to plan or not to plan

to plan or not to plan....and why bother?

Make a plan
Do the plan
Not more than the plan
Not less the plan
Just do the plan

how planning helps me in the creative part of my art businiess

• gives me structure and starting places
• soothes my anxiety
• the KEY THING here I use a "line of enquiry" method.  "Heirlooms" above, and "Legacies" below are current pieces born from this kind of planning. Let me explain.

"line of enquiry" - what's that?

I often help mentees with this in their own practices - it is the set of words that I am exploring in any current body of work. These are the train tracks for me to experiment within, giving me something to evaluate against. This affords me immense freedom. I can't go off at any old tangent, but I can dive deeper and deeper into my subject. It is this that produces exciting work, new work, work that resonates with the viewer because it is rich and matured with my time in the studio.

where planning doesn't help in the creative process

• when I've decided on the outcome too soon.
• if I've over committed and got stressed striving to achieve the impossible (hello Mrs Perfectionist).
• I'm pushing to please the crowd, giving what I think they want, rather than what is truly lighting me up.

and how about the business side of my practice?

Kind of the same possibilities as the creative part of the job. On the down side I can be so focussed on the "goal" than I am blinkered to the opportunities right under my nose. Got to keep those antenna open! I have had the most glorious of connections and collaborations this way.

where planning really is a goldmine 

I'm going on a solitary art retreat in a week's time, a house by the sea that I have hired before. Many of you "joined" me via Instagram the last couple of years as I shared my process with you. I'll be doing the same...follow along. 
Preparations have included

• materials list, gathered, sourced in advance - taking nothing I don't need, and plenty of what I do.
• food the week, cooked, frozen, packed with tons of nourishment. It is a remote part of the coast, no chance of popping to the shops.
• getting clear about my "line of enquiry" for the week

The last two retreats have produced a glorious body of new work, that sold instantly, thanks to you wonderful humans - many of you felt so much a part of my time away. It was great to have your company. Who knows what I'll produce this time....but I have a feeling you''ll love it.

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