2019-10-01_In_The_Moment_

114 CalmMoment.com

W

hen I was twenty-two years old, I moved

to the city of San Francisco, and my

entire interior world exploded. For the

first time in my life, I was surrounded by diverse

cultures, a spectrum of gender identities and sexual

orientations, books, film and, most significantly, art.

I became a voracious consumer of art and visited

museums whenever I could, borrowing artist’s

biographies from the library and reading them with

devotion. Through this new window into the world,

I began to appreciate the value in being different

and in putting one’s own ideas – however weird

they might be – into the world.

From there, I began to value nonconformity more

and more, not only in others, but also in myself. But

it wasn’t until I began making art that I appreciated

how profoundly important nonconformity really is.

While in mainstream culture idiosyncrasies and

“Idiosyncrasies and differences are not

flaws – they are our strength”

When Lisa Congdon stopped trying to fit in, she discovered

her own artistic voice and the endless potential it brings

differences are often seen as flaws; in our world –

the world of artists – they are your strength.

Like most people, deep down inside I have

always felt a tension between fitting in and standing

out. When I began making art in my early thirties

as a hobby, and then again when I began my

professional career, I found myself pondering

questions about where I was headed as an artist.

What I didn’t fully understand at the time was

that asking these questions was an indicator that

I was in the early stages of discovering my own

voice. It is one of the most important experiences

you will ever have, and the process cannot be

rushed. Most of the time, finding your voice takes

years of practice and repetition, frustration, agony,

humiliation, and self-doubt. But the process is like

uncovering your own superpower. Your artistic

voice is what sets you apart.

LIFE LESSONS

Lisa Congdon is an artist who lives and works in Portland, Oregon, USA. She is the

author of several books, including Find Your Artistic Voice (Chronicle Books, £12.99),

which is out now. Take a peek into her studio on Instagram @lisacongdon

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