 No matter where you are in your own art practice, sometimes you need to take a look at what’s going on in the wider world of art. You might do this out of curiosity or for amusement or to see how your own art fits into a larger context. But how do you keep up, without getting overwhelmed? If you’re an art critic or curator whose job is to stay on top of things, you might manage to do it. But for most of us the task is daunting. The world of art is global, and diverse, and constantly reinventing itself. It happens on the street, at art fairs and in auction houses and museums. The virtual version keeps going 24-7. Signing up for daily national newsletters like Hyperallergic or Colossal is a great idea, but they can begin to pile up in your inbox and become just one more thing to feel guilty about not reading. So start by keeping up small. Before you try to grapple with the global art scene, pay attention to what’s happening in your own medium. Join a professional organization, enter their shows, attend their events, and discover who is winning awards. Then follow what’s happening locally, at galleries and museums in your region. Show up in person whenever you can. Do you see any trends that might apply to your own practice? Build your understanding gradually so that you have a context before looking at national or global art publications. Then pick one major newspaper or online newsletter and spend an hour a week reading it. Ask a friend to do the same, and discuss your reactions. As you make connections between your own practice and what surrounds it, the art world starts to get smaller. ~ Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D Career & Life Coach for Artists “Left Brain Skills for Right Brained People” Instagram: coachingforartists.maryedwards  When you’re feeling overwhelmed with commitments to people and causes and tasks that seem urgent, you long for a day to focus on your art. The weeks go by, filled up with such necessary things, and somehow that day never happens. The solution? Find twenty minutes for your art. Even the busiest person on the planet can find such a small window. You decide when and where, but honor that commitment. In this short time you might make a sketch, or play with clay, or sort your images. You just do it, almost without thinking. This technique is a way of overcoming your own resistance, and it works because three things happen simultaneously:
At first you’ll probably spend your twenty minutes getting set up. Find your sketchbook and favorite charcoal pencils and put them in a quiet place. Decide which image files you want to organize on the computer. Order the frames or canvas or other materials you need. You get ready for the next time. You’ll need to silence your inner critic. Ignore the negative voices in your head and let yourself open up. It’s a time for experimenting with ideas and materials and process, for enjoying yourself without judging your efforts. You can use this technique to overcome resistance to any task you are avoiding, but it is especially effective in recovering your art practice. Build your capacity slowly, in small increments, and you’ll gradually find your way back to what you love. ~ Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D Career & Life Coach for Artists “Left Brain Skills for Right Brained People” Instagram: coachingforartists.maryedwards  Image from World of Co An artist residency can play an important role in an artist’s development. They come in all shapes and sizes, lasting from a week to a whole summer, happening in a national park or on a ship, and they even take place virtually. The well known residencies, such as Yaddo, Skowhegan, and MacDowell, can make a huge difference in an artist’s career, and are for artists who already have a strong track record of accomplishments. But there are still many good programs available if you’re not quite at that stage. If you are considering a residency program, first think about what you need. If your goal is interaction and stimulation, consider programs that bring together visual artists, writers, musicians and other creatives. If you need time to yourself without too much distraction, look for programs with private studios and living spaces. If your art is inspired by the land and nature, consider applying for a residency based in the National Parks. You’ll need to plan ahead. Most programs require you to apply a year in advance. Some residencies provide funding but others require payment, so look for those that fit your circumstances. There are two good sites that give an overview of the programs available: artistcommunities.org and resartis.org. The latest entry to the list is the World of Co, a lively and innovative online international residency from Bulgaria. Designed for the increasingly important virtual art world, this online program can fit the needs of artists who aren’t able to go away for weeks at a time but still seek stimulation and interaction with other artists. World of Co provides critiques, helps artists build networks, and ends with an online exhibition. Take a look at all the options to see what’s right for you! ~ Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D Career & Life Coach for Artists “Left Brain Skills for Right Brained People” Instagram: coachingforartists.maryedwards  How do you get on the radar of the art world? Take a look at the artists selected for the Artadia Awards, or for the Whitney Biennial, or for any prestigious art award. Even though many of these awards claim that they recognize “emerging artists,” the winners did not come out of the blue. They were already on the radar of the art world. To get on the radar, first think about your art. Artists whose work combines conceptual clarity with innovation in materials are getting on the radar. In the last decade artists have been recognized and rewarded for breaking down, combining, and collapsing the boundaries of traditional media. Recently artists working