Are You An Artist Who Has Been Crushed by a Troll?
Transcending a Troll: O’Keeffe Shows Us a Way Out
By Thea Fiore-Bloom, PhD
Artist Georgia O’Keeffe can help creatives with fear in general, and trolls in particular.
Why? Because she was a specialist on fear. Fear was her bedfellow.
I first got curious about O’Keeffe and her relationship to her fear when I noticed that she had a sculpture of a hand displaying the abhaya mudra (symbolizing no fear) plastered into her bedroom wall.
(For more on O’Keeffe’s home studio read Why O’Keeffe Thought Happiness Was For the Birds and What Artists Should Shoot For Instead.)
O’Keeffe was a minimalist, so every object in every room of her 2 New Mexico houses held significance for her.
Why did O’Keeffe choose that particular mudra? And how can her walk with her fear many years ago help artists in the present?
Let’s find out.
One of my favorite quotes from Georgia O’Keeffe was taken from an interview she gave when she was 80 years old. O’Keeffe admitted to the interviewer:
“I’m frightened all the time. Scared to death. But I’ve never let it stop me. Never.”
— Georgia O’Keeffe
Sharon Rohlfsen Udall writes in her excellent book, Carr, O’Keeffe, and Kahlo: Places of Their Own wrote, “Whether in modulating physical risks or forcing professional ones, fear never became the enemy in O’Keeffe’s life; instead, it served as an energizing fuel.”
I believe O’Keeffe may have placed that fear mudra right across from her bed where she could see it every morning to remind her to put her ever-present fear to work for her.
The delicate but powerful mudra hand may have reminded her upon awakening to use her fear as fuel in art practice and art business that day and every day.
“Courage is […] mastery of fear, not absence of fear.”— Mark Twain
Fear As Fuel For Creatives
If fear is fuel, NASA should be calling me any minute to have me donate my vast quantities of high-octane fear to cleanly power their next space launch.
But I guess just sitting around waiting for someone else to transform one’s fear into fuel isn’t the answer.
So I want to offer a real-life example of a colleague of mine who actually displays “The Right Stuff.”
How Artists Can Tromp A Troll
A while back Christy, a kind, vivacious British artist and Charmed Studio subscriber, logged in as usual to her DA account.
But on this particular morning, Christy saw something that would freak out most creatives — a nasty comment from an internet troll.
“It was incredibly juvenile, said Christy.
The troll had written: ‘Wow your art sucks ass. My grandma makes better art than you.’
Ok, so this troll was no Tolstoy, but his lame words still hurt Christy.
“I wasn’t feeling really confident about my art at the time. So it was as if I was kicked by someone after I was already down,” said Christy.
“Being vulnerable as an individual in front of a pack is really scary.
I panicked.
I shut down my account.
But time went by and I thought about it.
I remembered that for me, art is not supposed to be about people liking what I make. (Although of course, it makes me happy when people do!) I also realized that fear of vulnerability dog all artists. I was no different than everyone else.”
Christy’s a hero of mine because:
1. She mustered up the courage to open a new DA account despite her fear.
2. She was brave enough to reach out to her friends on the site and share her experience for the benefit of others.
Christy received an outpouring of support from fellow artists who had been in her shoes.
Post-Troll Better Than Pre-Troll
I believe that thwarting a troll, combined with the uplifting support of her true community, contributed to a renaissance in Christy’s art practice.
In my opinion, Christy’s post-troll work is better than pre-troll.
How can an artist tromp a troll?
Christy showed me a way.
You feel scared but make a ton of new art anyway.
“The troll experience seems to have done a turnaround in my head after which I’ve come back fighting,” said Christy.
“Oddly— I feel more secure in myself. It’s as if someone’s throwing rocks at me has allowed me to grow a kind of rock-resistant veneer.”
Should you write them back? Writer Neal Stephenson says heck no:
“Arguing with anonymous strangers on the Internet is a sucker’s game because they almost always turn out to be—or to be indistinguishable from—self-righteous sixteen-year-olds possessing infinite amounts of free time.”
