Well here we are again, sandwiched between the holidays with December promising to be just as hectic as usual, but definitely in a good way. My plan for the next three weeks, in addition to trying to wrap up unfinished work, is to set aside a serious chunk of time, albeit in small segments, to map out my studio goals for 2018 and to reassess the ups and downs of 2017.
One of my goals for 2017 was to reach a wider audience through further publication. While the avenues that I actively approached didn’t pan out, this particular opportunity tapped me on the shoulder unexpectedly. It goes to show you never know. You can read the full feature here
In past years there has been no lack of objectives to reach for, but I know my efforts will be so much more efficient moving forward if I thoughtfully map out a plan now rather than, as has been my habit, hurriedly cobbling together a fuzzy outline of goals during the first week of January.
Every six weeks or so I meet up with three other artists for an informal discussion group. Our topics vary widely but usually hinge on an issue that is relative to all, yet which one of us is grappling with specifically. Because of the variety of experience we each bring to the table, the resulting conversation satisfyingly tends to be wider-reaching than might be expected and is fruitful for each of us in separate ways.
For those of you who may be interested in seeing more, Art Quilting Studio is a semi-annual compendium of visual inspiration. It can be purchased on newsstands, via their website, or even from Amazon.
Appropriately enough, our most recent conversation surrounded productivity in terms of goals and scheduling — on both a micro and a macro level. One aspect that was interesting to discover, although the way we do it differs by individual, is each of us has a system in place for tracking accomplishments throughout the year.
It is so easy to become swept up in the next big project once the previous venture is finished. Unless one makes an effort to record it, that victory can get lost in the shuffle. And celebrating our wins is important fuel for propelling us forward, don’t you think?
Quiet Moment, detail, magazine image ©2017 Elizabeth Fram
Alyson Stanfield, of Art Biz Success, is a huge advocate of setting aside time to close-out each year by reviewing the ups and downs of the previous twelve months. Doing so makes the road ahead both clearer and more directed. Her annual Year-End Review for Artists is a great place to start; she poses some of the hard questions we should all be asking ourselves each December in order to make the most of the following January and beyond.
Now is the time to revisit and acknowledge all you’ve accomplished this past year and to decide how you will mark your achievements in 2018.
…And don’t forget to give yourself a pat on the back for your hard work!
Follow Up__________________________________________________________________________________________________
After last week’s discussion I cleaned my drawing/fountain pens following these easy instructions. I hadn’t noticed any problems before doing this, but I can tell now that it was a worthwhile tune-up.
Excellent advicce! My annual review is scheduled for next week. I made it an appointment so it wouldn’t get bumped by other priorities. You should take more credit for the profile in the quilting magazine. You didn’t shy away from the opportunity, and you wrote a great description of your work. That shows you were prepared and professional!
I love that you set up an appointment with yourself!
Thanks for the kind words about the article…getting those systems in place really does help!
What a great idea! I followed the link to Alyson Stanfield’s blog post, printed out her questions, and will be scheduling some time to work on it. Thanks for the lead.
You are very welcome – I’m glad the link will be of use to you! I love that her questions cover such a wide range. I wouldn’t even have known to ask many of them before I read her post last year.