on racial equality and social justice are receiving long overdue attention. But don’t forget that what is considered new and interesting eventually becomes old, and then there is a reaction, a return to earlier traditions. If you want to get on the radar of the art world, start exactly where you are. Ask yourself, what is new and compelling about my work? What boundaries am I pushing? Consider your subject matter, your materials, and your technique, and identify your strengths. Where you live can also make a difference. Major urban areas are large in geography but function as small towns when they discover and promote artists. A group of critics and curators and gallerists go to the same events and talk to each other, creating a buzz that puts artists on the radar. Now virtual art platforms have given us a more democratic space. Online art publications such as Colossal and Hyperallergic showcase artists from around the world, putting them on the radar no matter where they live. Take a look at artists who are receiving such attention, and plan your next steps. ~ Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D Career & Life Coach for Artists “Left Brain Skills for Right Brained People” Instagram: coachingforartists.maryedwards  The Big Art World has always been an irrational place, but it is especially chaotic right now, and I think you can take advantage of that. We know that traditional galleries are trying to be flexible, experimenting with hybrid forms, “art consultancies” and other attempts to broaden their reach. Artists are finding new opportunities for connection and community. (Check out the World of Co, where emerging and mid-career artists come together in an international online residency program.) When faced with so many changes, it is easy to get overwhelmed. You hesitate to act, afraid of not getting it right. The point is that there isn’t any right way anymore, and you need to experiment in order to move your career forward. It’s not the time to be careful, to worry about following the rules, since all the rules are changing. Even if you’re not a gambler, you may have heard the term “double down.” It comes from the card game Blackjack, when you’re holding the cards you’ve been dealt and then ask for more, doubling your bet in the face of uncertainty. Look at your own cards, and ask for more. Do what feels risky to you. Make that phone call. Send the note. Ask for the favor. Sign up for the class. Go to the art opening. Raise your prices. Enter the show. Stop protecting yourself from possible rejection. Stop thinking of yourself as an artist with a fragile ego. Put yourself out there and see what happens. When you take more risks you develop the ability to take more risks. Like any habit, you get better at it, you learn as you go and eventually you become more comfortable and skilled operating out there in this brave new art world. ~ Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D Career & Life Coach for Artists “Left Brain Skills for Right Brained People” Instagram: coachingforartists.maryedwards  Sometimes you need to have a conversation and don’t know how. You want to talk to a gallery director about submitting your work, or ask advice from a well-known curator, or get faster turnaround times from your website designer. How do you have such conversations? First, have one with yourself. Be honest about what you are feeling and thinking, and try to separate the two. Strong feelings can get in the way of clear thinking, so first give voice to your frustrations by saying them out loud to an empty room. Be clear about the results you hope to achieve. Do you just want to be heard or are you trying to solve a problem? In the examples above, the artist wants to establish or improve a relationship, and that requires planning what you want to say. Don’t begin by explaining your own point of view. Ask good questions instead, and expect to spend at least half the time listening. For the examples above, here are some effective questions: Artist to a gallery director: “if you’re not accepting submissions, what’s the best way for me to make my new work visible to you?” To the curator: “can you give me a sense of what museums are looking for now?” or “what exhibitions are you working on?” To the website designer, the best question might be: “what are some good days for me to get quick edits to you?” Notice that all of these inquiries seek information, and suggest that you will be the one responsible for taking action. None is a complaint, but a genuine effort to understand how the other person’s process works. In this way you open up the possibility of having an authentic conversation. By asking better questions you get better results. ~ Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D Career & Life Coach for Artists “Left Brain Skills for Right Brained People” Instagram: coachingforartists.maryedwards  In the world according to social media, your personal narrative matters most. Instagram calls your profile “your story”; TikTok’s most popular videos document a-day-in-your-life; Facebook constantly connects you with “friends” you don’t remember; YouTube’s name tells you what it’s all about. As an artist, when do you resist this pressure and when might it be a good idea to let down the barriers between your art and your life? There are many reasons to keep the barriers high. When you are juggling a day job and a family with an art career and barely have time to go to your studio in the garage, your best instinct is to keep your art practice separate from the rest of your life. But sometimes you might want to peek over the fence to see what opportunities might be lurking in your own back yard. Some artists have unusual stories that attract people to their art. Davis Perkins’ remarkable landscape paintings become even more interesting when you know he started life as a smokejumper. When Kevin Keaney’s art was taken from his storage locker and auctioned off, serious art