A note from Lucinda...

Setting Goals, Looking for Answers, Finding Direction….

Approaching your 2016 artistic goals can be a struggle.  We all strive for more successes than setbacks for our creative expressions, but it’s always somewhat easier to find “the path” when we know where we are going.

Why not start NEXT YEAR’S PLAN with an “annual check-up” of your artwork now.  List all art works you produced this year and what your motivations were, how successful each work is, what your achievements are, what awards/honors your work received and what you did to achieve your goal (workshops, notans, under-paintings, improved your studio environment, attending paint-outs or plein air events, mentoring, travel, etc.) Identify what you like/dislike about your work and write it down.

Next, write a statement about where you want to next achieve with your art.  You could include a list of artists whose work you love.  Write down what you like about their works and find some answers — really analyze their art.  Compare their works to yours — again, writing down very specific traits about composition, lights/darks, texture, use of materials, emotion, etc. Identify all the actions you will need to take to achieve your goals (attending workshops/classes, more paint-outs, new equipment or materials, obtain/update your website, research, show entries, gallery visits, get critiques, volunteer with SPS etc.)

Write a detailed plan for what’s next (i.e. strive for more uniform body of work, a series of paintings, etc.).

Finally, create make the commitments by writing up a detailed calendar for 2016 (and 2017 if you plan to attend IAPS).  Do you research now so your plan will have a greater opportunity for success! Your “new direction/path”.

We all know that “art bucks” don’t spend the same as regular money — with your plan in place just think how you will help (in November) those Holiday shoppers who will receive your “Wish List”.  Why not workshops or classes instead of another turtleneck? 

MAY ALL OR YOUR ARTISTIC GOALS COME TRUE IN 2016 and forward!