(Keep Feeling) Inspiration

When I auditioned for the Savannah Arts Academy (a local art-centric high school or SCAD High as we liked to call it then), I was told by the head of the Visual Arts department that I "had very little talent to speak of but had good ideas and a great eye for design." How's that for confidence building.

At the time I was thrilled to get in and was promised by the same man that he would be exceedingly hard on me (I also thought he was a jerk, for the record). On the first day of school that year, the Visual Arts instructor told me I would have to work much harder than my classmates to make up for what I lacked in raw talent (further evidence of his "jerk-hood", I thought).

He was very demanding of me and I did work much harder than the majority of my classmates. I was able to graduate with the same man commenting to the class on our last Visual Arts Technique & Composition session that I was the most improved, hardest-working student he'd ever had.

I've thought about those statements and experiences off and on the the years following. In a lot of ways I think my high school art teacher pegged me. For all my confidence in most areas of my life, I still feel this way about any of my creative endeavors. I feel largely talentless. I do work hard at my projects but struggle ideas and inspiration.

I'd like to think that lots of people deal with these feelings. My humility (yes, I have humility although I keep it well in check) doesn't quite allow me to believe that I'm alone in this. If they do, I love to know how they content with it.