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Dear Amy, Don't EVER think that you are NOT an artist! And, because you posted this essay five weeks ago, I hope that by now you have submitted your application (before the deadline!) and you were accepted!

BTW, apparently impostor syndrome only strikes people who are very accomplished--as you are!

You may be interested in this episode of Freakonomics/No Stupid Questions, which I heard on NPR recently. Here's a link to the audio as well as the transcript:

https://freakonomics.com/podcast/do-you-have-imposter-syndrome/

And here's a fairly recent article in the New Yorker about the same topic:

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/02/13/the-dubious-rise-of-impostor-syndrome

Personally, I don't have impostor syndrome. This may be because I only have one exemplary skill--editing--and I have enormous confidence in my abilities as an editor! (This is not to say that I don't make mistakes!) I'm also a pretty good writer and a better-than-average public speaker, as well as a diligent piano student, with an understanding of the fact that I will never be able to rise above a certain musical plateau because I don't have musical talent. In other words, I think I have an accurate understanding of my abilities, which precludes impostor syndrome.

Here's a story about that: A while ago, I lamented to my piano teacher that I wasn't a good sight reader, and I noted that Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder couldn't sight read at all but they both played the piano brilliantly. And my teacher immediately replied, "Yeah, but they had talent!" That cracked me up! (I could have replied, "Tell me something I don't know!")

When I told my teacher's adult daughter this story, she was aghast, and said that her mother's comment was "brutal"! But, because my teacher was right, it just struck me as funny!

My point is that only extremely accomplished people--like you!--seem to fall prey to impostor syndrome!

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Thanks so much for the encouragement, as always, Susan!! I'll be checking out your links for sure!

And, yes I did submit the application for the art exhibit that I was working on - and then they extended the deadline, so now I'm very much looking forward to finding out if I got in. The notification date is 10/15. Stay tuned -- I'm sure I'll be writing more about it soon!

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Love seeing all of these photos!

I feel really comfortable with doing an artist/author bio for myself (it's usually an author bio as I'm primarily a writer) but I get impostor syndrome in other ways.

It's been showing up at grad school lately, which is interesting. I think about saying something and I get a fear that the younger people are all smarter and more educated in the academic aspects of art than me and are going to challenge what I say and realize I don't know what I'm talking about. Which is ridiculous because I do know what I'm talking about or I say when I don't, and I'm in my forties and this is my second masters and I have published books I'm proud of. But it's a new context and it shows up. And thinking about IFS, it links to the part of me that felt this way when I went to high school so that's something worth healing / exploring.

I think it's helpful to keep a brag book of all of the things that make you feel good about your work. Photos of art you've created that you love, screenshots of text messages about your work that touched your heart, awards that were meaningful, whatever it might be.

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I had not thought about compiling a collection of things that make me feel good about my work - that’s a great idea, and it could also be useful in the same way authors have blurbs by other authors on their books.

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Yes and for me the key is that it doesn’t have to be some big award or anything like that but rather just all the little things that have given you a boost along the way. They keep giving you boosts if you look back at them when you need them. Plus it feels good to keep adding to it.

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Thank you for sharing Amy! Kathryn Vercillo put me onto your post. I’ve been an IFS therapist and use IFS in all my work. A key principle of IFS is that all parts are welcome - by Self - even if other parts don’t like them! That’s the beginning of transformation. I love how you’re teasing that out here and I totally agree that being in the creative process and working with our parts is transformational. ❤️

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Thanks so much for the encouragement, Jodie! My husband is a psychotherapist, he works with people who have experienced trauma and dissociation, and he uses IFS. So I have learned a lot from him too. And I love that motto, “All Parts Welcome!” Are there other IFS people on Substack? So many areas to explore in this community!

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IFS is wonderful for trauma and dissociation! And almost everything else too! I know https://substack.com/@satyarobyn. But that's all so far! We can be on the look out for others too!

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Dear Amy, looks as though you have already written a basis for an Artist Statement. You are one of the most creative people I know and you are the self taught Outsider Artist of our family. Your creations delight, inspire, and will be appreciated by all.

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I think I did! Spent most of the day yesterday editing my artist statement and I think I have it done. So happy I wrote this post first to get me started. And thank you for being so encouraging!

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nicccccce! keep going

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UPDATE: I wrote the Artist Statement and I submitted the application for the art exhibition! Even if I don’t get in, I am proud of the work I did. Bio and Artist statement are now on my website. www.amynemirow.com

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How timely that I waited until today to read your post. Yesterday I was told that I am intimidating and powerful. I know that I am, but that old monster sprang up from its crouched position in the corner of my mind and guffawed at the comment. My inner self’s head spun around and stared him down in a way I’d never done before. My outer response responded, “Yes, I’ve known it since I was ten!”

That is the first, the very first time, that I’ve publicly acknowledged that truth. Normally, I would deny, refute, lower my head, look down. I did not this time. I mentally stepped up and fully into my whole self. Mind you, I was this brave in a phone conversation, sitting in my parked car, dressed in a Barbie pink dress. But I still owned my truth. And it feels good.

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YES! I love that, Shelli!! OWN YOUR TRUTH! And also, I know you to be a powerful woman! And caring and compassionate and not at all intimidating, at least not unless the other person is being an asshat. I do know that truth about myself and am confident in it, in the workplace. (Um, except that I realized this week that I almost never introduce myself as Doctor Nemirow, even when it would be useful to do so.) When it comes to my art, that's closer to my heart and more vulnerable, so - it will take more practice.

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September 19, 2023
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Oh yes! I have had several therapists do that exercise with me: if your best friend said that about herself, what would you tell her? I love the idea of “proving it wrong!” I can be pretty stubborn. 😊

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