dealers discovered his talent. His gritty urban collages became more valuable, even to himself. While you may not have such a compelling story, your personal connections can create greater visibility for your art. Does your school or college have an alumni magazine that might publish an article about artist graduates? Does your church or club or library offer art talks for the public? Do you have neighbors who ought to be invited to your art events? Your first buyers are often friends and family because they know you personally. Think about creating a similar bridge between your art and the rest of your world. It’s all part of your story. ~ Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D Career & Life Coach for Artists “Left Brain Skills for Right Brained People” Instagram: coachingforartists.maryedwards  Art by Leda Catunda (Bortolami) If you’ve been trying and failing to keep up with the Crypto Art craze, it might be time to let yourself off the hook. Tech tycoons wandering in the metaverse have suddenly discovered that there’s real art you can buy and live with in your own home. It might even bring you joy. The New York Times recently reported that these tech billionaires found their way to the Miami Art Fair in December and fell in love with “physical art collecting.” While they had only bought digital tokens of art (NFTs) before, they purchased real art that artists make. That development brings me joy. NFTs became a thing during the early days of the pandemic, when we were all stuck on screens. Investors could buy images, or tokens of art, and speculate with them using cryptocurrencies. Everything happened virtually, yet these digital marketplaces were modeled on traditional art venues, with galleries (called gateways) and even a Museum of Crypto Art. Gradually in-person Crypto Art exhibitions started to pop up, where you see images of art projected on the wall. Right now you can visit “Verse: the Art of the Future: an NFT Exhibit” in San Francisco. You put on a headset and holograms of art appear. Yet real art has made a comeback. People suffering from the sensory deprivation of life on screens long for connection. We want real experiences instead of simulated ones, and there’s nothing like art to satisfy that hunger. The recent Frieze Art Fair in Los Angeles (an actual, in-person event) showed galleries full of fiber art, full of materiality, full of life. The art world has always loved the new new thing, and now it seems that art itself is the new new thing, suddenly back in our lives.
~ Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D Career & Life Coach for Artists “Left Brain Skills for Right Brained People” Instagram: coachingforartists.maryedwards  How do you develop confidence, that sustaining belief in yourself and your work that keeps you going over the long term? You first need to get your work out there, to share it with others you trust. When you keep your art in hiding, you waver between two illusions: your work is the most brilliant art anyone has ever created, or it is completely worthless. How you feel on a particular day determines which end of this teeter totter is up. Oddly enough, you build confidence by opening yourself to criticism. Without feedback you are trapped inside your own feelings, shifting between opposite illusions that keep you stuck. It hardly matters whether your feelings are positive or negative, because they keep you in a fixed place. By opening yourself to other points of view, you begin to discover the difference between what you intended and what you were able to achieve. This makes it possible for you to grow as an artist. When you are ready, share your art with others. Choose people whose opinions you respect, including other artists. You can also post your work on instagram, but it is harder to get detailed feedback that way. Think about inviting people for a studio visit, or set up a virtual conversation where you share images. When asking for feedback, prepare questions ahead of time. Be clear about what you want to know. If you’re looking for an overall response, ask “how would you describe the effect of my painting?” If you’re looking for technical information, ask “does the scale of this sculpture seem right to you?” Your questions will open up a conversation that helps you see your work in a new way. That clear-eyed view is the foundation of real confidence. ~ Mary
Mary Edwards, Ph.D Career & Life Coach for Artists “Left Brain Skills for Right Brained People” Instagram: coachingforartists.maryedwards  There are a number of myths about art careers which may be blocking your progress. Do you believe that:
I call these myths because they are false narratives that can become mental obstacles. If your art career isn’t happening in a linear, orderly way, you think you’re not making any progress. If you don’t have an MFA you imagine that everyone who does is ahead of you, and it’s too late to catch up. And thinking you need a brand and a business plan implies that artists have to turn themselves into someone else, and lose track of their own creative strengths. How art careers actually happen is much more interesting and inspiring. They are organic rather than linear, and happen in unpredictable ways. They develop in stages, growing as you grow, as you experiment and take risks. Age & geographic restrictions have been turned upside down in the wide open virtual art world. Art careers are actually built on relationships with others combined with confidence in yourself and your work. Instead of developing a brand or a business plan, artists need to apply their own creativity to their careers. How do you do this? Start by paying attention to moments of insight. Follow your intuition rather than logic, and use your visual imagination to see what might be possible. Try out “crazy ideas” that occur to you, especially if they build on your strengths. You can create the art career you’ve always wanted, even if it doesn’t yet exist.
~ Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D Career & Life Coach for Artists “Left Brain Skills for Right Brained People” Instagram: coachingforartists.maryedwards  If you approach the holiday season with a certain amount of ambivalence, you’re not alone. We feel pressured to make our own real, fractured and complicated families into one Happy Family just in time for the season. We also feel sadness and loss at this time of year, with memories of people and dreams that are no longer part of our lives. Some of us just try to escape it all and stumble into the New Year. Creative people struggle with these ambivalent feelings, since it’s your nature to absorb everything around you, large and small. You seem to have hundreds of tiny magnets just under your skin. Whether you’re overscheduled or feeling lonely, you need a way to navigate the holiday pressures. One method that seems to work is to keep asking yourself: what is the best use of my time right now? I like the question because it makes you stop what you’re doing (or obsessing about not doing), and honor the moment you’re in. You slow down and pay attention to what you are actually thinking and feeling. Surviving the holidays means taking care of yourself. Sometimes the best use of your time is to get organized, to make a list, to plan. At other times it’s to do something necessary but ordinary (get gas, buy milk, take a shower). But often, especially now, the best use of your time is to stop doing. When you stop doing you open up new space around you. If you stay there long enough, you find out what’s really on your mind. Sometimes surprising possibilities begin to bubble up, including a real spirit of joy and gratitude. So, what’s the best use of your time right now? ~ Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D Career & Life Coach for Artists “Left Brain Skills for Right Brained People” Instagram: coachingforartists.maryedwards  The holiday reminds us to think about what we are grateful for. While it was another challenging year in many ways, we see the art world coming back to life. The Art Fairs are again live (or hybrid) events, museums are hosting new and exciting shows, and galleries are tentatively opening up. We can be grateful for such resilience. In my coaching practice I also see artists persevering, experimenting with new work to extend their range. Artists are putting themselves out there, facing rejection and overcoming difficult circumstances. They are developing confidence as they take more risks. I am grateful to see so many artists making progress in their careers. Think about your own art practice, and take a minute to acknowledge what you are grateful for. Then try to give those gifts back to others. If you’re grateful to be part of a community of artists, invite new people in. If you’re grateful for special resources or opportunities, let others know how you found them. If you have struggled to stay positive, be honest about your own doubts and how you manage to keep going. A spirit of generosity expands the circle of gratitude. At this time of year people who want to give back volunteer at soup kitchens and shelters, but sometimes forget to pay attention to those closer to home. Tell those you care about what you’re grateful for, and give specific examples. When you ask them to share the same thoughts in return, you deepen the conversation. It is sometimes hard to be thankful when we look at the fractured world around us. Choosing to make art in the face of intractable social and political problems is always an act of courage. Remember to be grateful for your own creativity. ~ Mary
Mary Edwards, Ph.D Career & Life Coach for Artists “Left Brain Skills for Right Brained People” Instagram: coachingforartists.maryedwards  The New Museum’s 2021 Triennial, “Soft Water Hard Stone” includes 40 international artists (and collectives), a broad selection brought together across race, gender, and culture, taking its own diversity for granted. These artists break down boundaries, as they combine industrial and organic materials; they collapse the distinction between fine art and craft; they echo the surrealists by basing works on “ready-made” found objects. The show’s title is based on the Brazilian proverb, “soft water on hard stone hits until it bores a hole.” Focused on forms of resistance, the exhibition’s politics are subtle. Meanings are grounded in the forms and materials and (sometimes) the titles of the works themselves. As the curators comment: “politics are embedded rather than exposed.” The works are complex, multi-layered, personal, and slow to reveal their meanings. Here are two examples of how these artists work. In “Nothing Further Beyond,” the Turkish artist Hera Buyuktasryan layers cleanly sliced pieces of carpet to create what looks like a showroom full of remnants. The artist, based in Istanbul, has said that carpeting creates a border between us and the coldness of the earth. Her stacked carpets look like bases of classical columns from the city’s ancient ruins, evoking layers of history and suggesting that borders themselves are really a fiction. The Greek artist Iris Touliatou uses abandoned lighting fixtures she finds in offices in Athens. Her title, “Still Not Over You” suggests a powerful personal inspiration for the work, yet it looks like a minimalist sculpture. The light bulbs go on and off, so while the work seems to be dying it keeps sparking back to life. The metaphor applies to both the exhibition’s theme and her own regrets. Throughout this remarkable exhibition artists mine their personal experiences to examine contemporary issues. ~ Mary
