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There is so much joy in your work. I've been so inspired by you recently, so thank you for these videos and the peeks into your vibrant sketchbooks.

This is a really valuable lesson! Setting aside the notion of bad art = bad artist, it struck me that even just judging a bad art piece in itself is like hitting a wall. There is no moving forward from it, or anything to learn from it, because it is simply dismissed as "being terrible" and it goes in the bin. Whereas "good pieces" are looked at quite often and perhaps worked with in a different way to see what else works with it. I'm going to look through my "not so great" stuff today and see what I can like about them. Thanks for sharing your thought process :)

That is exactly what I learned from you, and it is really the way forward and the way to be happy making and studying what I make. Also: do not try to find your style, find the proces that makes you happy ! Thanks Helen, these thoughts really helps me. X

Helen, this is just what I needed to hear. I always look for what’s wrong instead of what’s right. That’s going to change today! As always, thank you for always inspiring me.

We are our biggest critics! I concur with you about changing the mindset. What you focus on gets bigger so the fact that you concentrated on the things you liked, they got bigger and better! Thank you for your insight Helen. x

Thank you Helen, so very true. Thank you for inspiring us to find the good and beautiful

du hast die schönste Skizzenbücher, die ich kenne , so wunderbar farbenfroh und immer interessant gemustert. So sind Stillleben Motive viel interessanter. Ich freue mich auch einmal auf größere Bilder. Liebe Grüße Ulrike 😊

I look forward to your videos every week Helen. You are such an inspirational person. your art is amazing.

I had these issues too. I quit art for 15 years and when I went back. I expected to pick up where I left off. I realized that I have changed, therefore my art would be changed. I had to start all over again and let go of control. A quote from “The Artist Way” ~ “when is comes to making art… think delight, think fun. Do not think duty, do not do what you “should” do. Do what intrigues you, explore what interests you, think mystery, think mastery”.

Helen, I absolutely love what you had to say in this video. So helpful and so positive. Thank you!

Great reminder which could apply to so many aspects of our lives!

Thanks Helen...I relate so much to this video...The inner critic very often stops me before I even start because in my head I know it won't be good enough! thanks for your kind words positivity and encouragement it really does help!

Thank you. I am a few years into creating and I love your perspective and post. Thank you!

I love this approach, Helen. Focusing on what we DO like as opposed to what we don't will definitely encourage growth in our art practice rather than being shrunken down by the shame of what we aren't happy about!

This video was SO helpful for me. Diane Antone recommended your channel and I’m so glad she did ❤

This rings so true for me too. Now I aim to switch from the inner critic as in charge ...(judgemental and mean).... to being a good supporter of my work. Seeing the good. I like that. I'm sure I will enjoy my art more.

This is a now word, wow this video came in the nick of time👍 thank you for creating.

I found you just yesterday through Facebook and I love your art and your colors! And your Videos Are very inspiring! Happy New Year! ❤🌸⚛️💗🤩

Thankyou so much Helen. You hit the nail on the head. I just need to put the positive into practice. Easier said than done. I also suffer from high anxiety which doesn't help.😟you make me feel better. Much love, see you soon.🤗💞🇦🇺🎨🖍🖌💞

“I enjoy it when……”. Great advice. Thank you

What a delightful and meaningful video. Love your approach to mark making and thank you for sharing your journey through finding fault with everything you do to finding what you really enjoy in part or all of your art pieces. I have been in that place for the last year. It has really sapped my energy and made even finding inspiration a travail. It’s also made me so afraid to start a drawing or painting. So glad I discovered you and your channel! Thank you, again.

I love this. A positive mindset shift always helps with any problem in life. :)

This is quite a paradigm shift for me. I have no natural talent but have learned to produce reasonably good doodles. I have started doodling over watercolour backgrounds and some of them are not bad. I love what you said about doing what you enjoy. So…I’m off to have another go!

You are so inspiring. I just discovered your channel, and I love your positive energy as much I admire your art. Your sketchbooks just make me happy!

This is exactly what I needed this week. I've been stuck for a while - making the art I make but not stretching it to what I would like it to be - beating myself up - working harder - not finding joy in the process. Thank you for your generous sharing! Mindset is switching going forward. I will try this.

Another awesome kicker Helen. I always do that with anything I make…the flaws jump out at me and make me mad at myself! Must be a personality thing I think…and I do this especially if anyone compliments the work…I immediately point out the ‘mistakes’! It’s just as well I don’t Make For A Living…I’d be a very poor person. However it doesn’t stop me making. I still enjoy the process and give away my excess to family and friends who seem to like them and have sometimes ask for more. I am content.