― Author,
Art Trolls Are Often Wanna-Be Artists
Oh and please remember these three other things if you are an artist who has been trolled:
- Folks who troll artists aren’t artists.
- Art trolls are almost always shadow artists.
- They’re people who desperately want to be like you and make art but are too chicken.
Trolls can be family members. ( I can’t tell you how many subscribers have told me they got off social media because of the harsh comments on their art by blood relations. So if that is you, you are not alone.)
Additionally, several supposed “professional critiques” from “professional art critics” can fall into the shadow artist/troll camp too in my opinion.
Clement Greenburg’s critique of O’Keeffe’s history-making MOMA show comes to mind as an example. (Greenburg, like so many painting critics, is not a painter himself.)
If you’re like me, after reading what I see as the below-the-belt words critics like Greenburg chose to print about O’Keeffe’s work you’ll be inspired by Georgia’s seemingly herculean ability to throw off the idiocy mouthed by the “respected” voices of her day and keep painting anyway.
To get more help coming back to life after an unfair critique head over to the Charmed Studio post How to Recover From a Harsh Art Critique.
But back at the ranch.
Why do art trolls mock you? Because secretly, they want to BE you.
I believe art trolls long to act or write or paint.
But most are too terrified to even pick up a brush, let alone have the courage to show their attempts at creativity in public. (As you have bravely done.)
So, take a moment to honor the guts it took to get up and join the dance of art in the first place.
It’s a dance trolls are too fearful to begin.
Art trolls can only gather at the gates, enviously looking on from a distance.
Unlike you, art trolls are the ones immobilized by the fear of disapproval.
We creatives feel fear of disapproval too but we keep shaking it off and jumping back into the ring to fight another day.
Sadly, most art trolls keep their straight jacket of fear on for the rest of their lives.
Speaking of fear, let’s get to the last lesson O’Keeffe and Christy have for us on not just surviving but thriving after being trolled.
Trolls Teach Us To Cross the River Anyway
O’Keeffe and Christy teach me I don’t have to deny when I feel terrified.
Nor do I need to stay frozen in that terror or shame.
The new game plan is to admit my knees are shaking… and get my butt across the river anyway.
“I’m still not completely rock-proof,” said Christy.” I’m still human. I still think a future comment from a troll would hurt me.”
“But the difference is; I feel like I’ll stay standing this time.”
______________________________
This post is dedicated to everyone who has been trolled or bullied and come back to make more art anyway.
And to the memory of my Dad, Isidore T. Bloom, a crazy-brave union organizer who told me: “Remember, on the right day, you can take [triumph over] anything.”
________________________________________
Over to you. What do you think?
Ever encountered a troll?
Can you relate to Christy’s story or have troll-related advice?
If you liked this post you might like to read my post on Beatrix Potter, O’Keeffe, Dali, Rachel Carson, van Gogh, Hopper & Matisse, Diane Arbus, or Frida Kahlo.
Or check out Military Veterans Who Are Amazing Artists or Artists and ADHD: Myths, Realities, True Stories & Resources.
Mostly Free Resources For Artists
Artists and Priorities: A Magical Method for Organizing Your Time
How To Set Up a Hummingbird Feeder and Gain Peace of Mind
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Love it. This makes me feel strong and inspired. The images are absolutely breathtaking!!!! Thank you for another incredible gift of thought.
Thanks so much Gale for reading my work and leaving such encouraging comments. 🙂 I was just thinking of you and how you help people so much in your practice 2 minutes ago. I added these two questions to this piece based on wise things you have said to me on the topic of fear in the past:
1. Do you have a fear that is based on the opinion of others?
2. Is there a way to turn that fear into fuel?
Everyday, every decision I make I”ve terrified and I think a lot of that is based in my own limitations and some in others. I remember you telling me once. I know your feeling super anxious but never once have I seen it stop you. You just keep bumping along through it. I will always remember that!
I turn it into fuel as much as I can sometimes just keeping moving is how i do it.
