An Artist's New Year's Resolution

It's that time of year again. That time when everything seems possible-things can begin anew. I, like everyone else, make the typical personal resolution- I'm going to exercise, eat healthier, drop that nagging extra 15 pounds that I can't seem to get rid of short of wiring my jaw shut, yadda, yadda, yadda. And for the first two weeks of the year, I actually think I might do it-but then the bottom drops out of it and I'm back to my same old bad habits. I'm a little better at keeping my professional resolutions, but not by much.

For artists who work out their homes (of which I am one) it can be a very daunting task sometimes to sit behind the easel every day and work. There are so many distractions at home that it becomes very difficult to treat the act of creating as a job. That and the fact that sometimes the inspiration and drive just aren't there. It's very easy to put off painting until later, when you're feeling more inspired. And although this is totally normal, (sometimes I can go a few weeks or even a month without picking up a brush) I'm always thinking about what I want to paint and I feel guilty for not doing it.

So, there's my first professional resolution: I'm going to work on my paintings at least five days a week, even if it's just for a short time each day.

My second resolution is this blog. If you haven't noticed, my last post was 3 months ago. I've decided to devote more time and effort to this blog-after all, one of the purposes of it is to promote my work, and I have pretty much neglected it. Which leads me to my third resolution.

Marketing. Marketing and self promotion are two of the most difficult, time consuming, and if you're anything like me, frightening things to do. Ever. It's really hard to get out there and toot your own horn. But if you don't, who will? I've been reading some inspiring, practical articles on emptyeasel.com that address marketing and self promotion, and let me tell you, I've had some real "a ha" moments thanks to this blog. It's fantastic.

My fourth resolution is something every artist resolves to do, new year or not. Stretch our creative wings and see where they take us. Learn new things, try new techniques, never stop learning.

It sounds like a lot, but with a little determination and courage, it's very, very possible.

Dipping Your Toe in More Than One Creative Discipline

Do you ever find that sometimes painting isn't enough? That sometimes you just feel the urge to try something else? I would never abandon painting. NEVER. But lately I've had the urge to "dip my toe" in the literary waters. I probably shouldn't say lately; I've enjoyed writing since I was a kid. I've had this one story idea plaguing me since I was a teenager (I won't bore you with a synopsis). I've been writing it off and on for years. It's evolved since I began it-characters and settings have changed, my feelings toward the story itself have changed-since I've gotten older and experienced more, I can identify more closely with the lives of the characters I'm trying to create, and the meaning of the story itself has become more a reflection of me. But an interesting thing is happening while I'm wrestling with this idea that keeps morphing into several other ideas. I'm becoming a better, more interesting painter. I'm delving into deeper subject matter, I'm taking my style into unexplored territory and I'm excited to see what happens. I'm learning to be more visual through written word. I guess imagination is a bit like clay-it must be molded and worked, and when it reaches that optimal consistency, it can be formed into almost anything.

What do You do When You've Hit a Creative Wall?

We all experience it. There's nothing more intimidating than a blank canvas. Sometimes our ideas flow like water and sometimes the well is completely and utterly dry. What do you do when you've hit a creative wall? Sometimes I have so many ideas rolling around in my head that I end up doing nothing because I can't focus on one thing. Other times I can't come up with anything that would hold my interest long enough to put one brushstroke on a canvas. So, when I can't come up with anything good, I paint fruit. That's not to say that fruit isn't a worthy subject in and of itself. It is. Look in any gallery or museum. But it's can be a simple subject. No elaborate planning required. And it gives me a lot of freedom to play around with color, line, form. It's very forgiving. It's hard to mess up a pear. And I usually come away with a small painting that's really neat and different, and my creativity is jolted back on track. Try it sometime!

How Hard is it to be an Artist Right Now?

I can only speak for myself, but I imagine there are alot of us out there who feel the same way. We want our work to be seen, we want people to connect to us and to our work, and we want to be SUCCESSFUL. There's nothing quite like the feeling I get when one of my paintings sells. It's great! I feel like, "Wow, someone out there appreciates my work and really connects to it". But it's really hard selling artwork. Even if you're represented by a gallery (which I was, and it wasn't the greatest experience) there are no guarantees. While some galleries are great to work with, there are some horror stories out there. So, after becoming completely fed up with my gallery experience, here I am- I've decided to join the ranks of self representing artists-and the ranks are huge. That means self marketing, which I'm still learning, and exhibiting in as many shows as possible on a limited budget. I may someday try my luck with a gallery again; I'm a little skiddish right now. It's really tough, and just when I think the aggravation is too much, something great happens, like I sell a painting. While I'd like more sales to be pouring in, I realize I need to build a reputation first. Hopefully the rest will come....