Mary Edwards, Ph.D Career & Life Coach for Artists “Left Brain Skills for Right Brained People” Instagram: coachingforartists.maryedwards  How do you find enough time for your art practice? Our lives are filled with demands, pressures, and commitments to others that seem more important than our own good intentions. We all get lost in the everyday. For artists this dilemma is especially powerful, because people think you don’t have a “real job” so you must have lots of extra time to volunteer for worthy projects. Then you internalize their assumptions and say YES to everything but your own practice. Over time you lose track of your artist self. We know that making art requires time and space and mental freedom. You often need to “waste” time being creative, since the process of making art sometimes looks a lot like doing nothing. You play with materials, you reorganize your studio, you stare out the window as you think about ideas for new work. If you allow yourself this freedom you will eventually find your way forward. Making art requires patience and commitment. After failures and disappointments, you need time to recover. You begin, and then you begin again, as you grow and develop. But to sustain this creative freedom, you also need its opposite: structure and organization. Think of your art practice as your real job. Show up every day. Put in the time even when you don’t want to. Have a plan for the week. Create a list of goals and keep it visible. Establish rules for your workplace as though it were a regular business. Maybe you don’t allow cell phones, or you cannot take private calls until lunchtime. Don’t be a mean boss to yourself, but develop working rules and structures that help you stay focused. These are the left brain skills that right brained people need. ~ Mary
Mary Edwards, Ph.D Career & Life Coach for Artists “Left Brain Skills for Right Brained People” Instagram: coachingforartists.maryedwards  Nature is the source of my favorite metaphors for how artists develop. If you’ve ever tried to cultivate a garden, or even keep pots on a windowsill alive, you know that growing things is a slow and often invisible process. It takes patience and thoughtful care. You plant bulbs in the Fall and then stare at that empty dirt forever before the first tiny signs of life appear. Every artist’s career has those moments of staring at the dirt. There are seasons and cycles and long fallow periods in nature’s growing process. It isn’t predictable, but you have to pay attention to what growing things need. You move a pot into the sun, you add water or special nutrients, and sometimes you repot a plant that has outgrown its container. Ask yourself, “what do I need in order to thrive?” Especially when you are stuck, or at a plateau, imagine yourself lacking basic nutrients like food, water, or sun. You might need more space or time or greater support from your community. You might need to build confidence in yourself and your work. You might need to learn new skills. In order to grow, you also have to let things go. Flowering plants have to be pruned in order to bloom again. Gardeners cut off dead branches, they “deadhead” empty pods which divert energy away from new growth. Are you pouring resources and time into activities that no longer produce results? Plants in pots can stop growing when their container becomes too small. Maybe your art practice is ready to grow larger, to push outside the boundaries or restrictions you’ve imposed. Nature’s cycle of renewal is full of hope, and reminds us to look for the first green shoots of new growth. ~ Mary
Mary Edwards, Ph.D Career & Life Coach for Artists “Left Brain Skills for Right Brained People” Instagram: coachingforartists.maryedwards  Planet Earth Screwed: Overheated. (Courtesy of Phyllis Thelen) I just attended a solo exhibition of new work by the artist Phyllis Thelen, who turned 95 this year. While she has been an exhibiting artist all her life, her first solo museum show happened at the age of 87 and her first retrospective came at the age of 94. She keeps making new work that extends and deepens her central theme: “defending, protecting, and celebrating nature.” Thelen’s success provides a useful reminder for the many mid-career artists who wonder if it too late to find their place, too late to become known or to achieve their goals as an artist. Making art can last you a lifetime, but it happens gradually, in stages, and moving forward takes incredible persistence and resilience. It also means thinking