Thursday, January 24, 2019
On this cold January evening, I sit down to think, to journal and then to share with you some thoughts or shall we say, advice for artists. I think I am, or I hope to be, a mentor to many aspiring artists, a source of inspiration and as always I am willing to share what I have come to know about art in the past 20 plus years of my career.
When I decided to put these thoughts in to a list of 25, I found that I could have probably continued on because all of these ideas came to me quite quickly and this was written within a few minutes. Some days I wish my painting would come this easily! So - enjoy and I hope this inspires you in your art path!
Advice for Artists….by
Ginnie Cappaert Thoughts from my
studio, January 2019
1. Love yourself.
2. Love what you do. Simply create because you don’t believe you
could breathe or live otherwise.
3. Make art your life – every waking
moment! Have your eyes open to see the
beauty around you.
4. Balance (relates to #3)! Remember, the best life is filled with
healthy balances.
5. Keep your soul/spirit nurtured –
yoga, meditation, journaling – you get it!
6. Stay physically active – every day!
Fresh air clears your mind and refreshes you!
7. Find your tribe! Those friends that ‘get
you’, encourage you and share similar interests, they are worth more than gold!
8. Learn to accept rejection, there will
be a lot of it!
9. Stay positive! Do not let negative energy take up space near
you!
10. Be Strong, you are putting your life
work and pieces of your soul out there for all to see. NOT all comments will be nice.
11. Study art history! There is so much to learn from the masters
and those that came before us.
12. Attend gallery openings and
museums. Be inspired. Talk with other artists.
13. Sit in Stillness. It is very difficult at times, but often good
things come from it.
14. Find a space to create. Large or small doesn’t matter just so that
you have a space to call your own and that is easy to go to when you are in the
creative mode.
15. Read!
Read about art, other artists, techniques, deep soulful thoughts, quotes
etc.
16. Use social media as a tool for
learning and sharing about art but be careful of wasting too much of your
precious time on it.
17. Learn techniques, but ALWAYS, ALWAYS add
spirit and soul from within to your work!
That’s where true art comes from!
18. Find your own voice. Do your own art, your way! This takes time. Be your own person and learn how to talk
about your art.
19. Focus. Focus on your medium of choice and do it well. Try to keep yourself from getting too
scattered.
20. Apply to shows, exhibitions and calls
to artists. Stay in the art circle.
21. Remember that not everyone will like
your art! That is ok! Everyone’s varied taste is what makes the
world so interesting.
22. Appreciate and be grateful for all
your collectors, supporters and galleries that represent you.
23. Work and rework your Bio, Statement
and Resume. Keep it up to date!
24. Have a website specific to your work and
updated on a regular basis. Business
cards and brochures are great too!
25. Be kind! Be kind to everyone. Those that love your work and those that take no interest in
what you do. Those who can and cannot afford to buy your work, too! Mentor, share and encourage others. We were all beginners at one time.
Ginnie Cappaert, January, 2019
We all need a space to create! After a studio 'redo' I'm really loving my Michigan studio this winter!
