How to Keep Going.

Installation inspo. Ellsworth Kelly's "Austin." Chapel on UT's campus.

Hi.
It's 2022. Pandemic time-warp, y'all.

I did everything I promised over my holiday break. I ate junk food and watched LOTR and I watched it harrrd. So much Frodo.

I've re-emerged and it's January. Like many of us, I was expecting to feel pumped about the new year and ready to GET GOING. Unfortunately, that hasn't really been the case. I haven't set any resolutions or made any specific goals for the year. Instead, I've been thinking about resilience: how do we keep going when shit (still) feels hard?

I first wrote about resilience at the beginning of the pandemic. It's interesting to revisit the topic two years later. Sadly, it still feels very relevant.

So, if you are feeling disconnected from your art practice right now, today's newsletter is for you.

Here are some things I recommend to help you reconnect with your creative work and cultivate resilience for the long term.


When you feel like trash...

1. Drop into your core internal motivation.
Why do you make art? If there were no awards to be won, no galleries to show in, no external rewards for doing your work, would you still do it? If your motivation is contingent on experiencing a certain amount of success (and experiencing it FAST), it will be difficult to make your art practice sustainable for the long haul. Go back to the basics. How does your work serve your life right now? What feels like play? Start there.


2. When that feels hard ... reach for your "Happy Folder."
Sometimes it's HARD to remember why you do what you do. There will be days when you can't give yourself a pep talk, or drag your ass to the studio. This is where your "Happy Folder" comes in. Your Happy Folder is a collection of positive feedback from your champions -- people that are invested in you and your work. This could come in the form of a nice email, a birthday card, a positive review, anything that helps you drop into your core internal motivation. Your Happy Folder helps you remember WHY you make your work - how it serves you and others.


3. Are you looking for signs that you should quit OR are you looking for signs that you should keep going?
When we embark on a new endeavor, oftentimes we want to see immediate evidence that we are succeeding - that we've chosen the right path. When we don't get that immediate affirmation (in the form of results, followers, opportunities etc) we think we should quit or pivot to a new idea. If you're considering quitting something, think: are you looking for evidence that you should stop or are you looking for evidence that you should keep going? What would happen if you focused on the latter? See what switching your perspective has to offer you.


4. Consider your creative practice as happening over decades.
Sometimes when I'm feeling crappy and impatient for this pandemic to be over, I think about my art practice as happening over decades. I see myself as a fabulous art-mama in her late 60's making work, sharing it, teaching, doing all the things I want to keep doing. I even have the earrings picked out... . I remember great things are worth waiting for.

What do you need in order to keep your practice going for the long run? A community? A more flexible work situation? A stable paycheck? Do what you have to do to keep making your work. There is no shame or wrong answer. There are lots of ways to live a creative life. Finding the solution that works for you is what matters.


Baby steps this year, my friends.

Bye bye installation @contemporaryATX.