about the overall shape of your career. There are times when you need to get ready, to prepare yourself for visibility. You get better at presenting your work, talking about it, and writing about it. There are times when you need to grow your skills and knowledge. As a result of the pandemic the online courses for artists available now are remarkably diverse in terms of subject matter and quality. You can take advantage of all these offerings. There are times when you need to build your confidence. To keep growing you have to experiment and take risks with your work, and you also face your own fears of failure and fears of success. You can create a supportive community to help you navigate these difficult challenges, so you don’t feel so alone. At nearly every stage of your career, you have to become more comfortable being uncomfortable in order to grow. We can look to our elder artists to see if the struggle is worth it. ~ Mary
Mary Edwards, Ph.D Career & Life Coach for Artists “Left Brain Skills for Right Brained People” Instagram: coachingforartists.maryedwards  What does it mean to live a life with art at its center? This question comes from a remarkable retrospective of the abstract painter Joan Mitchell’s work at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Katy Siegel, co-curator of the exhibition, describes Mitchell as “a woman who managed to make art the center of her life and refused to let anyone tell her what being a woman meant.” In order to create a full life with art at its center, Mitchell needed to expand the center itself. She incorporated into her art many different sources of inspiration: poetry, music, landscape, urban environments, her natural surroundings, as well as the influence of the iconic painters Cezanne, Van Gogh, and Matisse. She expanded the center by deepening the purpose of her art, demonstrating how painting could simultaneously express physical experience and complex emotions. To live with art at the center of your life takes courage and passion and confidence. In order to make your art center larger, you may have to experiment, to take more risks with your work. If putting art at the center means claiming a larger place in the art world, reach out to mentors for feedback and advice. Build your community of supporters so that you have the confidence to grow. To make art the center of your life you might also have to shift the center. Mitchell needed to move to France in order to free herself from the limitations of the New York art world. Shifting the center may also mean rethinking your own purpose, your media and materials. You may decide to combine the different parts of your art practice, or explore entirely new directions. What steps can you take now to put art at the center of your life? ~ Mary
Mary Edwards, Ph.D Career & Life Coach for Artists “Left Brain Skills for Right Brained People” Instagram: coachingforartists.maryedwards  Women artists think they need to do everything and do everything well. You take on the troubles of friends and family and rarely say no to a request for help. Even though you are committed to your art practice you let others’ needs replace your own. We know that artists require space and time and freedom. Yet the painters Elizabeth Murray and Kara Walker were able to have children as well as remarkable art careers. Agnes Martin eventually had to retreat into her singular self in order to produce great art. These artists teach us that there is no one model for combining creativity with a full personal life. Be clear with yourself about your needs, and own them without apology. Let the people in your life know what you’re trying to accomplish, and then talk with them honestly about the support you need. Start making conscious choices about how you manage your time. An artist I know recently decided to hide her cell phone in the garage for long periods every day so that it didn’t constantly distract her. Another decided to “unsubscribe” to a number of commitments that no longer made sense to him. Sometimes your choices are symbolic. A young artist in Vermont, eight months pregnant with her first child, set up a corner of her living room as a new studio space, even though it would be months before she was ready to work there. Her choice gave her a daily visual reminder of the future she intended to create. To shape a life and career as an artist means that you sometimes have to say no to other demands, even though you may disappoint people you care about. Be consistent, be clear, be kind, then let go of the guilt and claim yourself. ~ Mary
Mary Edwards, Ph.D Career & Life Coach for Artists “Left Brain Skills for Right Brained People” Instagram: coachingforartists.maryedwards  I recently had the opportunity to teach a career skills workshop for artists at Larkin Street Youth Services in San Francisco. This remarkable organization offers support and educational resources for recently homeless young people. Their mission incorporates the Dalai Lama’s maxim: “When educating the minds of our youth, we must not forget to educate their hearts.”
