The Art Peace Experiment
We're two friends, Tasha and Briana, doing an experiment for 52 weeks, each making one tiny creative thing a week and sharing the fears, breakthroughs, and beauty along the way. Because we believe creativity isn’t just about what you make - it’s about remembering who you are. We'd love to have you join us!
The Art Peace Experiment
Week 18: Can You Say “I Am Creative” Out Loud?
Why is it so hard to claim creativity as part of who we are? In this episode, we talk about the tender resistance to saying “I am an artist”—or dancer, writer, baker, musician, maker—and how cultural myths, childhood expectations, and social media pressures make us doubt the value of what we love. Together, we explore the truth that creativity isn’t about talent or outside validation—it’s about showing up for what delights you, creating safety around your practice, and finding the “safe people” who make it feel less lonely. Whether your medium is paint, words, movement, or something all your own, this is your reminder that your creativity is valid, your joy is enough, and you are already worthy.
Thank you so much for listening.
If you know someone who needs this kind of gentle nudge, send it their way. The more kind, creative hearts in this space, the better.
And if something in this episode resonates or makes you smile, come say hi on Instagram @theartpeaceexperiment 🤍
Welcome to the Art Peace Experiment. We're your hosts, two artists and friends. I'm Tasha and I'm Brianna. At the end of 2024, we decided we wanted to cultivate more safety, peace, love, alignment, and excitement through our art and our art practices.
SPEAKER_01:So here we are, sharing our journey with you, and we're so excited you're here. We hope you enjoy our conversations. They're honest, raw, just two friends talking to each other about the realities of life and creativity. We're so excited for you to join us and be along with us for the journey.
SPEAKER_02:Have you ever struggled with saying I am an artist to other people?
SPEAKER_01:I still feel like I struggle with that a little bit still, you know? Uh, but yes, yes, I have.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. Yeah. The other day I had someone ask me what what I like most about myself. That's an odd question. Yeah, from someone that I've never spoken to before in my life. Oh, just randomly met them. It's like icebreaker question. Like, whoa, whoa. Small talk. I'm like, can I answer this when I'm not talking to someone else and it's just me? I wanted I want it to be like my creativity and the fact that I am an artist and that I'm like, you know, really starting to embrace that side of myself. And not just internally, but to the point that it's becoming more external. I mean, I've been perfecting your professional artist for a few years now, and yet it still is like kind of hard. But it was weird that I still had that resistance in that question of like, can I say this out loud? Yeah. Can I say that? Can I say my creativity is the thing that I, you know, appreciate the most about myself. Like I think it's great.
SPEAKER_01:Why, like, why is that still so hard? Yeah, that's so interesting. Cause there is a lot of resistance. There's a lot of resistance to that, to that identity and that question. I and I feel like it's because in society it's not seen as a valid occupation, you know, a lot of the type we're like unless you're unless you're showing something monetary or monetarily. That's right, right. You know, if you're big and famous, yeah, then it's okay. But if you're just doing it with a small per you know, yeah, on a small scale, it's interesting.
SPEAKER_02:When you're sorry, I interrupted, when you're a kid, I'm gonna keep going. When you're a kid and and people realize, like, oh, you want to be a doctor when you grow up, oh you want to be a firefighter, it's very like encouraging and like, oh, you want to be this thing, that's cool. But when you they see you drawing, it's like, oh, you're an artist, and the identity is like immediately put on you, like you have no choice, you're an artist, and then they discredit it pretty much immediately after that.
