Finding the time for your artistic practice
People can often think that they’re not putting in enough time or energy into their artistic practice, but that usually comes with the notion that their artistic practice is solely made up of the outcome artwork, and not the whole spectrum of their practice. Pouring into your artistic practice comes in many forms, from reading, learning, understanding, developing, exploring and thinking, not just making an outcome or project.
So how can you improve your artistic practice and balance it around your schedule?
Task combination:
Reading a book for example, is improving your practice. Spending 10 minutes reading or listening to an audio book or podcast that is widening your skills, understanding or context ismaking time and improving yourself. This can be something that isn’t too time consuming in your day and could slot into your existing everyday routine. I find that listening to a podcast on my commute to work is helping me be in the mindset of my artist self, and I often learn something new that I can later take into my own artwork later. If you’re learning about the world and artists around you, then you cannot deny that you are improving as an artist.
My current favourite listens are:
Talk Art (I also have their interview book, which is a great way to understand other artists from them and contextualise your own work)
The Great Women Artist Podcast, with Katy Hessel; some of my favourite episodes have been Jordan Casteel (because I LOVE her work, and find her very inspiring to my own practice) and Hilton Als on Diane Arbus and Alice Neel.
Art Juice; which is a great podcast for inspiring creatives and art lovers generally.
Current reads are:
Pop Art, A Colourful History by Alistair Sooke
How to Write About Contemporary Art, by Glinda Williams
John Baldessari, Pure Beauty
This is a way of combining tasks, adding small elements to improve your practise into preexisting happenings doesn’t exhaust as much time or energy, and feels less daunting and overwhelming than when you separate the tasks.
Utilising Small Moments:
Spending just 15 minutes a day on your creative and artistic self-care is better than the average person and again isn’t something that involves a lot of change.
I spend 15 minutes a day with my sketch/notebook. This is essentially a junk journal where all my painting ideas, exhibition ideas, fleeting thoughts, and general brain waves go reside until I can figure out how to bring them into a more permanent physical form.
I find that jotting down these ideas solidifies them and allows me to come back to them at a more appropriate moment. Some people carry a more refined sketchbook; it is what best suits you. Sketching ideas wherever you are and whenever they happen is part of growth. I find that I get a lot of concepts developed and compositions arranged through this process.
Being in your artist mind frame allowing creativity creates a greater understanding of your artist self. I found that if I compressed these ideas and notions while at work for example, I wouldn’t remember them and felt a divide forming within myself. A simple small pocket diary allows me that freedom of thought and extension of memory.
Simply thinking about your practice and how to develop yourself and your artwork, making notes of ideas, allowing your creative practice is a very important part of it! Final pieces/artworks are just the result of everything you have put in before that final work, growth comes from everywhere.
Identifying your working schedule and finding that golden time
Being able to identify when you can work on your creative practice and understanding when your perfect creative time is, is very important. Get to know yourself and your working style and use that to your advantage. If you find that getting up with the morning sun and spending some time with your craft and a brew is your golden hour, do it! If you prefer to wind down when creating and cleanse from your day so to speak, maybe the evening is your creative safe space.
Understanding when your best working time is, will help you to not get burned out or exhausting yourself by working in your unproductive hours. The more you understand yourself the more you can make the most of your creative time and pour into your creative practice.
For me, I like to work little and often, as and when I can in the daytime around my 9-5, and then if I’m feeling productive and motivated, I will calve an hour or two into my evening. I try not to hold myself accountable if I don’t find I have the energy in the evening, because relaxation and looking after your physical and mental health is a priority.
Which brings us to…
Have relaxation build into your schedule
This is so so so important to not get burnt out. Having time off, dedicated to relaxation and your hobbies, is vital. Being burnt out is worse than putting aside what was going to be for today for tomorrow.
To summaries:
Combine your tasks
Utilise Small Moments
Identify your current patterns
Pick your golden hour
Understand your creative self
Indulge in relaxation