Permit yourself!

   

Self-portrait with Bandaged Ear, Easel and Japanese Print, January 1889, Oil on canvas, 60 × 49 cm., Courtauld Institute Galleries, London (F527)

Self-portrait with Bandaged Ear, Easel and Japanese Print, January 1889, Oil on canvas, 60 × 49 cm., Courtauld Institute Galleries, London (F527)

Sometimes the results are the same; sometimes it is hard to tell the difference. The fine line. The difference between being taught to fish and being given fish. You get fish.

Permission is the same. You can give someone permission, or you can encourage them to permit themselves, to give themselves permission (teaching in so many ways is nothing more than encouragement: helping someone to risk falling down to ride a bike, to brave water to swim, to persevere and be patient to fish).

Permission is key. Permission is power; permission is power over oneself AND power over others. If you can give yourself permission in this life, you don't need it from others, and others can't stop you from doing what you dream to do, need to do, believe in doing.

A person who gives themselves permission and doesn't need it from others is a powerful and even dangerous person.

But you can only do this for yourself, that has to be understood. No one can or will do it for you. Artists have to give themselves permission: to themselves! And then anything is possible.

It goes without saying that one has to accept the consequences; power means responsibility.

Everyone will be an obstacle and will try to stop you, divert you, exploit you, undermine you, crush you, discredit you, ignore you, ridicule you, break you down, turn others against you, withhold support, steal your faith, steal your confidence, steal your well-being, steal your sense of self, steal your mission away from you. They will stop at nothing to wrest permission away from you.

You can't feel sorry for yourself about this. Do something about it. Life isn't fair. It is what it is. Don't expect support for doing what you want to do, especially from people who aren't doing what they want to do. I think what we are talking about here is freedom. It comes at a price.

As an artist permission is all you need. Permission from yourself. You have to pay for it. It is up to you! Pay the price. Give yourself permission! Take it back from those who would try to steal it from you! It is your lunch money. If you are going to survive and flourish you need it!

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Location:Spring Hill