Reclaiming What’s “Easy”: The Forgotten Power of Proficiency

As artists, we often associate growth with discomfort. We’re told that only when we struggle are we truly improving. “Get out of your comfort zone!” is advice we’re all familiar with, and advice I share regularly! But what if the very thing we’ve mastered—what feels “easy”—is precisely where our unique voice is waiting to be discovered?

Hi my name is Carrie. Here on Artist Strong, I help self-taught artists with home studios who feel stuck with their art move from wondering what’s next to confidently expressing themselves through unique, original art. To date, thousands have joined the community.

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For years, I ignored a medium I was highly proficient in, dismissing it because it felt too easy. Somewhere along the way, I convinced myself that if it wasn’t hard, it wasn’t valuable. This mindset is so pervasive that even though this medium, which once brought me joy, was right there, I pushed it aside in favor of chasing something more challenging. 

Today, we are talking about the parts of art that have become “easy,” and how to use this to better develop the unique voice simmering inside of you, waiting to shine forth.

The Trap of Dismissing What We’ve Mastered

The author Gay Hendricks in his book The Big Leap talks about stepping outside of our comfort zones. The idea is that we’re constantly working to maintain equilibrium, often subconsciously avoiding new challenges or settling back into familiar territory. This means that even when we experience growth and positive change, we can sometimes unknowingly try to bring ourselves back down to where we were before. It is in our nature to seek comfort.

But what happens when we unknowingly dismiss the value of something simply because it’s too familiar? We may crave growth, but sometimes the growth is happening in ways we’re too close to recognize.

Take my experience with embroidery. I didn’t realize it was difficult for some people until I started working alongside peers who struggled to pick it up. That was the moment I realized I’d been ignoring a skill I had developed over time. I had subconsciously devalued it because it had become easy for me. I didn’t appreciate that my ease with embroidery was a mark of mastery.

We do this all the time with the things we’ve mastered—whether it’s a medium, a technique, or an approach. We tend to overlook the things we’ve grown proficient in, dismissing them because they no longer feel challenging. We don’t recognize the time, effort, and growth that got us there, or that what is easy for us might be remarkably difficult for others. By ignoring these skills, we inadvertently overlook what could be paving the way for our unique artistic voice.

The Myth of “Work Hard, Play Hard”

I got my bachelor degree at a small, academically rigorous institution called Colgate University. And we had an unspoken motto there: work hard, play hard. The word that comes to mind for me that encompasses this is: intense.

Additionally, there’s a pervasive message in our culture that hard work makes us deserving of success—like the phrase “work hard, play hard.” The implication is that the harder something is, the more valuable it is. But this mindset can lead us to believe that if something comes easily, it’s not worth our time or attention. We start associating worth with struggle, when in reality, the ease we feel may be a sign of mastery. If we dismiss everything that’s easy, we risk overlooking areas where we have strength, where our voice can shine the brightest.

This doesn’t mean we should never challenge ourselves or try new things. I’m a lifelong learner, and so are most of the students I teach. There’s immense value in exploration, in pushing our boundaries with new media, techniques, and ideas. But in the rush to chase the unfamiliar, we sometimes overlook the progress we’ve already made in areas where we’ve achieved a certain level of proficiency.

Revisiting the “Easy”

👉🏽👉🏽👉🏽So, here’s a question for you: What medium or technique have you pushed aside because it felt too easy? Take a moment to consider what you’ve stopped using, not because it lacked potential, but because you’d gotten too comfortable with it. Tell us in the comments below.

Once you identify that medium, challenge yourself to revisit it. What new approaches or techniques might you explore? How might you stretch yourself within that familiar space? Mastery doesn’t have to mean complacency. In fact, it offers the opportunity to dig deeper into your artistic voice.

For example, if acrylic painting feels second nature to you, challenge yourself with your subject matter or your use of color. Or, if drawing is your comfort zone, how can you push your compositions or scale to challenge yourself? The medium may feel easy, but there are always new ways to push boundaries, especially when you approach it with fresh eyes.

