“I know you artists are shy” the photographer joked as he herded us in for a group photo.
It got me wondering- is this true? I can only talk about myself and I don’t see myself as being inherently shy. For me, shyness has a negative connotation – one I was brought up with – where shyness is perceived as bad, modesty as good and letting others go first and not dominating seen as good. I think you can see where I’m going and the marvellous contradiction it brings up.
For me though, this particular event was one where I exhibited a work that spoke to massive vulnerability. I was and still am undergoing rehabilitation for a cycling accident in January 2024. I created a small painting showing a small figure hugging themself surrounded by swirls of pink, yellow and purple. This work channeled my gratitude for healing and the road to recovery. I remember being on edge when people spoke to me about the painting – the artist statement spoke briefly about what it meant.
However I didn’t know if I would be ready to talk about it or if I ever would. The pain that exists to this day, the army of practitioners I deal with to resolve different issues and how that makes me feel- I don’t know that I can ever talk about it. It is one of the rawest and most vulnerable works I have put out into the world. It makes me feel so exposed.
All my works are reflective and talking about why I made them is sharing a part of my soul. It’s the deep vulnerability that makes us hesitate I think- not shyness. Artists with a deeply reflective practice share a piece of our soul – it’s hard to do. That’s what makes us hesitate- not shyness. So no, Artists aren’t inherently shy. We are vulnerable – like the rest of humanity.
