Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Creative Habit: Day 6

The Creative Habit has taken a backseat for the next 2 days since I am on a business trip to New York City. In the mean time I am reading The Artists Guide: Making a Living Doing What Your Love.

In general, I'm not a big fan of reading books that start out "I'm so super awesome and successful and this book is meant to show YOU how to be successful too." Which is how this one started out... but I'm reading it as part of a book club with the Boston Handmade group and that at least forced me to get past the "credentials" part.

Anyways, The first couple chapters have got me thinking about how I need a plan, goals, dreams, etc as an artist. I always thought I did but I'm starting to realize that the goals are too vague and wishy washy. I need concrete goals. And I'm not allowed to tell you what they are... but maybe I will share with you what they are as they approach completion. One goal I will share is my first short term goal, since it is supposed to be accomplished in a month or two.

This goal is to amass a decent body of work by September. I have a showing at the 303 Cafe in which I need to fill an entire restaurant. As I start to list out what I have started, it feels like it can be accomplished. If they're already started, I'm already on my way.

The only challenge is that I have 2 trips planned over the next 2 months. Guatemala for a week with my dad and my sister, and then to Rochester to visit my family. Trips are distracting because I obsess about getting ready for them.

Here's hoping I'll get out of my own way and make it happen.


2 comments:

ErinB said...

DON'T stress out about the trip to Guatemala. There is NOTHING for you to prepare. I will do all the legwork on this end and send you a packing list. You will not need to buy anything special, you will not need to do anything special. And might just find artistic inspiration in what you see here....I have planned a couple art galleries in Antigua and maybe meeting some of my painter friends.

Me said...

It's a great book, should give you a lot of food for thought! I've been plowing through it for a while now, there is so much good information in there.