It's a Blessing and a Curse

Perspectives from The Artist's Road

Oh please be careful with me, I’m sensitive

And I’d like to stay that way.
- Jewel from “I’m Sensitive”

White Roses from the House Garden 1919 Joaquin Sorolla

The very same traits that give many artists and other creative folk their vivid imaginations and rich inner lives can also cause almost debilitating struggles. Sensitivity has been studied more intensely over the last couple of decades with research revealing that fifteen to twenty percent of the population can be classified as highly sensitive. Researchers assert that this is not a learned response, but a condition seen from birth, equally distributed between the sexes. They also stress that high sensitivity is not a disorder and in many cultures is highly respected.

Certainly not all artists are highly sensitive people, but those of us who are can be consoled by the new research. The common admonition, “You’re being too sensitive!” can be received …