The Unveiling of You – Nicholas Wilton – Ep 139

An art exhibition may be one of the most challenging things you ever do—yet entirely worth the effort. I used to be anxious about completing exhibitions on time. The thought of having to create a body of work on a timeframe can be debilitating. So why put yourself through the process? Is it worth the depth of emotions you’ll experience? I share why setting a date and embracing the uncertainty is transformative in this episode of the Art2Life Podcast.

Listen if you are interested in…

• Why exhibitions are hard [4:12]
• The power of uncertainty [14:11]
• The creative process [20:23]
• The process of growth [28:06]
• Shifting your mindset [32:46]

Why are exhibitions hard?

There’s uncertainty baked in any time you plan to do something in the future, right? Secondly, you’re likely doing something that makes you uncomfortable. You’re inviting others to see your work. You’re putting it out into the world. You’re taking a mysterious, unpredictable, and organic process and putting it on a schedule. You may be wondering, “What if no one comes? What if it isn’t successful?”

It can be hard to have the exhibition looming ahead of you. How do I handle it? I set the intention: “I will have a body of work in three months.” I wake up and revisit that intention every day. Then I show up every day and do what I do best: create.

Little by little, showing up helps you untangle confusion. The answers come. Exhibitions give you the opportunity to become someone different. The work will be new and different and more aligned with who you’re becoming.

If you don’t grab the opportunity and give yourself a challenge, when will you? There’s nothing like the shift that happens when you put fire to your feet.

The power of uncertainty

The unknown is where change happens. It’s where growth happens. Energy comes from not knowing. There’s curiosity, humility, and wonder in it. You’re no longer an expert. When you start working on something, its path becomes clear over time. Amazing, new work comes out of uncertainty.

If you’re too focused on creating work that’s like what you’ve made before, you won’t feel free. The soul will always pull you to the unknown. It wants you to experience new and different things and become a new version of yourself. The only place that makes us feel free when we’re making art is being present. The unknown is your friend. It’s the seat of creativity.

And it’s scary. The thing that can stop us from being creative is the thing that allows us to make amazing work. You have to recognize that feelings of uncertainty are always going to be there. They’re the precursor to amazing breakthroughs. Holding on to uncertainty produced work that I believe was significantly better than what I’d done before.

The process of growth

When Joe Dispenza talks about the process of growth he says you have to believe and behave before you can become. You have to believe that you’re worth the possibility. You have to show up, hold the intention, and create. Allow yourself to be frustrated.

When it becomes something, it changes you. I feel like a different person with a different approach because of this new process I’ve embraced.

The power of seeing all of your work that’s made over time is powerful. You walk into the place and see everything in a different light. You see things that you weren’t sure about land in people’s hearts. It’s like seeing it for the first time. You curated a moment.

The decision to do a show is an act of self-love. You’re giving yourself the time to become something different. Scale this to whatever you have the appetite for. Maybe it’s a pop-up. Maybe it’s five paintings to hang in your living room. Whatever you choose, make it more substantial than what you normally do. When you can do this cycle right, you come out excited for the next thing. It energizes you.

This is my invitation to you. Take the leap!

Resources & People Mentioned

• Joe Dispenza’s Retreats
• Lotus Dog Food

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