Welcome to my new blog!
I’ll be talking about my creative process, what keeps me going, and sharing some images of my artwork both finished and in progress. Hey, there’s nothing terrifying about that, right? Just putting your whole creative soul out there for people to comment on. (Or worse yet, not comment on.)
I’m not a writer, unfortunately for my dear readers. I hope you’ll still be able to glean some useful information for your own artistic endeavors. At least you will know you’re not alone in the struggle to keep making art.
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| "I beg your pardon. Did you say 'cheese'?" Ink on recycled paper. |
How do you stay
motivated?
Motivating yourself to make art while working a full-time non-art
job can be rough. The self-help people recommend you ditch the negative nellies.
Ditch your own negative criticism while you’re at it. You’re not trying to
create a perfect work. You’re just trying to create your own work. Consider it
practice. You don’t have to make a masterpiece every time. The more work you
make, the more your abilities improve and the more likely you will get closer
to your ideals. It’s the opposite of the negative spiral that ends with, “I
suck, so I’m not even going to try.”
Here are some motivational strategies that work for me:
1.) Why?
Remember why you first started making art? I have a passion for bringing beauty
into the world. I love seeing beautiful artworks and being part of that
process. There’s nothing better than touching other people that experience your
art. Write down your reasons. Read
through that list when you need an extra boost.
2.) Buddy
System. Find other people who make art and share your enthusiasm. Keep in
contact regularly. Brainstorm about ways to further your careers. Collaborate
on a work. It helps to know you’re not the only one dealing with daily
challenges.
3.) Challenges.
Use a challenge to rev up your work. Try a new style, new subject, new
technique, or new materials. Start a Thing-A-Day challenge (or Thing-A-Week if
you don’t feel you’d be able to squeeze in time to make something every single
day.) Go outside & work plein aire if you usually work indoors. Or set up
your studio if you usually work outdoors on location.
4.) Set
Goals. Goals are dreams with a timeline. Set some realistic goals for
yourself. How much work are you producing? How much would you like to produce over the next month? Is
your goal working for an hour a day? Do you need to reorganize your studio
space to make it more efficient this month? Is there a certain income you’d
like to reach per year? Break down larger tasks into smaller chunks, then set
deadlines for each smaller task.
5.) Rewards.
Recognize, Celebrate and Reward yourself when you reach a goal. Give yourself a
small, inexpensive reward for reaching a smaller goal: walk in the park, take a
relaxing 15 minute soak in the tub, or read a chapter from a good book. Large
extravagant goals deserve larger rewards. Finished, matted, and framed several
works for an upcoming deadline? Take a day at the spa. Met your financial goal
for the year? Book that vacation you’ve been waiting for! You deserve
recognition and your work will benefit from the positive feedback while keeping
a balance between work and relaxation. Avoid burnout by realizing how much work
you have actually accomplished.
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| "Yawp!" pyrography and watercolor on poplar. |
