When I was working on my undergrad I developed a habit of not finishing my paintings. I would get them just to the point that they were almost finished and then set them aside and work on something else. I didn't even realize that I was doing this, but one day it occurred to me that this was becoming a habit. When I considered my behavior with curiosity it became clear pretty quickly that this was a coping mechanism. I was afraid to finish and sign my paintings because then I could not longer respond to criticism with, "well, I'm still workin on this painting." It didn't really matter how sure I was that the painting was finished. It was a way of putting up armor before criticism could be made. 

The reality was that this was preventing me from moving forward. I was constantly stuck with "unfinished" pieces. Luckily, I had deadlines for my classes and eventually had to get them finished for the semester. But what if I would have carried that behavior into my art career? I can't sell a bunch of unfinished paintings? I would have created a situation in which I was stuck. Perfectionism can cause you can get stuck in different stages of the process, including fear to get started at all.

Maybe you are dealing with perfectionism yourself, but you haven't identified it yet. These are a few of the ways perfectionism may manifest:
*Fear to get started
*Fear to finish
*Fear to share
*Fear of failure
*Unrealistic expectations
*Defensiveness, inability to take any kind of feedback
*Self-doubt
*Self-induced stress and anxiety about your work 
*Striving to live up to someone else's standards (often you don't even realize you are doing this)

If this is feeling familiar to you, how can you bring more kindness and compassion to yourself and your journey?   

One place you can start is brining joy and gratitude to where you are on your artistic journey right now. You may be new to art or trying a new medium, style, or technique. You may be progressing and developing. Wherever you are know that this time and space is an important part of the journey as you develop your skills and style. It is easy to wan to skip over the beginning stages, and it can be frustrating when you have a vision for something, but don't have all the skills yet. But know, without a doubt, that where you are is invaluable. Each piece of art we make contains within the process innumerable lessons. We progress each time we work. Our brains synthesize information in new ways. We notice new things, we make connections, and observations. Each and every piece of art we create, no matter how much we like it is an immensely valuable part of our learning and progressing as an artist. Embrace imperfection, embrace learning, embrace the journey because I know if you keep it up you will look back and realize how valuable that time was to get you to where you are now. 

For specific strategies to address perfectionism check out this resource for members.

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When you think about things that hold you back you may automatically think of external things like lack of time, money, or resources. However, your frame of mind, perspective, and the things you tell yourself can also be a huge stumbling block. Does the voice in your head sound like a kind and encouraging friend, a sheepish critic, or a flat out bully? 

The things stories you tell yourself, and the ways you talk to yourself can have a significant impact on your approach to your work and your career. Most artists pride themselves in producing something high quality. This can extend from the art itself, to the website, social posts, packaging, and more. Striving for high quality is great. But be aware of the line where doing your best and producing something of quality changes into perfectionism and defeatism. Your high quality today may not be your high quality in a year, and that is okay. Find ways to do your best with what you have, and make progress as you go. Be aware of where perfectionism is holding you back or preventing you from making progress at all. 

Sometimes perfectionism can be felt as fear. Fear that you aren't good enough, fear of what others will think, fear of judgement. Brené Brown says, "Perfectionism is not the same thing has striving to be your best. Perfectionism is the belief that if we live perfect, look perfect, and act perfect, we can minimize or avoid the pain of blame, judgement, and shame. It’s a shield. It’s a twenty-ton shield that we lug around thinking it will protect us when, in fact, it’s the thing that’s really preventing us from flight."

As we delve deeper into this month's theme of perfectionism, take a moment to consider:
*Am I striving for my best or for perfect?
*Am I diminishing where I am now in my journey because I'm not perfect?
*Am I using perfection as an excuse to hold back out of fear of judgement?
*Am I living into fear instead of moving forward with gentle compassion, kindness, and curiosity toward myself?

Boundaries are essentially where one thing begins and another ends. They differentiate self from others and tell others how they are allowed to interact with us. Boundaries are something that you have to protect and uphold.⁠
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Boundaries can be a really tough thing for people to determine and uphold. Depending on how you were raised and your life experiences you may have a really hard time with boundaries. You may feel that you shouldn't have boundaries with loved ones. You may lack confidence in yourself and therefore have a hard time setting boundaries.⁠
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You might be wondering what this has to do with your art business. It has EVERYTHING to do with your art business. If you lack confidence you are probably not setting boundaries around things like your time and prices. You may find yourself saying "yes" to things that you don't feel you should say "yes" to. This can lead to burnout, resentment, and frustration.⁠
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When we feel confident about ourselves, our work, our prices, etc. we are confident to express and uphold our boundaries. When we uphold our boundaries we gain confidence in ourselves.⁠
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So which comes first, confidence or boundaries? ⁠
You've probably heard the saying "fake it 'til you make it." This is one of those areas where that notion could be helpful. Work on clarifying your boundaries for yourself and then practice expressing and upholding them. ⁠
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A word of caution, when we start upholding our boundaries people can get upset by it. Remember, refusal to respect your boundary is a refusal to respect you. Your boundary comes from your own self-confidence and self-respect, not from the way people respond to your boundaries.⁠
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What boundary will you work on upholding this week?⁠
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As an artist you are expected to wear so many hats, and some days the task list seems never ending. I could tell you about various tips and tricks for being more productive and getting over a motivation slump, but I none would be quite as delicious as the advice I'm going to give you today.... HOT CHOCOLATE.

