This is episode 30 of Art Talk Let’s talk comparisonitis!

You wake up, pick up your phone and start scrolling. Sounds familiar? For me, that has been a reality for a while. But what can happen to us as artists with so many people showing their creations online? It is called comparasonitis, a negative way to downgrade yourself and your art.

I think this is something that happens with a lot of artists. I admit that I also fell into the trap, and it literally debilitated me in progress. Social media is flooded with people who show their work. Some are professionally trained artists. Many are hobbyists, and often you see those who shout out loud that they sold many artworks or have commission after commission.

You might feel why that artist has those commissions or is selling so much, and you are not. You might even feel: how is that possible because my work is way better. You might think: how am I not accepted for the exhibition and those works are whilst you deeply feel your work is absolutely worth being there too. That is a feeling you do not want to have. Because it paralyses, you will have difficulty continuing with your work or copying other artists, wishfully thinking: it will be successful.

I never did that and never will. However, it has happened many times in art history, especially with modern art, like Rothko and The Kooning and Modigliani. Forgers started copying work or painting the topics like the much-wanted artist because their art didn’t sell. Don’t do that, don't go there. Be your own artist with your own work.

Because let me tell you a little secret here, the life shown on social media is not real life. You don't know how successful people are, you have no clue how much money they asked for the work, and you do not know if that is consistently or just a one-off. And then, does it matter? No, it does not. I will give you 5 tips on how to overcome comparisonitis.

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