Hello Creative Souls,
Welcome to my February newsletter - there are signs of spring in the air, albeit a constant deluge of rain. I can see flashes of yellow daffodils in the verges and clumps of snowdrops in the hedgerows and woodland. My tulips and crocuses are starting to poke up through the soil in my terracotta pots and cut flower bed. There are plump sheep around the area waiting to give birth to their lambs. Today I rescued a bumblebee, who had ventured out but got caught out by the weather. I transferred him from the patio to the blossoming viburnum bush and gave him some sugar water. I am keeping everything crossed that he will perk up and fly back home. This month I want to share with you some interesting feedback I received on my YouTube channel, how I received the comments and responded to them and what I have learnt along the way, so sit back, relax and join me for my latest pondering.
“A creative life cannot be sustained by approval any more than it can be destroyed by criticism.”
– Will Self



I started my YouTube channel last summer, hoping to share what inspires me to create art. I love creating videos of the places I explore, getting out into nature, painting in my studio and the new art materials I am discovering along the way. Last summer I decided to start painting plein air and so, I put together a travel kit which I absolutely love and use it a lot on my travels. I took it on holiday with me last year and will be doing the same again this year. I produced a video about what I pack in my rucksack to go out plein air painting, which has proved really popular and continues to get views some 6 months later, for which I’ll leave a link below. Last week I was delighted to see it hit 1.8k views and rising, I am also delighted to see people are liking my video and also commenting.
Putting myself out there was the hardest thing to do as an artist. Artists seem to be their own worst critics. Having read other artist’s blogs, the advice was to share your artwork, get it out there - this builds confidence as others see it and hopefully compliment it or at least give positive feedback and encouragement. It took a lot of courage for me to finally put myself out there, first building my own website and shop, then writing my own blog, setting up Instagram, Substack and finally my YouTube channel.
I’ve not been on Substack or YouTube for a year yet, it’s a slow process, but I am gradually building an audience that are interested and supportive and I hope they find joy and a moment of calm whilst reading or watching my content. I have received some lovely comments and responses to my writing, videos and artwork which is a real confidence booster and motivates me to continue doing what I do. I always knew that as soon as I put myself out there I would run the risk of having to deal with feedback and criticism. I am sure I am not alone when I say I don’t like criticism and I am the first to admit I don’t receive it well.
So, for the first time I received some feedback, that although wasn’t negative, was to the point. Read on to find out how I dealt with these constructive comments and moved forward.
Dealing with challenging comments:
I really appreciate the time people take to watch my videos and I always welcome comments and thoughts. This occasion was not different - the viewer was expressing an opinion from a place of plein air painting and sharing knowledge and experience. The viewer commented on several of my videos, saying that a plein air kit should be able to fit into the pocket, not lots of stuff to lug around. At first I was a little surprised and for some reason a little triggered, I guess defensive and so decided to not respond straight away.
Here is how I dealt with the comments:
Pause and reflect - Reread the comment and digest the information. Do not respond straight away. Think on it, mull it over and decide whether it needs a response. No knee jerk reactions and maybe share it with a friend or family member to get the right perspective.
Is the comment constructive?
Can I learn from it?
How can I respond in a positive way?
Let it go and move on.
Why was I getting triggered?
From my perspective the videos I create take a lot of effort - from thinking of new, engaging content, to the filming, editing, audio and downloading, it all takes quite a few hours. I like my content to be as authentic as possible so I tend not to write a script, I like to chat as I create art, which means sometimes I get tongue tied or say a lot of ‘ums’, but aside from that, my videos are meant to spread some joy out into the world. I am learning along the way and sharing my process. Some days I am fatigued and have no energy, dealing with an autoimmune disease, so this can make me grumpy and defensive. If I’m honest, my initial response was, well, if you think you can do better then crack on, you obviously have a lot to say.
Don’t take it personally…
When someone makes a comment they don’t necessarily know you. They aren’t aware of your daily struggles, the thoughts you have in your head, the insecurities you feel, the feeling of not being good enough or feeling vulnerable and exposed. It’s not personal, it’s just their opinion and their point of view. We are all different and I believe we should all be able to voice our opinions, hence writing on Substack. They are sharing their point of view, from their perspective, it’s feedback that needs to be considered. What can be taken from the feedback?
Why I am grateful for the comments and what have I learnt?
Once I had slept on the comments I realised my initial response was unfounded. The viewer was simply giving an opinion and sharing their experiences of plein air painting - giving a wealth of knowledge to help me learn and grow in practising painting outside. Once I had taken a step back and pondered on the comments, I realised that I could respond from a place of appreciation and gratitude for sharing this wisdom.
Moving forward I have decided to take the advice and I have started to create a new video about the advice I have been given. Once I had quietened my ego I decided to follow the instructions. I now have put together a new plein air kit which will fit into my pocket, or at least not be so cumbersome in my rucksack. It consists of 3 primary watercolours, a travel paintbrush, a small postcard sized block of paper, a pencil and a small water pot. As the weather improves I will get out and do some sketching and painting and report back my findings.
JMW Turner
My viewer also shared a fascinating story with me about the painter, Turner. This sparked my curiosity and this is what I found out about this inspirational artist.
J.M.W Turner (the J.M.W stands for Joseph Mallord William by the way), was born in London in 1775. His dad was a barber, but Turner always knew he wanted to be an artist. When he was just 14 years old he became a student at the Royal Academy of Art in London.
Turner was a landscape painter, traveller, poet and teacher. Many people consider him the first modern painter! The art critic John Ruskin said he was ‘the greatest of the age’.
Turner was extraordinary because he liked to draw and paint ‘en plein air’. This was unusual in Turner’s day as most artists painted in their studios. Turner took his sketchbooks, canvases and his paints out with him every day and painted what he saw. He got through hundreds of sketchbooks – and created over 30,000 artworks altogether. My viewer shared that Turner took out paint chips in his wallet and pushed the paint around the paper using his handkerchief. His plein air kit was a lot smaller than mine or any of his contemporaries!
Turner drew and painted at different times of the day and in all weathers. He painted sunrises, sunsets, mist, rain and snow; which is why he is sometimes called 'the painter of light'.1
So there you have it dear reader, my story of how I found the courage to put myself out there and dealt with comments that initially triggered me. I thank my viewers for taking the time to watch my videos and engage with the content. I have grown and learnt from the experience, embracing the new information with gratitude. I hope you have enjoyed this months newsletter and until next time…
Stay naturally curious…
Clare 🙏🧚🏻
https://www.tate.org.uk/kids/explore/who-is/who-jmw-turner
I know how much you give to creating the stories and content you share. It comes from deep within you. As I’ve mentioned before, you should do this for how it makes you feel and if just one person has been positively impacted, then you know you’ve made a difference. 💕
Great to see a Will Self quote in this heart-felt article. There is no bad, there is no good... all there is, is information... now, once I see it as that, I can work with it, and hopefully evolve. All power to you. x x x