When it is time to take stock, to consider changing the direction of your art practice? This doesn’t necessarily mean a radical shift, but you may need to pause, to take your own temperature. You want to make sure that what you’re doing still sustains you.  

Before you make any changes, take a few months and give it all you’ve got. Rededicate yourself, with passion and intent, to your current practice. Engage with communities of others doing what you do. Set up new goals, with milestones and measurements, to keep yourself on track. Spend some money, if you have to, to get advice from experts. 

After a few months, step back and assess where you are. Are you making progress? Are you seeing results? Most important, does your work still engage your heart and mind and energy? If your answers are negative, it may be time to find a new direction.

I’ve always found the airline reminder “your nearest exit may be behind you” evocative, as it suggests the need to take a 360 degree survey of your options. Look up, look down, look forward, look back, to discover the core of your next creative endeavor. So many successful artists are inspired by a vision from their  childhood. 

I see examples of renewal everywhere. A retired creative in advertising starts a foundation to support young artists; a burned out health care executive joins the leadership team of a nonprofit;  a tennis coach starts a new career as a fine art photographer. 

Creative people express their creativity in a thousand ways. Changing direction might mean reshaping your life as a whole, or just making tiny adjustments. Trust yourself, be patient, as you discover what comes next. Use your creativity to reimagine your life as an artist.  

I’m fascinated by the role of serendipity in an artist’s career. That unexpected, unplanned piece of luck that just happens, at the right moment, and opens a door to a wider world.  

Recently a mid-career artist was on her way to a residency and got bumped up to first class on a crowded flight. She gratefully accepted her new seat, nodded at the man next to her, and quickly opened her laptop to signal that she was not up for a chat.

A little later he glanced at images on her screen, apologized for the interruption and asked, “are you an artist?” A long conversation began, as he turned out to be a curator and consultant, an influential and well-connected person she never would have met in her ordinary life. He was also generous, and ended up introducing her to several key people who had been beyond her reach. 

As we talked about her “lucky break,”  I began to think about how serendipity happens. One of the artist’s goals was to expand and develop her professional network. She had been talking to a variety of people in many fields, exploring how her work was connected to ideas in the arts and sciences. She hadn’t yet been able to break through to higher level influencers, but these preliminary conversations had made her confident, articulate, and easily able to engage with her impressive seatmate.  

Serendipity often arrives at the moment when you are ready. You’ve created innovative work; you believe in yourself and your art; you’re immersed in what matters most to you. Then sometimes you can let go, and the universe will briefly open one of its magic doors to give you what you need to keep going. 

​
​​​~ Mary

Mary Edwards, Ph.D
Career & Life Coach for Artists
“Left Brain Skills for Right Brained People”
Instagram: coachingforartists.maryedwards ​

The buzz about NFTs just keeps getting louder, and artists are starting to shape  the conversation.  Major galleries are getting involved, new “artist-friendly” platforms for buying and selling have been created, and it’s time to take a look. 

First, a brief review: 

NFT stands for non-fungible token, which is not a physical or digital artwork, but a certificate of ownership.  It has a digital file attached, with an image of the art it represents.  

“Non fungible” means unique in finance-speak.   Remember, the monetary value of art has always been built on scarcity and authenticity.  Since there’s only one Mona Lisa, created by Leonardo da Vinci  and located in the Louvre, its value remains high.

NFTs produce scarcity and authenticity for works of art that wouldn’t otherwise have them. Most images of art can now be seen online and even downloaded for free.  When an artist “mints” an NFT, they are able to authenticate and then sell ownership of an image to people who like to invest.  These transactions take place in special online marketplaces (called blockchains), using cryptocurrencies instead of dollars.     

NFTs can be used to sell a certificate of ownership for a work of art, for sports memorabilia, music and videos, or even to create a digital ticket to unlock an experience like an installation or a gallery opening.    

Artists are creating whole new bodies of work this way, as NFTs can be minted for any type of art.  It’s not a get rich quick scheme, as it takes time and techno-savvy to get started.  But if you’re curious, take a look at Outland, the best source for understanding what’s going on, and visit Tezos, an “artist-friendly” marketplace.  Then follow Sarah Friend, an artist who marries art and technology in innovative ways. 

​Let me know what you think!

​​​~ Mary

Mary Edwards, Ph.D
Career & Life Coach for Artists
“Left Brain Skills for Right Brained People”
Instagram: coachingforartists.maryedwards ​

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. 

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:

• New energy is released as you let go of the guilt of NOT working on your art
• You start to look forward to those twenty minutes, and the time begins to expand
• Your mind continues to explore ideas throughout the rest of the day 

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.

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 ​