Self-belief and self-confidence are important in all walks of life, no matter what you do. Whether you’re an artist, entrepreneur, or professional athlete, you must believe in yourself because you’ll often encounter times when others don’t. It’s important to remember you’re your own champion. You have to believe that you’re capable of anything if you want to achieve great success because there will be moments when everyone will tell you you’re not capable of greatness, and you’ll have to filter them out and keep going by yourself. The day you stop believing in yourself is when the world counts you out.
As a self-taught artist, TAU understands the importance of self-belief. Painting and drawing were escapisms for him because he would doodle in his notebook in class. Moreover, TAU was born with a hearing problem, necessitating a hearing aid, which would beep all the time and affect his concentration. As a result, he would turn it off and on and escape into his inner world through his sketches and drawings. Expanding on the importance of self-belief, TAU shares, “It’s one of the most important values for any artist, especially for me. My painting style is primarily abstract-cubism, meaning I try to convey visual messages differently and less realistically. As a result, observers might interpret it differently than I intended.” Thus, self-confidence and self-belief in his work and ability are crucial for this Cubism-abstract artist as they help his process.
However, the unfortunate reality for most artists is that maintaining self-confidence and self-belief is easy when things are going well. But maintaining a positive life outlook can be challenging when things are rough. TAU often watches documentaries about artists at the beginning of their careers. Whether they’re musicians, actors, painters, or comedians, most detail the importance of having self-belief at the start of their careers because that’s when it seems the world is conspiring against you to prevent you from fulfilling your goals. He also uses these documentaries for inspiration, learning from these artists. He remembers their stories to cheer himself up whenever his confidence and motivation waver.
In addition, the artist states, “Self-belief is vital for artists because most artists don’t know how impactful their work will be at the beginning of their careers. The painting world has many well-known artists, and their works are equally influential. That’s because the art audience is knowledgeable and deeply appreciates high-quality works.”
He further went on to say, “As a new artist, it can be nerve-wracking to know how you’ll stack up against other works they’ve seen. Self-confidence is crucial for creating your best work of art without doubting yourself because, at the end of the day, art is all about self-expression.”
As a result, TAU has also created a unique process for his work. Before starting most of his paintings, he meditates and plays relaxing music with alpha or theta waves. After meditating, he arranges and cleans the studio because order and cleanliness help him concentrate. Then, he sits before the canvas and prepares paints and brushes. Only then he’ll spontaneously start painting. “Sometimes, I find music to be extremely helpful when I’m working,” he reveals. “I like to put on my headphones and listen to my favorite artists, like The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, and other rock bands from the 90s, because I find them inspirational.”
TAU also chimes in, adding, “Studies show that sound helps brain development. Moreover, I firmly believe music was essential to the universe’s formation. Hence, I consider it extremely important to the creative process.”
Developing self-belief and self-confidence took TAU time. While some artists naturally have extreme confidence in their work, that wasn’t always true for him. “I’m a bit complicated with my paintings. I grew up as an introverted and quiet child. But I was turbulent inside. Hence, I have a love-hate relationship with my paintings. I wish I were more confident, but the good news is that I’ve become more comfortable with my complexity. I believe this comfort will help others appreciate me and my art more,” TAU concludes.
