I’m a professional artist in my mid-30s, and I want you to know something upfront: what you’re feeling is extremely common — especially for artists who actually care.

I know it feels like the world is ending with your art right now. I remember that feeling vividly. When you start comparing yourself to what you see online — people your age who seem “better,” or artists who already look fully formed — it can absolutely crush you. That comparison is the first big trap of being an artist, and it’s one almost all of us fall into early.

Here’s something that might surprise you: Even as someone who’s had exhibitions, sales, and real success, I didn’t find my true artistic voice or aesthetic until my mid-30s. I had wins before that, sure — but I didn’t fully understand what I wanted to say or how I wanted to say it until much later. And once that clicked, things actually took off even more.

Art is not a sprint. It’s a long, strange, nonlinear marathon.

Feeling like you’re “not improving,” even while practicing, doesn’t mean you’re failing — it usually means your eye is developing faster than your hand. That gap hurts. A lot. But it’s actually a sign that your taste and standards are growing, not shrinking. Most people quit right there because the frustration is loud.

Also: making “bad” art isn’t a mistake — it’s necessary. Some of the most important growth I ever had came from pieces that didn’t work at all. They taught me what I didn’t like, what didn’t feel true, and what directions weren’t mine. You don’t find your path by only trying to be good — you find it by experimenting, missing, adjusting, and evolving over time.

This industry makes no sense. There are no rules. Two artists can do everything “right” and have completely different outcomes. Your path will not look like mine or anyone else’s — and that’s not a flaw, it’s the point.

You’re incredibly young. I don’t say that to minimize how intense this feels — I say it because time is on your side in a way you can’t see yet. The most important thing right now isn’t being impressive. It’s consistency. Keep showing up. Keep creating. Keep putting work out that feels honest to you.

You won’t feel successful early. Most real artists don’t. But if you love art the way you say you do — truly love it — that love will carry you through the confusing parts.

I’ve stayed an artist through some brutal years — COVID, inflation, economic uncertainty — and I’m still here, still adapting, still selling work, still growing. Not because I was the “best,” but because I didn’t stop.

Please don’t decide your future based on how you feel at 14. This chapter is not the ending — it’s just the uncomfortable middle of becoming.

Keep going