The workshop took place in their collective art studio, an environment created to support these young artists, who were mostly musicians. The studio was warm and welcoming, filled with comfortable chairs and couches, cubbyhole lockers for each person’s valuables, sophisticated electronic keyboards, musical instruments, computers and many snacks. The studio provided a physically, emotionally and mentally nurturing place where these artists could grow. It gave the recently homeless a home for their art practice. During the workshop we focused on a checklist of career skills for creative people, but it seemed to me that they already had what many artists need. They worked in an environment that surrounded them with the knowledge that they mattered. They could believe in themselves as artists while they worked on their art, protected from the chaos of the streets. The mind and the heart are interwoven in all of us, but this is especially true of creative people. If you are fortunate enough to have your own studio, make sure that it nurtures you. Even if your art space is just a corner of a bedroom or part of a garage, it should surround you with a sense of privacy and calm, safety and support. Organize it so that you bring everything you need together in one place, and make it a place you want to be. Your art space is an extension of your artist self, the foundation for your practice. ~ Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D Career & Life Coach for Artists “Left Brain Skills for Right Brained People” Instagram: coachingforartists.maryedwards  Many excellent artists get stuck because they doubt themselves and their work. Overwhelmed by the competition, they think that everyone else is more accomplished and that success comes through luck or by some magic formula. I listen to their worries every day: “but I don’t have an art degree . . . I don’t know anyone in the art world . . . my work doesn’t fit current trends.”
While honest doubts will get you further than a raging ego, remember that your belief in yourself is both a powerful strength and a necessary first step in an art career. Gender roles have created two familiar stereotypes. Many women artists keep apologizing for their work, while their male counterparts never pause in their self-promotion long enough to listen to feedback. Both extremes get in the way of building real confidence. Confidence is grounded in an active, consistent art practice. You cannot believe in your work unless you are doing it, unless you are immersed in it every day or every week. Being deeply involved in art making is the foundation for everything else. The next step is to take your work out of hiding and let it breathe in the world. This might mean entering your work in juried shows, or inviting people for a studio visit, or sharing new work with artist friends. Choose whatever feels like a safe place for you, and welcome the views of others you trust. Objective feedback helps you understand your own art: its strengths and areas for growth. Never apologize for your work, for your effort, for the fact that you are an artist. Instead of discounting the praise you receive, accept it gracefully, as something you deserve. Practice talking confidently about your work and soon you’ll convince yourself. ~ Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D Career & Life Coach for Artists “Left Brain Skills for Right Brained People” Instagram: coachingforartists.maryedwards  Most artists are sensitive people, attune to emotions and perceptions that others miss. You see more, you feel more, you absorb more of the vibrations around you. Such permeable boundaries make you a better artist, but may also keep you stuck in your art career. You listen to negative voices in your head instead of saying what’s on your mind.
Your own sensitivity makes you exaggerate the risks of speaking up. Remember, people don’t actually know what you need unless you tell them, and you cannot predict their response. Relationships break down around communication issues all the time, and the same thing can happen to an art career. Instead of imagining difficulties, speak up and start a conversation. If you’re not satisfied with your gallery’s efforts, stop worrying and talk to the owner. When you’ve been unhappy with your critique group for years, start suggesting how the group might be improved. Instead of envying the successful artists in your network, talk to those who might help you take the next steps in your own career. When the voices in your head become worries that are holding you back, turn them into conversations with real people. Plan what you want to say, be ready to listen, and don’t give up too soon. When you speak up and ask for what you need, you don’t always get what you want. People say no, or not right now, or ignore your request. Funny thing, though, you feel relief when you speak up. You finally “get it off your mind” so that you can let go and move on to other possibilities. The more you practice speaking up for yourself, the easier it gets. Remember, your voice as an artist includes your actual voice, asking for what you need and deserve. ~ Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D Career & Life Coach for Artists “Left Brain Skills for Right Brained People” Instagram: coachingforartists.maryedwards  As the art world begins to open up again, it is time to think about your place within it.
If that suggestion makes you squirm, you are not alone. The introverts among us may be bidding a sad farewell to 2020, when it was possible to hide out without apology. The artist Nancy Nichols calls this phenomenon “pandemic withdrawal” and I think it is a real thing. If you have put your art career on hold in the last year, use this transition to consider the doors you might be ready to open, both within yourself and out into the world. I like the image of a swinging door because it moves in two directions. When you open doors within yourself you create momentum that can help you break free. Internal doors can be the hardest to open, because your personal demons lurk behind them. Sometimes you find resentments and insecurities behind the door. Sometimes there are discouraging voices from the past, or even real trauma. Always there are fears—fears of success and fears of failure. Closed doors are most frightening because they represent the unknown. Gently push that door open and see what you find. Give your fears a name and even a face, so that you can stare them down. You may be surprised to discover that you’re stronger, more resilient now and ready to take risks. Let the rhythm of the swinging door move you out. You already know the steps you want to take, since they are alive in your mind or written on notes that you’ve kept for years. Gradually leave your nest and make your way into the new art world, which has never been so diverse and dynamic, so open to new ideas and new voices, like your own. ~ Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D Career & Life Coach for Artists “Left Brain Skills for Right Brained People” Instagram: coachingforartists.maryedwards  I am hearing from artists concerned about the current focus on social and political art, often by artists of color. Since their own work doesn’t fit the trend, they feel that it isn’t fair.
