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Lisa , I completely agree with you how comparison is a tool for growth. When you admire someone’s work and ability , you can see that there needs to be self growth to get to where you want to be. So naturally you would be comparing yourself to people who you admire.

Your writing is great! I know I can’t even start to compare myself to you in this creative realm … ☺️ happy that you took Art Classes when you were in your early teens and that girl helped you realize at a young age what your strengths were.

Thanks for the reminder that comparison is a positive, and not always a negative.

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Love this Charlotte! Thank you for your insightful comments! Funny enough, when I think of my own ability and skill in portraiture I think of you! The ease (or perceived ease) in which you are able to see the anatomy, light and shadow and use that to represent the essence of your subject is so admirable! It a skill I do not possess. I can paint other things really well, but portraits are something I really need to work on if I want to pursue working that way. I love knowing this! It doesn't discourage me or make me feel less worthy as an artist, but points me in the direction of areas I can improve if I choose to explore portraiture. Luckily I know exactly who to take classes from when I am ready to build my skills :)

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Awe thank you Lisa, that means a lot to me!! 🩷 your posts are always insightful 🩷

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Yes, comparison as a tool for innovation! In sports, this was the thing that pushed me harder and farther than most things as witnessing the brilliance of how another body moved and wondering how in the world did she make it it look that easy, how did she know she was going to go that way and connect with the ball just so? I see this playing out in music, writing, art- all over the place.

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I love that your experience of comparison as a well refined skill originates from athletics. I see so many similarities between creatives and athletes, for all the reasons you so beautifully outlined here. Comparison can be a more reflective form of curiosity where we can measure our abilities, get curious and take action to improve and commit more deeply to our style and perspective. I’m not sure when creatives were discouraged to not compare our work to that of others. Yes it can be uncomfortable at times, but that’s kind of the point. Thanks for your thoughts, Kate♥️

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