Episode 6: Imposter Syndrome, Instagram & the Artist Mindset | The Mental Side of Being an Artist
Painting Outside the LinesShow Notes
Being an artist isn’t just about making art. 🎨
There’s a whole mental side to it that we don’t talk about enough — especially when you put your work on Instagram for everyone to see.
In this episode of Painting Outside the Lines, Rebecca and Valerie talk honestly about the mental side of being an artist: imposter syndrome, comparison, self-doubt, Instagram pressure, feeling like you’re not “good enough,” and the constant question of whether you’re actually making progress.
Why can we look at another artist’s work and think, “Wow, they’re amazing!” while looking at our own work and immediately finding everything that’s wrong with it?
And why does Instagram sometimes make us feel like everyone else is succeeding except us? 😅
We talk about the highs and lows, the pressure to grow, the fear of putting your work out there, and how much of being an artist is actually about mindset.
Rebecca Knoerr and Valerie van Kraaij are two artists figuring it out as they go — sharing the messy, imperfect and sometimes completely confusing reality of building an art life and showing your work online. If you’ve ever thought “Who am I to call myself an artist?”, “Everyone else is better than me,” or “Why is nobody seeing my work?” — this one is for you. ❤️
🎨 MEET US
Valerie van Kraaij Artist from the South of France 🇫🇷Instagram: @messyartbyvalerie
Rebecca Lee Artist based in Germany 🇩🇪Instagram: @artbyrebeccaknoerr 🎨 JOIN VALERIE’S MESSY ART SQUAD
Want to stop creating alone?
The Messy Art Squad is a community for artists who want to create, share, experiment, connect and support each other — without the pressure of being perfect.
👉 https://www.skool.com/responsibly-messy-artists-8983
Come join us and make some art with us! ❤️ If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, leave us a comment and tell us: do you struggle with imposter syndrome as an artist?
We’d love to know we’re not the only ones. 😂
#PaintingOutsideTheLines #ImposterSyndrome #ArtistMindset #ArtistsOnInstagram #ArtCommunity #ArtistLife #MentalHealthForArtists #InstagramForArtists #RebeccaLee #ValerievanKraaij #MessyArtbyValerie
More from Painting Outside the Lines
Artists Rebecca and Valerie talk through the rewards and challenges of commissioned work, drawing on Rebecca’s years of experience and Valerie’s first commission. They share practical ways to set expectations, protect your time and creative process, and build lasting relationships with collectors. Key topics
Faith, life-changing pivots and gold leaf… otherwise known as the devil’s dust. 😂✨ In Episode 9 of Painting Outside the Lines, we’re joined by artist Jennifer Dunlap for a conversation about how her son’s diabetes became the catalyst for the biggest pivot of her life. We talk about faith, finding a new direction and the role creativity has played along the way. And, because it’s us, we also get into the joys—and absolute bloody chaos—of working with gold leaf. An honest conversation with plenty of heart, humour and a little sparkle. Subscribe for more conversations about art and the life happening around it, and tell us in the comments: what’s been the catalyst for YOUR biggest pivot? #ExpectMiracles #JenniferDunlap #PaintingOutsideTheLines #ArtistPodcast #ArtAndFaith
In Episode 8, we continue our deep dive into the very real relationship between mental health and making art. This time, we’re talking imposter syndrome, fear of failure, the pressure to keep producing and why rest is actually part of the creative process — not something we need to feel guilty about. We chat about those inevitable moments of “Who am I to be doing this?”, what failure really looks like as an artist, and why sometimes stepping away from the studio is exactly what your creativity needs. As always, it’s an honest, unfiltered conversation about the bits of being an artist that don’t always make it onto Instagram. If you’ve ever doubted yourself, felt guilty for resting or wondered whether you’re actually good enough to call yourself an artist… this one’s for you. 🎨❤️
In the second episode of our deeper dive into mental health & art, we’re tackling two things that so many creatives know far too well: perfectionism and burnout. When does wanting to do your best become a need for everything to be perfect? And when does the pressure to keep creating, posting, selling and showing up start sucking the joy out of the thing you love? We chat about our own experiences with perfectionism, the pressure we put on ourselves, creative burnout, comparison, guilt around taking a break — and why sometimes good enough really is good enough. An open, honest (and inevitably slightly chaotic 😂) conversation about protecting your creativity AND your mental health while still wanting to grow.
Instagram. Love it, hate it, delete it, reinstall it… repeat. 😂