I remember the first time my father complimented something I made. I never forgot it. It gave me the confidence to choose a life that had art as its centerpoint.

The motivational speaker Jim Rohn has famously said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”

For most of us, especially in this time of quarantine, these are the people we hold most close. In our art and life, our successes are, to a large degree, determined by those in our inner circle.

This is what this video is about today. Click on the video below to watch.

My family has helped me and my art in so many ways. For starters they have given me objectivity. When I am always alone in my studio, it is easy to lose perspective on my art making. Those close to me can offer fresh, invaluable perspective based upon the entire arc of my art making.

Receiving support through the hard times can help you maintain confidence. When someone else believes in you, it oddly makes it easier for you to do the same.

In the end, art journeys are not ours alone. They are held, in part, by those we hold close.

How do those in your family, given or created, help you make your art?

Let us know in the comments below.

This question is the theme for the next episode of the Kitchen Table Art Project.

Join us, this Wednesday at 12 pm PDT. We will be talking, laughing and art-making.

This week, we will be having family art makers on the show!

See you all on Wednesday!

Stay close to those who are…

Nicholas

PS Watch or get last weeks’ episodes “KTAP Materials + Resources” PDF.

PSS On the cover shot of this video, I am holding a painting of my late father, Clifford Wilton. On Wednesday,
I will be sharing his artwork and some of his stories.

See you there!