What's Next?

I have just finished 6 months of showing up every day in my studio to work on paintings and sketches to fulfill a commitment to exhibit at a library in March.  Nineteen paintings and a sketchbook have been finished. I constructed my framing, prepared the labels, the paperwork and packing are complete. My focus each day was to reach this goal. What next?
Lol ..this isn't unusual. This is a real situation that many artists face that can result in joy or sadness. It can catapult you forward into a new body of work or spiral into an artist block. It can be a moment of relaxation or the start of an anxiety attack. Is it a confidence builder or does that insidious doubt creep in? I ask myself "What's Next?"
Learning to cope with this pivotal moment is as important and fundamental to you as an artist as knowing your shape,values and color. It is also an answer that only you can provide.

For me, at this time of my life, forming a daily habit as simple as taking my morning cup of coffee into my studio, turning on music and leafing through any one my many art books or viewing another artist on Youtube, has inspired me. A simple doodle to get my pencil moving or a quick clean up of my studio or a reset of my palette. It may be a good day or utterly bad but I show up. Nothing is planned but I show up ...everyday. Painting is no different than a musician's practice time.  The old saying applies : miss a day and you notice, miss a week and the audience notices it.
LOL.. it hasn't always been this simple ...I see you ...  I know your schedules of work, kids and harried early mornings ...very late crazy nights.
Creating time for your art and adapting as your life changes are key to accepting the ups and downs of this intense need to be an artist and succeed in the work that is necessary to grow, learn  and refresh your interest in your art and be a "working artist " and not a "wannabe"
How you do this is personal and as different than anyone elses and just as valid. One size does not fit all. So in these blogs each week I will share what I have learned. How I go about the daily work of creating. I have gained much in reading and viewing what other artists have shared with me. You may just find an idea or technique that makes your work move forward.  Feel free to contact me with questions or offer your outlook on specific points.  This is a space to share.
Think about it. What can you do that will allow the ideas to flow and continue to make your time to do your art possible? So let's explore "What's Next?" together ... next Sunday "Dot, Line, Shape"