I used to spend hours exploring colored pencil and oil pastels when I was younger. I loved the materials, and my ability to communicate texture and form. But when I got to college, I put my pencils aside. It was time to be serious and to “paint.” I had it in my head that “real” artists paint. And that dictated a lot of my artistic choices.

What a different experience I might have had sticking with a medium I already had some proficiency in.

It wasn’t until I was almost 40 and had a small child that I picked up those pencils again. I did a drawing, and a dear friend was like whoa, Carrie, why are you painting? I think this is your medium. And it was such wonderful affirmation and like a clear sounding bell went off reminding me this is something I enjoy.

I picked them up because cleanup is a whole lot easier and I could make more art with a small child, but I’ve kept using them because I now see they allow me to challenge myself and push my work in new ways that have more to do with concept and vision.

Doing this, has only helped me dig deeper into the message and meaning I wish to explore in my work.

Growth Within Comfort

We often think of growth as something that has to be uncomfortable, but the truth is, growth can happen within comfort too. In fact, those peak moments of growth often come when we’re working with a medium or technique that feels easy. When we have a sense of confidence in the material, we’re freed up to take risks in other areas, whether it’s in subject matter, concept, or the emotions we want to convey through our work. 

This is where the real creative work begins. Once you’re comfortable with your tools, you can begin the exciting (and sometimes scary) process of exploring what you want to say. This is where your unique voice starts to emerge, not from forcing yourself into unfamiliar territory, but from using what you already know in new and deeper ways.

You don’t have to do it alone, either. This is the kind of thing I do inside Self-Taught to Self-Confident, where I guide people through filling in any gaps in their skill so they confidently express themselves through unique, original art. It’s a comprehensive art school for self-taught artists. Start by learning drawing foundations and finish with a clear voice reflected in a series of artworks you can exhibit, gift or sell.

👉🏽👉🏽👉🏽 If that sounds exciting to you, you can learn more when you sign up for my workshop “How to Create Art from Your Imagination” for free. You’ll enjoy a taste of my teaching, learn more about the program, and get a special 7-day enrollment offer when you sign up. Use the link here or in the comments below.

I’ve heard so many creatives talk about once they have a certain level of proficiency, then they can explore their work. But what if you’re ignoring the proficiency you already have? This could easily become a place for perfectionists to avoid the real art they want to make. What if you already have all the skills you need to make your art?

And if you don’t, what specific skill do you think will actually be in service of the vision you hold for your art?

I’m genuinely asking these questions of you and myself. Let’s keep this conversation going by answering these questions in the comments below.

Embracing Your Proficiency

There’s no shame in embracing what you’re good at. In fact, that’s where many artists find their truest expression. By revisiting the mediums and techniques we’ve grown proficient in, we can begin to refine our artistic voice. We can start pushing boundaries within the familiar, stretching ourselves in new ways, and discovering the rich potential that’s been lying just beneath the surface.

I sometimes speak about how restrictions or boundaries that create limits on our art can actually help us be more creative. I’ve shared the story before of artist Jenn Stark discovering her ability to manipulate paper because the only supply she could afford was colored construction paper.

If you have a medium you are proficient in, that can be more of the “limits” on your work that help you think more conceptually about the art you are interested in creating.

If making unique art is important to you, then I suggest you create a small series of artworks using that medium you’ve overlooked or ignored. Don’t think about it too hard. Pick a subject matter or topic that excites you and just go for it. See what happens with each piece as you continue developing this idea and how you communicate it with your proficient medium. What new ideas do you have? What new challenges do you face? How are these opportunities to better showcase the unique style that’s always been inside of you?

So, I’ll ask you again: What’s the medium you’ve ignored because it feels easy? And how might you revisit it with fresh eyes? It might just be the key to unlocking the next chapter of your artistic journey.

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