I’ve been a little lost this year, well, probably the last 18 months. This week, in a artist development group we answered a few questions around our art practice and my answers left me questioning everything. The questions I really struggled with were:

What do you think you are talents & skills?
I struggled to answer. A: Having ideas/concepts to design to initial work.

What questions go through your mind while you work? This one as an over thinker was interesting…A: How do I grow? What’s next? How do I keep up? Why do I need to? How do I let go?

What are some of your invisible rules in your practice? Which of these do you let go of?
1. I work in quilts that are created for both a quilt show and art exhibition.
2. A finished art piece is a large quilt, other works I don’t count. (This is the one I need to reframe the most).

In my corporate job (of 25 years), every year I would meet with my managers and we would review the company’s goals and align our business goals and plans, and provide measurements to keep track of how we are performing. I have continued that practice with my art career. Each year I set my business goals which I align with my strategic goals & values of my art career & business. I did not do that this year which I think is part of this uncertainty. So let’s start here and do a reset both in my practice and thoughts, realign where I need to and refocus to reach my goals I have for these last few months.

How do I describe my practice and what is important to me?

These were my previous strategic goals and value (“why”)

• Support and promote quilts in the art world so they are seen as art. I would like to see quilts valued for their beauty, the work & technique that goes into them, and the storytelling and history within quilts
• Be financially stable by at least covering costs to allow me to continue being a full-time artist.
• Be an active member in the art community and give back, as being a part of a community is a fundamental value that I had growing up, and moving countries over the years it has remained essential.

I think these still are true but my practice has expanded with other mediums and I would like room to grow, so I am adding:

• Exploring growth through experimentation in my practice as it allows me to continue seeing the world differently and I may have different experiences that feed into the next etc.

Next…”What” business goals will help me achieve these and stay align to these?

Is this something you do? Is it something you need help doing?

I do have a short 2-3 hour class that I work with people on coming up with a similar plan. I also talk with groups on how to start mapping out plan that works for their business or career.

Here’s to my resetting, aligning and being more focussed in the last quarter of the year. I’ll update you all soon.