There is a strange assumption here, as well as some historical amnesia. The art world isn’t fair now, and never was. It reflects and responds to contemporary issues, especially during volatile times. For example, art about the pandemic is now making its way into galleries and museums. If you think the art world used to be fair, remember that women artists were ignored or marginalized for decades, seen as less important than their male colleagues. Similarly, many excellent artists of color received no attention until recent political events made their work suddenly relevant. A similar shift happened in the 1970s in academia. As a result of the women’s rights movement, white males with Ph.D.s from Ivy League universities suddenly began to lose jobs to equally well-qualified women. These men were outraged and claimed that it wasn’t “fair.” Their shock was real, since it was the first time they had experienced what it felt like to be marginalized. When you start to feel such resentments, dig deeper into the lives of artists who are currently receiving so much attention. They have always been there. While Amy Sherald’s portrait of Michele Obama catapulted her to fame in 2018, she had been making remarkable portraits of Black Americans for two decades. She paid her dues, showing her work at the Baltimore City Hall and alternative art spaces, waiting tables to support herself until she was 38. Sherald is now represented by Hauser & Wirth. So, if you are feeling invisible now, don’t give up. Let these wonderful artists encourage you and give you hope. ~ Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D Career & Life Coach for Artists “Left Brain Skills for Right Brained People” Instagram: coachingforartists.maryedwards  Artists have difficulty evaluating their own work. They often ask, is my work good enough for a gallery? Is it good enough for a museum? How do I know?
This question cannot be answered in the abstract, since a specific gallery or museum would have to look at your work and consider it from their own point of view. But asking, "is my art good enough?" may help you see the relationship between your intentions and the art you are creating. Think about what you say when people ask you to describe your work. Do you talk about the ideas that inspired it, the emotions behind it, the aesthetic problems or social issues you address? You may not be articulate, but you do have a sense of what your work is all about. Then evaluate your bodies of work to see how well the art reveals your intentions. Would a viewer be able to see or sense what you’re trying to say, without the need for words? In a portrait, for example, how well does the spirit of your subject shine through? In a realistic landscape, does it seem as though we could enter the painting and walk along that path? Does your abstract sculpture reflect or challenge our notions of what the human body looks like? In a study of color and light, do we see the world through a different lens? Does your work comment on, deepen or change our perceptions of ordinary reality? Your work is "good enough" when it expresses your intentions, and reveals them to others without the need for explanations. Your work is ready when it speaks clearly in your own voice, and says what you want to say. ~ Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D Career & Life Coach for Artists “Left Brain Skills for Right Brained People” Instagram: coachingforartists.maryedwards  What does it mean for an artist to present “a coherent body of work?” The phrase usually comes up in a traditional gallery setting, where people expect an artist’s work to fill a room, and be clearly recognizable as the work of one person.
How do you know if your work is coherent? The whole idea might seem like a narrow straightjacket, where you are condemned to keep on doing what you’ve been doing, forever. In fact, coherence is a larger and more generative concept. It means that the parts of your work fit together in a natural way, unified by a consistent vision, style, or subject matter. If you’re an emerging artist, don’t think of coherence as a goal. Trust in your own creativity, and let yourself experiment and grow. Play with new ideas and new materials. After you have a substantial body of work, step back and try to see it as a whole, from a distance. Your work might be about a larger subject, like the natural world or personal identity or immigration. Your work’s coherence might be provided though a consistent technique: how you use color and composition, or the play of light and shadow. Coherence may come in the form of a political or social theme, or an aesthetic idea, or even the use of an unusual material. When looking at your art, ask yourself: how did my new work grow out of the old? Is it a departure or a reaction to what went before? Even if you reject some older works as failures, consider the possibility that they were early versions of current successes. As you look for your own fingerprints you will begin to see how your work has grown, and how it all fits together. ~ Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D Career & Life Coach for Artists “Left Brain Skills for Right Brained People” Instagram: coachingforartists.maryedwards |