Accepting Criticism

ACCEPTING CRITICISM by Cath Smith, Cr, CPP

WHEN YOU’VE SPENT HOURS - SOMETIMES DAYS - WORKING ON A PIECE TO GET IT RIGHT, HEARING SOMEONE TELL YOU TO MAKE CHANGES CAN BE PAINFUL, BUT IF YOU WANT TO BE A BETTER ARTIST, YOU NEED TO LEARN TO LISTEN.

I am the worst at accepting criticism. When I hear a review that suggests my work isn’t perfect, it stings. I want to kick and scream and throw a tantrum worthy of a 2-year-old. But if anything has made me a better artist, it’s listening— really listening — to how others respond to my work. I’ve come to realize it’s normal to feel this way. Being emotional and angry about my work is a sign that I’ve put myself into it. And that’s a good thing. I try to keep this in mind whenever I’m offering critique. As a Review Specialist, my role is not to say that people suck or that they’ve failed some kind of test. My role is to be supportive, to help people understand and master ideas and techniques that aren’t coming easily to them. My goal is to help people become the best artist they can be. But critique is a 2-way street. You must be willing to listen and adapt and (most of all) keep an open mind. As the artist, we see the process of development, of painting the image from start to finish. We understand the meaning of the color choices, of each individual brushstroke. For us, each image has a history, an evolution, and a meaning. And sometimes, it’s easy to forget that the critiquer only sees the image in front of them — and can only comment on what they see.

Artist: Cath Smith, Cr, CPP cathsmithfineart.com

Knowing that critique is hard for me, I’ve developed a coping strategy to help me shed my inner toddler, woman-up, and do the work.

1. Acknowledge my response. I give myself a few minutes to indulge and feel angry and hurt. Then, I shake it off and move on

2. Take a break. I’m an emotive artist, and if I start painting right away, all the anger and frustration shows up in my work. Waiting a few hours, even a day or two, helps me get some distance and come back with an open heart.

3. Be patient. As much as I’d love to be a savant, I’m not. Reminding myself that developing a skill takes hundreds, sometimes thousands of repetitions to master reminds me I have a whole lot more mistakes to make before I can be good.

These might work for you, and they might not. Eventually, you’ll need to develop your own technique to responding to critique. Just like learning to paint, it’s a skill. And just like learning to paint, you can learn how...if you’re willing.