No, really, hear me out... Chocolate contains caffeine, but in much lower levels than that afternoon cup of coffee that makes I hard to sleep Chocolate is linked with a release in endorphins and can regulate your immune system! Besides all of that it's delicious and oh so enjoyable to drink.

​"But all the sugar is bad for you," you might argue. Oh, boy do I know that! My body and sugar do not get along.  The recipe I'm going to share is my personal recipe and is allergy friendly, sugar free, and 100% delicious. I don't have specific measurements, but it should be made to your preference anyway. I don't eat dairy, and prefer oat milk, but you can use whatever you prefer.


Just a reminder that measurements are approximates so taste it as you go.

Megan's Allergy Friendly, Productivity Boosting, Hot Chocolate
In a sauce pan, heat the following on medium low heat. Stir continually, until the desired temperature is reached. Do not heat too high, or heat without stirring. yuck...
1.5 cups oatmilk
2-2.5 heaping spoons of 100% dark cocoa 
two big dashes of cinnimon
a big dash of vanilla
sweeten to your liking with maple syrup

Optional: Top with your preferred whipped cream and a dash of cinnamon
Bonus 1: Use a special mug. It always makes me happy to drink out of the mug pictured because it was a gift from my good friends. 
Bonus 1: Also delicious as a mixed drink with peppermint schnapps ​

Disclaimer: I'm not doctor or nutritionist. Read about the affects of chocolate on your own and consult a doctor or nutritionist if needed. :)

I think it's a pretty safe assumption that artists are more likely than other professional groups to take more of a free-spirit approach to their work and business. While there are benefits to embracing your free-spirit, if you plan to be a successful artist you will also need to have some goals and expectations for yourself. 

One of the first places you might want to look into adding a bit of strategy is to your schedule. When working as an artist it can be far too easy to get distracted from your work. If you work from home, you may find yourself doing chores and taking care of household tasks over working on your art or business. You may also get easily distracted with every fun or interesting opportunity that comes along, and hey, your "schedule is flexible so might as well take advantage of it, right?"

Having a schedule helps keep you on track. You should treat your studio and business time with the same level of respect you would treat a "regular 9-5." That means no getting up and leaving your work unless it is an emergency. That means meeting deadlines and taking your work seriously. That means doing the fun work and the not-so-fun work. It means respecting your time and talent and approaching your work with dedication.

All of that being said it is still important to make sure that the systems you set up work for you. Your schedule should take into account your personality, strengths, weaknesses, situation, and resources. If you know that you will never be able to get up at 5 AM to paint, don't waste your time and energy on that schedule. Not only will you have wasted time and energy, but it will also leave you feeling unsuccessful. Take your personal situation into account when creating a schedule. If you know the kids are gone from 8AM - 3 PM make sure to take full advantage of that time. How can you utilize that time to create art, and promote/ run your business? If you know that you need a break every two hours, schedule that in too. 

Being a working artist does (potentially) give you a lot more flexibility. You don't have someone else dictating to you what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. The upside to this is that you can create a schedule that works for your and your particular situation. The downside is that you might fall into the trap of having no schedule at all and making little to no progress. If you have been scratching your head, wondering why you haven't grown much take a look at how you have been spending your time. Do you have dedicated time to work. Are you making sure to schedule time for promoting your art and running your business? Are you honoring those times or are you getting distracted with last minute coffee dates and household chores?

What do you think? Do you have a schedule, and do you honor it? Do you think a schedule could work for you?

Planning for the upcoming year can truly make a huge difference in the progress you make. CGA has developed a planning strategy with creatives in mind. Our strategy breaks planning down into phases that tap into you intuition. We walk you through brainstorming, planning and goal setting; and then accomplishing your goals. This resource is available to members here.

Before you jump into planning out 2022 take a moment to consider, and maybe even write down your achievements in 2021. Failing to acknowledge our accomplishments leads to a constant feeling of "never enough."

If you have a tendency to jump from one task right into the next, you may be surprised at what you accomplished in the last year. So stop, and take a second to answer the following questions for 2021:

​1: How many pieces did you complete?
2: How many pieces did you sell?
3: What did you learn?
4: What did you improve?
5: What are you proud of?
6: Where did you grow? (personal, business, creative...)
7: How did you grow your business?
8: How did you grow your online presence?
9: Did you apply to galleries, shows, or residencies?
10: Did you show your work anywhere?
11: Did you make any important connections?

You need an artist statement. It's not a question. It's not an option. If you plan on entering competitions, applying for festivals, being in shows-- you need an artist statement. This article will walk you through the process of writing a rock solid artist statement. 

FULL ARTICLE AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS HERE.