In the words of Sade- “It’s not that complicated but your gonna need a bullet proof soul”
I support an artist on patreon: Monica Knighton making a gorgeous tarot deck based on the poem the stolen child. She has had some nasty trolls recently. I felt so bad for her and am going to try to get this blog to her somehow. Can I copy the link somehow?
lots of words coming to me today. Brene Brown: “Don’t try to win over the haters, you are not a jackass whisperer.” 🙂
Wow, I never read that poem till now. A world unto itself isn’t it? Thanks for mentioning Monica’s work as well. It is wondrous isn’t it? Really up there. I would say equal to Beatrix Potter’s illustrations. But she has kind of CS Lewis, Narnian feel running thru her work as well. So cool of you to be a patron for her project. Yes please send her the post: Here is the link: https://thecharmedstudio.com/okeeffe-on-dealing-with-fear-and-trolls/
Love that Brown quote and thanks for continued support of my writing with your comments. Means the world to me.
“If fear is fuel, NASA should be calling me any minute to have me donate my vast quantities of high-octane fear to cleanly power their next space launch.”
I need that on a bumper sticker! LOL.
A favorite quote of mine from Sir Roger Scruton resonates for me with your great new column:
“Human beings live in in mutual accountability, each answerable to the other and each the object of judgment. The eyes of others address us with an unavoidable question `why?’ On this fact is built the edifice of rights and duties. And this, in the end, is what our freedom consists in- the responsibility to account for what we do.”
For me, being able to answer the `why’ question ensures that I am becoming solid in my belief of why I am doing something. Does it represent what I truly want to express? And why?
Sometimes answering the `why’ question is the scariest part.
Yes! Answering the Why question for ourselves is terrifying! More high-octane terror. But ultimately,uniquely fulfilling. Answering “the why question” for myself was the real reason I started the blog. Getting back to why I/we write, why we make art, why we act seemed so important to me. I think we are being stampeded with how, what , when info from our constant connection to media, social and other wise. It makes me peaceful to think of Sir Scruton the country squire on the land thinking deep thoughts as the sheep pass by. Where are my sheep damn it?
When we loose the connection to the natural world we lose our footing.
Thanks so much for writing John, and for writing in.
You write the greatest, kick Ass blogs!! Once again this is inspirational and I can truly relate. I challenge myself and do things that scare me all the time. I kind of don’t know why, I thought I was just a masochist. But there’s
something about conquering that fear and doing it that is so rewarding. I was scared shitless when I first did stand up. Every time I audition and get a part I’m scared I can’t do it. And when I started this Trump booth of mine, it was one scary thing. I had no idea what kind of people I would have come up to me. For some crazy reason I’m always thinking of something else that scares me or challenges me and then I just say I will do it. It is really a wonderful thing to conquer your fear’s and know that you have it in you to do it. Thank you Thea for writing a wonderful piece once again.
Denise you’re a gem. I write the blog just hoping some folks out there in the ethers will relate like you did to this piece.
I hear what you are saying about not knowing why you do what you do. ME TOO! There is no other way to live though is there? Once you start leaping and the nets start appearing, you get hooked. You feel crazy to leap again, but you know life without leaping- isn’t really living. Right? Cheers to all of us mad, creative, leapers!
Thanks for sharing Christy’s experience with trolls. I recall when I was writing for the Beautiful Wildlife Garden Blog, with a team of excellent wildlife native garden writers, trolls would find us. They would criticize some of the opinions we held and ideas we pomoted. The leader of our group had the option to keep troll spam out. But often she would leave the comments in. Because it created a conversation. And generated more interest in our site and what we were about.
Interesting. What a different way to see it. Can you give me an example of something someone challenged you on in a piece you wrote that was trollish?
Anytime one is brave enough to share their art with the world they are open to trolling. So many times I’ve felt knocked to my knees by the trolls, starting with my mother! But allowing myself to process this is the greatest gift I give myself. Sitting with it helps me stand up again, stronger. Thankyou for sharing this. It’s hard to imagine Georgia being riddled with fear but perhaps her living in the middle of nowhere helps explain it. I share that living choice and know that I am quite fearful. But with the peace comes strength.
Good point that trolling can begin at home.
Countless artists, both young and old, have told me the reason they got off facebook was they couldn’t take the mean comments about their art from their own family members.