This morning as I was spraying sealant on the studio sink (in an enclosed area with no ventilation so this message might be weird) I was thinking about something. I thought about the beautiful, ridiculous roller coaster that is being an artist. We have a pop up tomorrow at Clifford’s in Oil City and I find myself rushing around at the last minute trying to get everything ready for it. People often imagine that the life of a creative human is a serene, mystical experience filled with gentle inspiration, endless cups of perfectly brewed coffee, and large sunlit studios where inspiration strikes at the perfect moment.

Yeah… no.

Being an artist is one of the most amazing experiences you can have as a human, and one of the most terrifying things you can sign up for. It’s like having a dragon for a pet. It sounds awesome. It’s magical, powerful, life-changing, and occasionally it wants to set your hair on fire or eat your friends.

Let me explain.

You Get to Create Worlds… Which Is Amazing.

You Also Have No Map… Which Is Terrifying.

Every time you sit down to create, you are literally pulling something out of thin air. That’s incredible. You get to build something that never existed before you walked into the room. Everything you do as an artist is uniquely yours. But, there’s no roadmap for creating something new, including an art career. Every attempt to succeed, every blank canvas, lump of clay, sheet of paper, or hunk of metal has the audacity to look you dead in the eye and say,

“So… you got a plan? Yeah right.”

And then the internal panic kicks in. That’s usually when many people quit. We talk ourselves out of that project or idea. This is where persistence comes in. Not only persistence, but the willingness to being unreasonably optimistic about what things will look like in the future. Every day, as an artist, I have to convince myself to put one foot in front of the other and keep going.

You Chase Passion… Which Is Amazing.

You Also Chase It Off a Cliff Sometimes… Which Is Terrifying.

Art comes from the heart. You follow gut feelings, wild ideas, and emotional lightning bolts. This is the stuff that makes life feel alive. But then there are days when your passion and optimism abandons you. You think, “I didn’t sign up for this chaos”. And you’re left standing in the studio thinking:

“Cool, so now what? Should I quit? Should I paint a potato? Should I take a nap? Should I panic? All of the above?”

Yet if you persist, your passion and optimism will always return… eventually. You’ll think, “Hey, I’ve got an idea…”
and suddenly you’re back in the game.

You’re Vulnerable… Which Is Amazing.

You’re Also Too Vulnerable… Which Is Terrifying.

Every time you put yourself out there, every piece of art you make is basically you stripping off your armor.
You pour your thoughts, emotions, stories, and weird little quirks into everything you do. People don’t realize that when they look at your art, they’re basically looking at your guts in an artform.

This is why showing your work feels like saying, “Here is my soul, hope you like it, no pressure.”

But that vulnerability is also what connects you to other humans. It’s what makes someone walk up to your art, pause, breathe, and whisper, “That’s exactly how I feel.”

That moment? Worth every ounce of terror.

Creative Freedom… Which Is Amazing.

Financial Uncertainty… Which Is Terrifying.

Ah yes, the glamorous life of a professional artist. You get freedom, adventure, new ideas, and the ability to build your entire life from scratch. And also anxiety. Lots of anxiety. A healthy sprinkling of “Will this sell?” A dash of “Do I need to become a barista?” (By the way, there is nothing wrong with that.) And a generous scoop of “Why does everything cost so much? Who decided this?”

But the truth is, the freedom you get as an artist is priceless. Yes, you are in uncharted waters and every learning curve feels like a disaster, but being an artist is all about being comfortable in the discomfort. It’s not for everyone (although it could be). The willingness to pick yourself up and keep moving forward through uncertainty is a superpower we develop the longer we do this. It’s not easy, but it is life changing. It’s terrifying, yes, but unbelievably empowering.

Growth Is Amazing… But Growth Is Also Terrifying.

As an artist, you are always growing, evolving, pushing boundaries, and stepping outside comfort zones. That’s what makes the journey rich. But stepping outside comfort zones is basically code for, “I’m going to scare myself a little today.”

Every new project asks you to be braver than yesterday. Every big idea asks you to trust yourself more than feels reasonable. And every new creation or outreach teaches you something, usually the hard way because artists are stubborn creatures.

But oh, the feeling when it all comes together eventually. When you have a successful showing. When someone connects with your art. When the piece is finished. When your heart feels full. When you can step back and say,
“I did that. Me. My hands. My chaos. My creativity.”

That’s the moment that makes every fear worth facing.

So Why Do We Do It?

Because art is the place where the terrifying becomes transformative. Because we get to take all our messy human feelings and turn them into something beautiful, weird, powerful, joyful, emotional, colorful, meaningful. Because we get to connect with people in ways words alone can’t touch. Because creating is freedom, and true freedom (even with its fear) is one of the most exhilarating experiences we get in this life.

Being an artist is wild.
It’s unpredictable.
It’s emotional.
It’s overwhelming.
It’s magical.
It’s terrifying.
It’s amazing.

And honestly, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Love,
Rafi And Klee

LOVE AND JAZZ HANDS OPEN STUDIO JAN 30TH

WIN JEWELRY BY KLEE ANGELIE!

LOVE AND JAZZ HANDS OPEN STUDIO JAN 30TH