Wilson Island
8x10 inches
oil on panel
See my paintings Here
Art Notes Blog HERE
Painters Tip
Setting Priorities
I seem to get busier and busier as the year goes toward the holidays. Galleries are asking for new work, I have been invited to do exhibitions and events,the chili party is right around the corner and I have two more workshops this fall. This happens every year for all professional artists. We constantly overbook events. What seems doable in March when we are invited, becomes difficult in November when it actually has to be accomplished.
For that reason, we need to take a hard look at all of our busyness and get rid of some obligations and time wasting activities.
One of the first things I did when I found my world getting too busy was to drop out of several organizations which were really not helping my career in any way. I have one more to leave and I think that will be the end of that chore. I took a good hard look at all of them and analysed whether they actually led to any actual promotions for me or any sales of art directly or indirectly and if the answer was no, I resigned.
I got rid of all of my art magazine subscriptions. Yes, they are fun to read but did they actually do any good for my career? Most of the ones relating to marketing are geared to beginners in that area. I wasn't really learning anything new, simply rehashing ideas. I am subscribed to several free Internet marketing newsletters anyway so why pay for old information? The magazines depleted my working funds, which could be used for art supplies or framing. Getting rid of the mags saved me money and time.
I now order supplies and most of my framing online, which saves me a lot of shopping time. I try to pick one day to varnish paintings all at once, do all of the framing and inventorying-packing work for exhibitions, so that it gets done and over before I move on to other activities.
There are lots of ways to save time. My advice is to sit down with paper and pen and first decide what you really like to do. (I love spending time on the computer) Keep those activities. Then decide what you are doing that you are not enjoying but just do out of obligation. Get rid of that part of your art life. You have enough family and personal obligations to do without dragging around useless art obligations. Get rid of them and move on. If it hurts feelings, they will get over it.
3 comments:
It is so difficult to break old habits, at least for me. I used to applying to every show find, and then getting accepted to half. Since I have improved my skills and received more acceptance letters, I have to learn to say 'no' more often. I am so burned out this year, I am thinking about stopping all plein ar events next year, and instead spend the time to pick locations I haven't painted before, and hopefully create more inspired work.
By the way, I can recommend a book that changed my life on this topic: Covey's "Seven Habits of Effective People".
Thanks for that info Ed. I got totally burned out on plein air after teaching too many workshops and doing too many professional paint outs last spring. I took about 4 months off and did studio work all summer and through September. It did me a world of good. I just got back out for the first time last weekend and it fealt good. Sometimes we can do too much of a good thing.
Thanks for sharing.
Love,
Linda
I can really relate to this discussion! I have had way too much on my plate the last few years- too many plein air events, workshops and organizational stuff. I've already made a plan to "stop the madness" for next year and really concentrate on what's important-painting.
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