Things to do when you're not sure what to do next

Heading into mid-December and the Winter season, it feels like a good time to hit pause, hibernate, reassess and plan for next year.

In the past my sense of overwhelm at what to do next in my art career led me to focus solely on the anxiety I felt instead of taking one tiny step forward.

So I wanted to create a list of things to do when I have different energy levels. This list is by no means complete. It incorporates some activities that are meant to invite fun or rest because those are also essential for the well-being of an artist. I hope that if you land here you might create your own list of things to do when you’re not sure what to do next.

List:

Brainstorm a list of things to do when you’re not sure what to do next (requires some brain energy)

Brainstorm themes for new blog posts (requires more brain energy)

Take a class - learn something new (more brain energy)

Update artist toolkit (resume, statement, website, bio, etc) (medium amount of energy)

Make art that is solely focused on play, spontaneity, seeing what happens in the moment (less energy, more motivation)

Sketch in a sketchbook (less energy)

Go to an exhibit at a museum or gallery (less energy, more motivation)

Research artist residencies, grants, professional development opportunities (more energy)

Get inspired by looking at magazines, books, images, artwork, design, fashion, other forms of art (less energy)

Lay on the floor and listen to music (less energy)

Listen to music and dance it out (more energy)

Move your body (builds energy)

Meditate (less energy)

Write in a journal (less energy)

Invite a friend to visit the studio (some energy)

Have coffee with an inspiring friend (medium energy)

Read a book for pleasure (less energy)

Watch a movie (less energy)

Organize documentation of your work (more energy)

Clean the studio (more energy)

Organize documents and office things (more energy)

Research artists and artwork you love (more energy)

Plan an inspiring trip (more energy)

Write a thank you note or note of appreciation to an artist you love or to someone who has helped you in your journey (medium energy)

Utilize your mailing list - compile a newsletter (medium energy)

Brainstorm content ideas for instagram etc. (less energy)

What are some things you would add to your list?

Things I wish I had learned in Art School

Hi friends!
Now that I have a vantage point of 20+ years out of art school I can look back and compile this working and unfinished list.

I had a great undergraduate experience in the Art Photography Department at Syracuse University that focused mostly on building a body of work, learning the techniques and skills of an analog art photography student, and a bit of the business side of being an artist - although there were a lot of questions left unanswered. Simultaneously as I was a student, I struggled with depression and anxiety during my college years.

Looking back on it now, I wish that my art school education had included a more wholistic approach to self care, mental health, and building the inner resources necessary to maintain resilience throughout all the ups and downs, slow seasons, and unknowns of building a career in the visual arts or in a creative field where there is no blueprint. I graduated from school not knowing what I was going to do next and the pressure and anxiety from that was a heavy burden to carry.

I wish that Art School had more directly and explicitly discussed building community with each other.

I wish there had been even more emphasis on creating your life as an artist in an imaginative and open ended way, whatever that may look like for you as an individual.

I wish there had been more emphasis on radical self love and self acceptance, building self-confidence, and creating inner resources to deal with issues that will come up in life and in the art studio again and again…artist block, rejection, how to build a life, how to explore, how to reassess, how to sustain through times when it feels like nothing is happening…etc.

I wish there had been more entrepreneurial training, thinking outside the box of the gallery system and figuring out life skills and resources for an individual to blaze her own trail and to dream up her own opportunities with imagination. I am fascinated to observe these topics being discussed right now amongst younger generations who are honest and transparent in the ups and downs of make a life as a creative.