Open Discussion: Do Artists Have to be Egocentric?

Does having a healthy dose of ego help you promote your art?

Self-promotion is so often tied to being egocentric. But is that really a bad thing? If you want to be a successful artist (and we understand that success depends on the individual), isn’t ego (or self-confidence) necessary? Isn’t that why we create, share, and try to make connections? Aren’t we, at least partially, trying to stoke our egos? And if that’s true, is that selfish?

When we discussed this concept over in our recent “How to be a More ‘Selfish’ Artist” post, we got a great comment from RB artist Cindy Schnackel:

When it comes to taking your creativity to the next level and promoting yourself into great sales, new jobs, or exhibiting opportunities, having a high opinion of yourself and your talents can be (must be?) a good way to get started. Alternatively, I’ve seen so many mediocre artists swanning around in a hazy public profile of delusion, which usually leads to a weird creative rut nobody wants to find themselves in.

Is there a good meeting ground between these two options?

Is your ego holding you back or helping you be successful? Has having a high confidence level helped you with your artwork? Are we now working in such a competitive artistic climate that being exceptionally confident is a pre-requisite for success?

What do you think? We’d love to hear your experiences with your relationship to ego and making art. Share stories about yourself or other artists you’ve known. Please share in the comments below.