SPEAKER_01:You know, that's a that that's an okay hobby, or you won't make money with that, or like yeah, I yeah, I feel like even if they don't even say those kind of things, it's it's implied, right? You know, where like there's an attitude. It's uh everybody's everybody's an artist, so you know, when they're kids, right? They're yeah, it's like, oh you everybody draws and everybody's like happy with little kid drawings and they're so cute, but it's not that's it stays at that level. And you know, I heard this interesting thing too is that everyone everyone kind of peeks at like age eight art level, like their art, you know, kind of it gets better, gets better as in childhood, you know, and it gets better until like eight or nine. And then unless you actually take time to develop and learn more skills, it it just kind of stays the same. Like even adults, you know, going back and drawing the draw stick figures, right? Or like, I can't draw, like I don't know how to draw, right? And it stays at that level unless unless you're intentional about it, unless you practice and and learn new skills. And so I feel like that's kind of the expectation in society is is up until that age, it's it's acceptable, it's cute, it's fun, you know, but then it's time to after that, you know, it's time to kind of grow up and get into the series, you know, your your yeah serious, something respectable, something exact like yeah, accepted in society valuable, right? Valuable skill instead of you know just a little kid drawing, right? Yeah. So it kind of it shifts, it shifts around that age, I feel, and and I think it it stays that way. And and that's just the perception is that art and drawing and and you know, having dance parties with music, and I don't know, is especially as you grow up and you're your teenage years, then you kind of feel awkward and you want to fit in, and so you let go of a lot of those childhood things. It's just kind of a very natural progression, I feel like.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:And then in adulthood, we I I think there's this revival coming back where in our in our generation a little bit of people coming back to their childlike whimsy and and hobbies and love and yeah, it's either the childhood ones or the granny ones, yeah. Exactly. And so I think that's really, really cool, but I feel like that's a very new thing. And before it was just you grow up and you get a job and you go and work, you know, you work until you're retired and you get a family and and so the expectations for creativity just drop off after childhood. It just it's that's a childhood thing, and you don't have it.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, well, I find it interesting too with the way people approach it when they when they talk to kids, it's like, oh, you want to become this thing, and that thing is valued because you have to earn it and you have to work for it. Whereas creative things, it's like, oh, you already are this thing.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, your child, right?
SPEAKER_02:You like it already is your identity, it already is part of you, and it's like and it's like either you have the talent or you don't.
SPEAKER_01:I think that's really interesting because like you you already have this because you're because you're a kid, and all kids have this, and so that's probably why too it it's feels like oh that's just childish, you know? Yeah, when you come when you you're when you're starting to come back to that thing, it's like, oh, that's child, that's you know, that's something I did when I was a kid, that's childish, yeah. That's not valuable as an adult, right?
SPEAKER_02:Right. But then when they I don't know, it's weird because when people see like, oh, you're good at art, most of them it's this, I wish I had that talent.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:And there is no working hard for it or earning it, or yeah, they don't see the actual time and effort and and practice that it's taken to get to that level.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, it's just like that's cool. You either have it or you don't.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, but that's just not that's not how it is at all. You know, when I started watercoloring, I I had a friend be like, Oh, I wish I could be as good at that my first attempt. Okay, I can't even draw a stick figure. And it's like, well, I've put thousands of hours. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Well like literally thousands of hours.
SPEAKER_02:Thousands and thousands of hours into this. If you had put thousands and thousands of hours into this, you'd probably have a much more decent shot at feeling like your first attempt was good. Right. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:You would do much better than just stick figures. Yeah, no, it's true. And I like thinking of it that way because it makes it feel like it's possible for anyone, which it is, you know, it's possible for anyone to be very skilled in something if they put in practice in hours. Right. And I remember we talked about this in an earlier episode about I can't even remember, there was this study about like pianists, I feel, and the different levels of piano, piano players. And everyone starts out the same, and then it's just and you it was like even the same kind of life stages, life period, life situations, economic situations, kind of you know, like they were all very similar in background, and nothing was really different except for the amount of time that they played piano. That was the difference between just hobbyists and professionals. That was the only difference, you know? Makes sense, and you know, talent-wise, too. In the beginning, they they were like the same playing field, you know? Yeah, and so it goes across the board, I think, for anything. Like you there are things that we are naturally more inclined to and gifted in, and things like that, or drawn to. And and I feel like if we're drawn to it, then we're gonna want to put more time into it and we're gonna do better at it. We're gonna do well, right? Because we like it, we're enjoying it. And when you enjoy something, you do you do better at it, you and you want to spend that time in it. And if you don't like something, then you drag your feet and you're like, This is terrible, and I hate this, right? And you don't do well and because you don't put your whole self into it, right?
