In the studio - Bringing the year to a close

Being a teacher means I have 2 New Year’s Eve. 31st of Dec and 31 of August, each marking the end of a year and chance to reflect and start afresh. As 2019 rapidly draws to a close, here’s how I like to prepare for the year ahead and sort out my studio.

Clear out old work

I like to put all my work in view and decide which work I will throw away. Yes throw away. If I have work lurking in the studio that I feel no longer represents where I am creatively then I get rid of it. I may paint over an old canvas or tear up paper to test colour on. Some just go in the bin.

I know some reading this will gasp at this practice but not being too precious about my work is just how I like it. The more I learn about great Artists and their ways of working, the more I appreciate that each of us have our own individual studio practice and that feels incredibly liberating. My grandmother was a huge influence in my love of Art and her approach to life was that if something is not serving you any more, just get rid of it, and move forward.

Review

I have made a promise to myself for 2020, to produce less but better quality work so I only sell what feels really precious to me. Looking at all my work together helps me see how it has changed over the year and where I would like to take it. I look at the skill in which I handle my materials and think about if this is something I would like to improve. Do I need to take a course, simple practice more? Perhaps I could develop my ideas further? Could I write about these in my sketchbook and make more conceptual work? Could I look the work of Artists to give me inspiration? This is something I aways return to as it’s ingrained from my 15 years of teaching.

Organise materials

I like to regualrly sort out my Art materials but it always feels so nice to give my studio a deep clean ready for the new year. Each year I review what materials I use most and which have sat untouched for months. Am I likely to use them? If not I often give them away or take them to work for my students to use. Limiting my Art materials actually makes me more creative as I may use them in more imaginative ways but I do have a weakness when it comes to sketchbooks. Reviewing my materials help me decide what I would like to work more, or less with. Paper? Canvas? and this decision helps guide the way for the year ahead.

I once read something about a messy desk is the sign of a creative mind and since then I convinced myself that I wasn’t a true creative because I liked my studio to be clean and organised. It’s funny the things we believe, isn’t it? Now I know that nothing makes me feel more creative than a clear desk and a well organised studio.

Reflect & Plan

Finally, I plan my Art year ahead. Being a mum and a teacher keeps me busy as you can imagine, so I would be utterly lost without my trusty bullet journal. I’ve adapted it many times over the years and now I am able to use it plan all areas of my life. Art. School. Home. Winter always seems like the perfect time to reflect and look inwards. I take stock of what I acheived that year and what I would like to focus on in the next 12 months. This year I got some extra help from the brilliant Alice Sheridan and Louise Fletcher, co-hosts of the Art Juice podcast. Their recent Facebook group Juiced Up - Your Best Art Year Ever offers a fantastic workbook which really helped me plan more effectively for the year ahead. There’s still time to join if you’re quick.

Here’s to a creative, peaceful and inspired 2020 everyone!