I think it’s different for everyone. It’s weird for me since for the last 7 months I’ve been doing nothing but making work for this solo show. Currently my studio and garage are empty. All I have are old paintings that were done during my time at CSULB and blank canvases and papers that need to be started. Since finishing all the work for my solo show I’ve felt a weird emptiness. I think most of us get it after completing work for a show. Especially if we were only making work for that show and now you have to start all over with new pieces.
So what am I going to do? Honestly today I’m not doing anything. Yesterday I attached hanging wires to my paintings and reapplied gesso to the edges to assure they would be white. I also brought in blank canvases that were in my garage and also prepared paper that I’ll be painting/drawing on. Then, I just went to eat with my partner and afterwards we binge watched Netflix until he went home. I ended my night by reorganizing all the supplies in my studio space.
I don’t have much to do now that the solo show is wrapped up. Just waiting on opening night on January 10th. So I think this next week I’ll be practicing self-care. What does that look like for me? Doing all the easy shit you do when you don’t feel like starting to work yet. So I’ll probably go buy wood, cut it and make stretcher bars. Apply gesso to some canvases. Sketch, sketch, sketch. Look for references for the next few pieces. I might even look for artist opportunities such as shows, residencies and grants to apply to.
I’m still doing a lot but it’s all background work. This is what I do when I’m tired of painting. Because I don’t want to completely avoid doing anything related to my art practice. By next weekend I’ll be ready to go again. Next in line I have 4 paintings. 3 for an upcoming show and one is a commission for a family friend. I look forward to doing all of that but for now I need a breather. Just a tiny one. Because like I said in my last blog post I love drowning in work.
Self-care is important. No matter what type of art you make. If that means getting away for a weekend, working smaller than you usually do, working on less stuff, doing the easy background things, not creating at all for a week or two. Anything you need to do to revamp your brain after completing a whole batch of art pieces is okay. Sometimes I do all the easy stuff in between while I’m drowning in work. Because even if you aren’t directly making an art piece maybe you’re doing things that will help your art practice in some way.
I remember talking about doing the easy stuff while I was in my senior studio space at CSULB. Sometimes we would all paint and talk the entire times. Other times we would just blabber and not paint at all. Sometimes we’d ask each other “What are you doing today?” And the answer was simple: I’m just going to sketch, Not working on anything big today just prepping some paper and canvases for paint, Just doing research today. These are all acceptable ways to practice self-care as an artist. The most rewarding thing about doing little things like this is that I’m still showing up for myself and my art practice even if I’m only doing something small. If you need to step away do it. You and your art will thank you for it.