SPEAKER_02:But I also hate that that people will think, oh, it's not worth putting time into this because I'm not good at it. Like I enjoy it, but I'm not good at it. So I shouldn't waste my time on it. It's it's not a waste of time. If you're enjoying it, if it's fulfilling to you, if it's if it gives you something, it's worth your time, in my opinion.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. Well, yeah, I think that's the shift that needs to happen in the way of thinking about creativity, is is if it is something that lights you up, that gives you excitement and joy and energy, you know, even if you're not good at it, it's that means it's worthwhile because you it helps you be a fuller version of yourself.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, yeah. And I think there's nothing wrong with wanting to get better at things, but I I think we lose some of the joy when we lose sight of the way it makes us feel when we're when we're doing it rather than the outcome. Does that make sense? Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, yeah. Yeah, focusing on yeah, focusing on the outcome rather than the process, yeah, right? Or focusing on the process rather than the outcome. Yes. Like there's a there's a big difference when you focus on the process versus when you focus on the outcome. And I think especially with social media and and that whole, you know, that whole thing. Yeah. Feeling like you have to show show it off. Show it off, show off your life, and everything has to be at a certain standard. Yeah. And there's, you know, there's so much comparison going on, and it's hard, it's hard not to be in that cycle, you know, in that whirlwind of comparison. For sure. And feel like you have to, in order to be valid, you have to show it off and you have to do be really good, right?
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, yeah. So I was I was talking to one of my daughter's friends' moms, and and you know, she wanted to see some of my and wanted to know what you know what I liked to do. And so I showed her, and she's the first question, is this on social media? Are you sharing this? Are you showing this? And you know, that's not that's not the first time this happened. It's like, oh, you're at a certain standard, you should be showing this off. You should be sharing rights. And it's interesting that that's the first question.
SPEAKER_01:That's like the first. Yeah, it is. Even yeah, even when I told people, oh yeah, I do paintings and stuff, they're like, Oh, do you yeah, do you have a social media? Are you on there? Are you making money off of this?
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, that's the is it valid? It's yeah, it's interesting. Like the first thing is, is it is it valid?
SPEAKER_01:Let's let me assess the valid level, right? Like that's the that's what that's what it kind of is doing, those questions or assessing how seriously to take it and how impressed to be, and you know, like they're trying to feel it out, right? Yeah, and I like I do that too, you know. It's just it's a natural kind of that's just how we communicate and how we Yeah, and I feel like it's it's become a protective mechanism for ourselves too, of like in showing things, you have to make sure that the value is there from outside perspective.
SPEAKER_02:And I think that really affects us in how we show up to create too, because it causes so many limiting beliefs and holding ourselves back and not wanting to even start sometimes because we can't justify the value.
SPEAKER_01:You know, I think that has been probably one of the biggest blocks for me in even starting and why it's I mean, it's still hard, but for sure, that has been so difficult in starting the whole creative process because I feel like I can't start unless I, you know, I have to video it or film it, you know, I have to like document the process so that I can share it online. And it has to be at a certain level, it has to look good, there has to be good lighting, right? And so there's like all of these pressures and expectations that I put on myself before I even start. And so then it gets so overwhelming that I don't it it doesn't sound fun anymore, right? It's it's like, well, I don't want to do that, yeah.
SPEAKER_02:So yeah, especially when you're comparing to people who have been filming for years and they've gotten good at it, right? I mean you're just starting out, you have a whole setup, right? You're not good at it.
SPEAKER_01:So then that causes more because it's focused on the outcome rather than the process, right? Yep. It's that whole that whole problem is is being focused on the outcome and how it looks to other people so that it can feel valid and valuable, so that I can feel good about myself and feel like justified in taking the time.
SPEAKER_02:Right, right. And you know, you you talk to a first-year med student, they're not expected to be a doctor, right? Right. They're not expected to know everything, like they are allowed that process of becoming. Artists aren't allowed the process. You shouldn't be sharing this, you know.
SPEAKER_01:Like you're not that good. You shouldn't be sharing, like, that's a lot of the vibe, you know. It's like if you're not good, then don't share it.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, but we internalize that and then we say, Oh, I'm not allowed the process of becoming, I'm not allowed to give this to myself. Right. Because it's not okay outside of myself. Other people won't accept it. It's not okay.
