to my Creative Self, it's also a letter for all other artists out there. You deserve to create for yourself as well as loved ones. And you deserve to let go of artwork when you feel it doesn't match who you are anymore. Remember the reason you started creating in the first place. Because you wouldn't be where you are today without the steps you choose to take to create. You deserve to recognize your hard work and dedication. 

Much love,

Katherine

Chubby Wubby Dragon Art