Last week Primer Magazine had a great article and accompanying visual graphic on the stages every creator goes through when he steps “into the arena.” As his success and audience grows, he attracts more attention and criticism, and if he listens to the criticism, his work can suffer as he loses sight of his initial vision.
I think the hard part is deciding what criticism to listen to and what to dismiss. Because on the one hand you need to stay true to your vision, but on the other hand, other people can often see where you need to improve and if you’ve gotten off track better than you can. Thoughts?
Read the whole article: “Man in the Arena: The Rise of Critics in Every Creative Journey” (@Primer Magazine)
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I agree with your last paragraph. The artists I know who have made huge leaps in their creative ventures have done so after they have made peace with their critics and still have boldly created art that they know will be criticized.
Treat criticism and praise like bubblegum. Chew on it for a while but don’t swallow it.
“Critics are men who watch a battle from a high place then come down and shoot the survivors.”—Hemingway