SPEAKER_01:And I think we need to just rewrite that narrative. We need to change that story, and that I feel is a main, like a major thing of this experiment is just showing up for ourselves and and and embracing the process of becoming, yeah. Embracing where we are now and being okay, like creating safety around that. Yeah. And not having to justify it all. And how do we do that? Right? How do we do that? It's I think really by the pillars that we've set up, you know, the pillars that we're trying to follow is just creating for ourselves, right? And aligning with what feels good and not worrying about other people, not worrying about other people, but just looking inward to what do I like? What delights me? What lights me up? Yeah, what do I want to be doing, and what fills me with energy and joy? Yeah, right. Yeah, and rewriting that narrative. These things are worthy. I am worthy. Yes, these things. Yes. And and really, you know, sitting in that, like feeling that. And it takes time, like it takes reminder and reminder, and and doing that again and again and again. Yeah. Before it starts to really sink in and and feel true because we've had so many years of discounting it, you know? So many years of just yeah, just saying, oh, listening to those voices of it's not, it's not valid. It's that's just silly, that's whatever. You know, all of those negative beliefs about them. And and so it takes time to sit in that, and it takes intention too. Oh, yes. It takes intention and and showing up, you know, choosing to show up and consistently. And consistently is kind of a that's a loose term. Like it doesn't have to mean every day or every, you know, this time at this day, but just repeatedly, you know, repeatedly showing up and and creating that space for yourself, creating that space of love and acceptance and safety.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, it's been interesting because I feel like we've both, you and I have both been a little bit triggered with all of this the last few weeks because we just started sharing on social media. Oh my gosh, it's been last few weeks, it's been really it's been exhausting. Yeah. And like low-key traumatic.
SPEAKER_01:It's been like we've had some trauma.
SPEAKER_02:I mean, I mean, everyone, everyone online has been so lovely and kind.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, they really have been. Like it's not been it hasn't been that bad. Like, no, you know, it hasn't been bad at all. It hasn't, it's been a really positive experience.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, but I think it all just stems from all those limiting beliefs from childhood, right? From being scared to show up and to show others what we've been doing.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:And and and feeling like we have to justify the value. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:And we have to when we're out there, yeah. We have people are seeing it. And so we gotta, yeah, there's a lot of pressure and a lot of expectation. Like all those pressures and expectations are like they're here, they're back again. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:And is this good enough to share? Yeah. You know, and and we want to be really real and honest and raw with what we're sharing and and authentic. And yeah, you know, like sometimes the pictures or videos we want to share aren't gonna be gorgeous, yeah, and you know, cinematic, like they were made by a movie company. Yeah, right. Right. It's like, you know, this is just the real life moment of what I painted this week or how I showed up creatively for myself this week. It's not always beautiful, it's not always that polished feeling, and we don't want that, right? But we still get caught in this trap of but we have to, yes, we have to show up. Yeah, that's the only way to do it.
SPEAKER_01:It's like, no, uh, it's not, but it's hard, it is hard, it's hard to combat that, yeah. And the perfectionism and people pleasing, and you know, like all the like personal levels of that as well.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, and as artists, it's like, well, you have to show up aesthetically, it has to look good, it has to look good, or you're just not even a valid artist, right? Like layers and layers and layers of limiting beliefs just from hosting our art online, right?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, it's it's kind of wild when you break it down and really think about it. It's like, wow, there is a lot uh going on here, there's a lot going on here, and it doesn't have to be that way.
SPEAKER_00:No, how do we let that go?
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, how do we let it go? Because it it can be easy, it can be, yeah, and you know, not everybody is going to want to show their art online, not everyone's gonna want to dance, you know, on TikTok, not everyone's gonna want to share their baked goods on social media, you know, like it's not everyone needs to show off their stuff or show up that way, and like that's that's fine, and we're not necessarily promoting that, but sometimes it's just in your community and your family and your friends. Like, who are you sharing it with? Are you sharing it with anybody? Do you need to? Is it important to I think when you have the right people, it is really important.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I feel like I mean, community is connect, right? Is that's our that's our third pillar. How how helpful it is to have like-minded people and people that understand what you're doing and support you, yeah, that makes such a huge difference. It it's so hard to share with people who are not in the same space or or don't understand or not aligned or don't value it the same way. That that's really hard. But when you find those people that you know are your people, like they get it, they understand, they have that same vibe, that same drive and yeah, and passion, then it's so much easier for one to show up because it feels safe, right? It feels safe because you will be understood and you won't be criticized because they understand. And I feel like that, yeah, that makes a huge, huge difference. But you have to know your people, right? Yeah, just because they are in your world doesn't necessarily mean that they are the right people to share with. And that's okay, right? I mean, we talked about that before. Like it's okay that one person doesn't meet all of your needs, right? Right. And so finding who you need in different areas of your life, and if there's one person that can be in all areas of life, or you know, people that can be in multiple, like we cross over, like people cross over. And anyways, yeah, but you know, I think finding finding people that are safe and and supportive that helps so much, so much.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, yeah. And and it's not a matter of even necessarily, oh, I have to share this to, you know, even like help other people, or like, you know, you're finding justifications of of sharing, sharing it in that way. I don't know if that makes sense or if I even talked enough about it for it to make sense. I'm trying to gather my thoughts here. Yeah, but it it's sometimes you know, our experiment is all about creating to align and to become our truest selves, right? And aligning to create, right? You know, to creating things that really resonate and to feel like feel like us. And so it's kind of like this full circle thing, but when you have when you have people that you can share that with, it helps you find your self-worth and self-value outside of anything that you're producing or creating. Like you don't get your self-worth from another person, that's not what I mean. But we are like as humans, we need connection, we need other people. Yeah, and I I think you know, sometimes it's like, well, you have to be really independent and you have to find your self self-worth and you can't be attached to anybody else. And it's like, okay, that is that is true to a point to a point, but we also need connection, yeah. And if we don't have the people around us that will support us in being aligned and what matters to us, we're not gonna find that. Yeah, we're not gonna create you, we're not gonna find that and create that for ourselves, we're not going to align that way. So, you know, you you need both, like they're they work together, right?
