Artists are beginning to realize that their own unique vision can be a source of inspiration to others during difficult times. A local artist/teacher, Janet Jacobs, recently sent me a link to her online workshop, “Sketchbook as a Place of Solace.” The title says it all. 

Your own vision is embedded in the art you create. You may rarely talk about it, since the art itself expresses what you want to say. Yet it can be helpful to articulate what your art is all about.

Perhaps you offer an alternate reality, as the sculptor Phyllis Thelen does: “Through my art, people may escape to serene places of the planet and the mind, and take peace and pleasure from time spent there.”

Your intentions may be more explicit. The jewelry designer Leslie Lawton describes her vision: “I want to empower women to choose to be visible, to make an authentic personal statement.”

Your unique vision may grow out of your choice of materials. The fiber artist Carol Durham works in gut (pig casings), a material she uses because it is “not easy but challenging, as it gives me the ability to make uncommon three dimensional forms.” 

Or perhaps your materials and process open up the world of art to a wider audience.  The artist Nancy Nichols teaches others how to paint with coffee because it takes the fear out of the process of learning to paint.  

If you haven’t yet articulated your own vision, think about how people respond to your work. What do they notice?  How does it make them feel?  How does your vision expand their world?

Whether you are a portrait painter or sculptor, a photographer or mixed media artist, a graphic designer or comic book artist, think about why your art matters.

In this moment it is hard to find the inspiration to move forward with your art practice. But think of it this way: your creativity is a source of positive energy you can use to shine your light during dark times.

If you are an emerging artist, there are many ways to move forward. You can develop what is called a “coherent body of work.” You can increase your efforts to become visible online, since  that’s where the art world is headed. You can learn new skills and plan for the future.

Try to make progress on any of these fronts. Set simple goals that can be easily measured. Focus on process, rather than results. For example, “spend three hours a day painting in the studio” is a goal describing your effort. Some days you will feel satisfied, and at other times you’ll be staring at the canvas. Eventually you’ll see results.

You can also establish goals for becoming visible online. If you already have a website, you might want to add your latest work or update your “about” page. If you’re not ready for a website, choose another way to share your work online. Instagram offers a good place to start, but if you’re allergic to social media look for something else. Join your local art center. Even if they aren’t open yet, many offer virtual exhibitions and showcase members online.

Another positive goal is to learn something. There are more workshops available online than ever before, so choose one and get started. If you think you’ll want to go to an artist residency in 2021/22, start now by researching programs that appeal to you.

Art careers are built out of tiny incremental steps. Hope and plan for a better future, but get ready now.

​~ Mary

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

Everything in the art world is shifting. The most obvious trend is the move toward a virtual marketplace for showing and selling art. This has been happening gradually, but now we have new evidence that collectors will pay top prices for art they purchase online. Recently Frieze, the first major art fair in New York to happen virtually, reported strong “attendance” and sales.

This is just what is happening at the top. Galleries are also moving exhibitions online, artist/ teachers are offering classes on Zoom, everyone is adapting to an online marketplace. Yet I worry about what may get lost in this process.

When all of our information comes from screens our senses are limited to sight and hearing. We are cut off from the other senses:  touch, taste, and smell. Together the five senses provide information that is crucial for artists. They are the source of intuition, a way of knowing that is just as powerful as logic.

Intuition is often described as a feeling, a “sixth sense” or “gut reaction,” a speeded up understanding that skips over cognitive processes yet still arrives at an accurate perception. For artists, much of your knowledge comes from intuition.

The flat screen flattens our experience because we miss all the sensory information that deepens our connection to the world. Think of the difference between the weather prediction  on your telephone vs. the actual weather. “Partly cloudy, 58 degrees” may be true, yet when you go outside you feel the wind, see the changing shapes of the clouds, and enjoy brief rays of the sun.

So, my advice? Adapt to the virtual world as best you can, but never forget that the real world is the source of your art and inspiration.

​~ Mary

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

In a recent podcast Anne Lamott was asked what writers should write about in the midst of our current crisis. I loved her answer: “write what you would like to come across.”

I think this is also good advice for visual artists. Lamott is telling us to remember our own needs as we think about our creative practice. There is only so much time you can spend in front of screens, whether you’re following the news or connecting with loved ones. At some point it is time to make art again.  

Why is this so important? Creativity is a natural resource like the energy of the sun--it nurtures  you. When the whole world is out of kilter, your art keeps you in touch with the core of yourself.     

If you cannot leave the house, clear the dining room table or a space in the kitchen. Start by organizing your materials. You need to be able to see and touch your art. Perhaps you will decide to learn a new technique, or experiment with color or clay. Work on something that gives you pleasure. Make a simple plan, and then identify your first steps.   

You don’t need hours or days in the studio. If you think you don’t have time, or even if you have too much time, start by spending 30 minutes a day making art. Sketch out ideas you will implement later. Gradually increase the time when it feels right.    

​You can share images with friends and followers, but you don’t have to. This art making is just for you. Build art back into your life so that it sustains you through difficult times. 

​~ Mary

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

No matter where you live you’re being asked to cope with a whole new set of circumstances right now. I’m in Northern California and have been in “lockdown” for nine days, with no end in sight.

My blog post today is about how to find and use your strengths to help yourself and others. Especially when you feel stressed or uncertain, remember what you have to offer. Try to replace complaints with gratitude. Think about what is still positive in your life.
Artists have special gifts, often called “right-brain” strengths. These include your imagination, the ability to see the Big Picture while others are focused on small details. Artists are also intuitive, with the kind of insight that isn’t based on logic but is still powerful. You have the  flexibility and imagination to navigate difficult times, and to help others to do so.

Remember that under stress we all become more like our core selves, not less. If you are an introvert, you won’t mind time alone but will still need to connect in other ways. If you’re more social, you might be feeling a sense of loss that more screen time simply doesn’t replace. Also remember that people handle stress in different ways. Be patient with others, including friends and family as well as strangers.

Try to identify your personal strengths. Think about your own past. Remember the difficult times you thought would never end. You may have suffered a personal or professional crisis, the loss of a loved one, the loss of a dream. Or perhaps you faced an exciting challenge that seemed beyond your ability. When you look back, what were the strengths that got you through?

Whatever worked then, do it now. 

Find  your strengths and share them with others. 

​~ Mary

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

In my coaching practice I’ve identified 8 abilities that are key to an artist’s development.

Take a moment and think about how you are doing on each one:

1. Understanding where you are right now in your art career.
2. Knowing what success would look and feel like for you.
3. Talking effectively about your work to art professionals and the public.
4. Writing about your work so that people want to see it.
5. Using a computer to get things done.
6. Asking other people for help.
7. Being able to focus and follow an action plan.
8. Being persistent, flexible, and creative in managing your career.

The first two abilities are the foundation for your art practice. When you ask, “where am I now?” you see the realities of your life as an artist. Don’t worry about where you expected to be by now, just acknowledge where you are.

Begin with your art practice, rather than your resume. Are you making art every day or almost every day? Are you connected to an art community? Do you pay attention to opportunities in your field? When people ask, “what do you do?” do you answer, “I am an artist” without apology?

The next area is challenging in a different way. Try to imagine what success would look and feel like for you. You may be most interested in developing a coherent body of work. Or you would like to become more visible in your community. If you’re an established artist, you might imagine your first solo museum show.

By knowing where you are now and then imagining what success would look and feel like, you discover your authentic path. 

​~ Mary

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