Letting Go of Your Paintings: A Lesson Every Artist Learns

If you’ve ever finished a painting and felt that tug in your chest — that this one is hard to let go of — you’re not alone. Every artist faces the challenge of getting emotionally attached to their work.

I’m Gabor, and in this post, I want to talk about something all painters wrestle with: how to separate the joy of creation from the difficulty of parting with what you’ve made.

Why We Get Attached to Our Paintings

When you paint from life — standing outside in the wind, sun on your back, exploring a place for hours — the experience itself gets woven into the work. That emotional memory stays inside the paint. Every brushstroke carries the feeling of being there.

That’s why plein air paintings often hold a stronger emotional charge than studio pieces. Even years later, you can look at an old “crummy” plein air study and remember exactly where and when you painted it.

But studio pieces can have that same pull. Maybe you’ve spent months, even a year, working on a single canvas. You’ve hated it, loved it, fixed it, and fought with it. That history makes the painting personal — and makes selling it even harder.

Learning to Let Go

Over time, something changes. You start to see the value in letting your paintings move on — letting others hang them, live with them, and enjoy them. A painting sitting in your studio is just a memory; on someone’s wall, it becomes part of another story.

Here’s what helps:

Keep producing. The more you paint, the easier it is to part with individual works. Momentum makes you less precious about each piece.

Hold a few back. It’s okay to keep certain paintings — maybe to develop them into larger studio works or because they mark a meaningful moment in your growth.

Revisit with time. Sometimes, a painting you once disliked looks different after a month away. Give it space before deciding its fate.

The Emotional Connection of Making Art

There’s something unique about creating with your hands. When you make something from raw paint and canvas, you invest part of yourself into it. That’s why it feels personal when someone critiques it — because it is personal.

But that’s also what makes art powerful. Collectors aren’t just buying an object; they’re buying your story, your experience, and your time out there in the field.

Just like vinyl record collectors treasure the stories behind each record, people value paintings for the emotion they hold — not just their beauty.

Final Thoughts

Being emotionally attached to your paintings is natural. It means you care deeply about what you do. But don’t let that attachment turn into an anchor. Let your art live in the world — that’s what it’s meant for.

Keep painting, keep producing, and don’t forget to share your journey.
If this resonates with you, leave a comment below — I’d love to hear how you handle letting go of your own work.


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Time stamp

00:00 Intro: getting emotionally attached to your paintings
00:18 Why selling/letting go matters (money, storage, collectors)
00:39 Plein air pieces feel stronger (painted from life)
01:07 Memory imprint: remembering place/time from old studies
01:31 Studio work attachment (long projects, love–hate cycles)
02:03 Core advice: keep producing, review later, then let go
02:20 It’s OK to keep a few (for growth or larger studio pieces)
02:35 “Plein air” vs “outdoor painting” (little naming joke)
02:58 Over time: attachment eases + some canvases are just duds
03:31 Why critiques feel personal (you made it with your hands)
04:05 Hand-made = deeper bond vs. “reviewing things” online
04:21 Story adds value for collectors (dogs, wind, travel, place)
04:54 Vinyl records analogy: objects + personal stories
05:21 Caution: don’t idolize the object (healthy detachment)
05:36 Other crafts: chefs, music, literature—similar attachment
06:06 Painters, “art & poetry,” and why people use those words
06:48 Final takeaway: don’t cling—paint, learn, let go
06:59 CTA: comment, subscribe, share