Cabin Fever And The Artist

The things I miss about art college are the daily exchange between artists, the project critiques and the threat that your work might end up in the bin (I think this was a myth perpetuated by tutors - I never witnessed it).

The snow this week has brought on a change in my usual procrastination routine.  Imprisoned by the 'Beast from the East' I had to stick at things I would normally avoid and 'just pop out' or get otherwise distracted.  Cabin fever has highlighted my creative blocks and also the difficulty of working in isolation without input from others or an urgency to get the work to a conclusion.

Open Questions

As part of my 'routine' I do set deadlines and construct questions to help critique my work.

How do you move your work on?  Do you ever feel you are going down the wrong road? Does it matter? Do you simply trust the process and see what happens?

I value online engagement tools such as Joanne Hawker's #MarchMeettheMaker, an instagram challenge for the whole of the month.  It's already been great to see what others are doing and connecting with new folk.

My blogspot "A Look Behind the Curtain' has also provided affirmation on how others work and their daily routines.  I am interested in how other artists gain critical feedback on their work?  I have valued artist friends who I will speak to and are very supportive.  However it's the tricky boot-up-the-bum questions that I recall from tutors that I miss.

I have started to ask direct questions on Instagram. This feels like breaking the fourth wall, talking directly to the camera, asking for the viewers to respond. 

What if you tried that?  If you were to make it again what would you change?

I guess at art college the trusted space amongst peers allowed for the free flow of ideas and a questioning of why you did something?  "What if you tried it this way?" "What if you did that?".  It is a different space now and the avenues to gain feedback on your work are varied: From the uncritical feedback of 'likes' on social media, gallery interest (or non-interest), customer feedback, organisations such as Design Nation where peers can get together, engaging a mentor or a critical friend.

The best feedback isn't having someone tell you what they think, it's having them draw out of you what you think.  Allowing you to be objective about your work and giving you the space to work through your thinking and direction.

Are you interested in peer mentoring?  Having a focussed time with other artists to discuss your work and its direction? Let me know....