SPEAKER_01:If that makes sense. Yeah, it does. So, like not being dependent on other people's opinions or you know, feedback, not being dependent on others for your own self-worth, but connecting with others who see you right and love you for who you are, and support you and being fully aligned with yourself. That builds confidence, that builds safety, that builds trust, that builds, you know, all the good things that we need as as humans to survive and thrive, right? That builds thriving, is to have community. And I think, you know, showing up as your full self, your authentic self, you know, aligned with who you are and who you want to be and what delights you, that starts with being real with yourself. Like that starts as a you know, internal process. You you can't show others that unless you know it yourself, right? Yeah. And and it takes a lot of work and it takes, you know, it takes healing. And so I think that's really the first step is asking those questions. What delights me? What what do I really want out of life? What do I really love out of life, you know? Yeah, and what makes me me, right? And then being real with yourself and not answering the questions with the lens of what others would approve of.
SPEAKER_00:That's huge, that's huge.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, yeah. And you know, coming back to the question of you know, being able to say, like, I am an artist, like, can you say that? Can you say I am an artist? Can you say it to yourself? Can you say it to yourself? Yeah, like really truly to the point of this resonates.
SPEAKER_01:And if not, why not? What's what comes up?
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, you know, and if you're not like a painter or something, you know, replace the word artist with your creative medium, right? Yeah, you know, but the rule still applies there.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. Am I a dancer? Yeah. Am I a cooker? Am I, you know, like whatever it is. But can you say that to yourself? And how does that feel? Pay attention. How does that feel when you say that? Where where is it like where do you feel it in your body?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:If it's feeling uncomfortable, where is it feeling uncomfortable? And why is it feeling uncomfortable? What other thoughts come up? Dig deep into that. Yeah, what other resistance comes up?
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, what's the root cause? Like, what's why is that feeling uncomfortable in your body? Why can you not say it? And you know, I think sometimes when we, you know, tell a lie or something that's not fully true, we feel it in our body, you know, and it's the same with this. You say, like, I'm an artist, but then there's that like tightness somewhere in you where it's like, oh, I just told, I just told a lie.
SPEAKER_01:That's not fully true.
SPEAKER_02:That's not fully true. Get really curious about that. Why do you feel that way? Yeah. Why is that why is that there? And do you want to continue feeling that way? Or is that something you want to be able to say and have it be a full truth? Right. I mean, if you don't, if it doesn't matter to you, then that's that's fine. But if it's like, you know what, no, I I I want that to be a full truth. I want to feel completely comfortable with that and own that. Yeah. Then, you know, it it's a matter of taking this, getting really curious about the whys and the limiting beliefs and what's going on, and then taking the small steps forward towards how you actually want to show up.
SPEAKER_01:That's it for today, friend. Thanks for spending this time with us. We hope you're leaving with a little more light, a little more peace, and maybe even a nudge to go be creative, just because it brings a little more joy to your life. If anything in this episode spoke to your heart, sparked a thought, or made you smile, we'd love it if you'd follow the show, leave a quick five-star review, or share it with someone who might need a little creative encouragement too. And remember, your creativity matters. Your voice matters. You matter. We're cheering you on always. Until next time, keep making, keep softening, and keep showing up as your whole beautiful self.