Look at your own art. And Learn
Last week I was writing about all the prep that goes into doing a street festival.
So tonight I’ll cut straight to the good news . . . I had a wonderful weekend. Good crowds, good art conversations, good sales, and I won a very nice award, an honor to be chosen from among 150+ artists in all mediums.
So. What now?
This is a recurring question to any artmaker who works toward specific goals, projects or events.
There are periods of high productivity, and periods of wondering – wavering – deciding – contemplating about the work you create.
Both phases are useful.
During the Festival, I spent a lot of time sitting in my artist chair across from my booth full of work, looking at it. I listened to the responses of attendees. I considered what I had made that I really like and am proud of. I considered the work that’s not so important to me.
Right now, I have only one firm deadline requiring new work: a juried exhibition with work due in July of 2025. Plenty of time.
At the Festival, I had the amazing affirmation of selling two large works that are in the category of work that’s meaningful to me to create.
I know that for the foreseeable future, I want to concentrate on doing those things. I will probably create less work. Each will probably be larger. I am not going to shy away from emotional storytelling content.
At any given time in your art life, you may look at your own work and come to other conclusions. I’ve experienced this one: “Everything I make is crap. I hate my work. I’m not even so crazy about myself right now.”
( I have had MANY experiences of being at an event and bombing completely. Being the brave little trooper keeping your chin up as you realize you’ve gone about it all wrong. It stinks.)
I get it.
And I’ve experienced frustrations with my methods, when I look at other work I deeply admire that’s made with different techniques. So I’ve experienced this one too: “Wow. I really need to do something different.”
I get it.
Just don’t be afraid to do the looking. Over and over when I talk to other artmakers, I sense people struggling with some sense that there is a kind of work they want to create, that they believe it’s possible, but what is coming out of their hands is not what they envision.
Yes. I get that.
Wherever you are in the process, a good first step is take a good look at what you make.
And don’t give up!
For all the artmakers: Happy creating
For all the art lovers: Happy appreciating
Thank you for reading. I always enjoy questions and comments.
--Bobbi
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