Thank you so so so much for this message. I only maybe few weeks ago realized that I dont even know what I like in my art. I would be very unhappy when I dont do nice artwork, which is most of the time. This video really speaks to me and you just made my day. 😀 Thank you!

❤LOVE LOVE LOVE your insights and wisdom from experience Helen!!! You are a super-hero in the art world. I'm constantly inspired and intrigued after watching your videos. THANK YOU!!! ❤

I will be starting your latest course in a few days. Looking forward to it very much.

🎉 Thank you You have delivered the ‘Golden Ticket’ with today’s video 🥰

This is such a great way to get better at art (while analyzing it) as well as being kind to yourself and get closer to find out what sparks inspiration 😲! I feel like this way you'd get better over time while also not burning out because you exactly know what you like!! Thank you very much for this insightful advice!! 🙏😄✨

BEAUTIFUL! happy colors and interesting shapes. I just want to see more!

Thank you for sharing your struggles, triumphs and discoveries, it is such a help. I heard a man on youtube say that it is terrible to 'should yourself' so don't...he wasn't talking about art, but boy it fits.

Thank you for such an inspiring story. That's basically where I am now. You've definitely given me a new approach to find my way through 😊❤ xx

Oh I needed to hear that today. Bad art doesn't mean bad artist. I've been doing art my whole life and struggle with "masterpeiceitis" and "inner critiqueitis" I need to play more.

Your videos have really helped me realize how much I love very colorful pages in my sketchbook and im having so much fun!

This video is so helpful for me. You described exactly where I’ve been for about two years. And after watching your video and color, I decided that I’m going to play with the colors that I have in my gouache collections that I have right now. I have so many colors in my gouache set and my neo color twos, that I never use because I don’t like them more. I can’t figure out how to put them together on the page. So I’m gonna combine these two videos of yours and the other one about sketchbooks and using them to create paintings later, and paint to have fun and explore and play in my sketchbook this weekend.

Thank you for this.

Thank you for the kind words we need to give ourselves. We forget sometimes to quiet the monkey brain!

Such an important point to make. Self-criticism can be useful when it makes us strive to be better, but it is delving into who we are that will make artmaking the most satisfying. As always, thank you for thought-provoking inspiration.

This has really hit the spot. I am so grateful for this insight. I know this way of thinking in most of my work and personal life - I say I am a Cup Half Full person. However I fall into the self critical trap with my art. Time to stop and look at it differently. In mindfulness, they say Be Curious. I will be curious.

I love the sketchbook pages which you’ve cut out to be the shape of a jug 😍

Thank you!!!

Thank you ❤

Always an inspiration and so uplifting! Just what I needed to hear as I’ve been very judgy of myself and my work . I’d love to hear your opinion on the issue of enjoying (too many) things/mediums and styles and not focusing on one and making ourselves known just for that. It’s often said that we need to focus on one thing but I find myself getting bored. How do you find balance? I enjoy painting and creating surface pattern designs, photography and painting on various other surfaces such as ceramics and furniture but I’m only one person 🤪 too many ideas and no plan to follow. I’m also useless at marketing myself and knowing the best outlets for my work. That’s a lot 😆 maybe food for some more vlogs ❤

Awesome advice! In art and in life!

very good advice with focusing on what I like with my art :D Thank you

merci beaucoup ,vous etes très généreuse dans vos explications et elles m'encourages a continuer de dessiner dans mes petits carnets encore merci

Thank you for sharing

You are supercool and inspiring!!! So glad I´ve found you :)

How do we move beyond the mindset of seeing certain art pieces as horrible or disasters? Just yesterday I made something that I nearly tore up. I had to exercise immense self control to stop telling myself it was terrible. It was a card for my husband. I gave it to him and he loved it, but my mindset was a challenge.

Have you included the music credit for the song at the end of your vlog? Thank you for being honest. You are refreshing to watch.

Hi Helen ! I like this advice a lot. I have an unrelated question : do you have a video that explains how you created your art business?

really appreciate your channel and what you share with us!! i would love to hear about your habits, like if you use warm up exercises or have a set routine and what it was like building it/figuring out what works for you. if this is something you've alreaady done i'll make sure to search your channel too :)

Beautiful direction; I need to know what I would change or do differently (what I don’t like) but I need to really need to follow what I like & get excited about more. Also, another commentor asked if they should concentrate on just one genre of work as they learn. That’s been a puzzle for me too-what do you think?

💖💖💖

I love your videos. Can you tell me what the song is in 'My mindset shift please

One more question, do you have a book out?