While it is advisable to have one primary focus that you fully develop and go deeply into, there are many good reasons that artists explore multiple directions as sidelines. Working in various media and approaches tends to inspire new ideas, energy, and insights, and helps keep your work fresh. Different approaches may also appeal to different audiences and thus expand your marketing possibilities. But it's important to think about how to present your work when you have more than one direction. Different situations involve different concerns, and you need to consider the audience for each.

For example, when approaching a gallery or applying for a grant or commission, you will make the strongest impression if you present only your main body of work. In these cases, the person deciding about your work wants to see consistency and an immediate visual impression. Other situations, such as when you post on social media, hold an open studio, or do a slide talk about your work, it's fine to show the breadth of what you do. In these situations, your audience has more time to absorb your various directions. If you want to show a range of work on your website, it's best to clearly separate your various directions and provide some written insight into your reasons for pursuing them.

In the best scenario, your work in various media or approaches will have an interesting relationship. Viewers seeing a range of your work will then be able to deepen their understanding of who you are as an artist. If your ideas come from a strong inner source rather than being very scattered, -they will be more worthwhile for you to pursue,and be more likely to enhance how others view your work.

Thanks to everyone who has been sharing the show and donating! If you would like to donate to the Messy Studio Podcast donate here.
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When you buy art supplies at Blick remember to use our affiliate link to support the podcast! Bookmark this link and then you don't even have to think about it again. This is one of the best ways to support the show. It takes a few seconds and costs you nothing! The Blick website works exactly the same way, but we earn 10% every time you buy art supplies.

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What's new at Cold Wax Academy? As Rebecca and Jerry reach the end of their third year of Live sessions they are launching a new phase of programming aimed at reviewing and reinforcing foundation topics--beginning with Color in their Summer quarter that starts on July 5th. This summer's sessions will also mentoring and professional development topics, as well as a painting clinic and a member critique. As always, Members of Cold Wax Academy have unlimited streaming access to over 100 previously recorded sessions. And a table of contents to easily find specific topics in the recordings will soon be available. For more info and to join CWA please visit www.coldwaxacademy.com

Please visit http://www.coldwaxacademy.com for more information as well as basic information about using cold wax medium.

Here is what a member named Sandy has to say about her own experience with Cold Wax Academy:
"Rebecca and Jerry have presented the most professional, authentic and structured approach to a creative activity I have ever come across. Their selfless sharing of all their knowledge and encouragement is a gift in my life unsurpassed."

Also-- please visit https://www.espacioart.org to learn about Rebecca and Jerry's newest project, Espacio, dedicated to providing beautiful living and working spaces for artists and writers. Espacio's first offering is Casa Clavel, a modern, fully equipped house opening this September in the beautiful cultural city of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. A few booking openings are still available in 2023, so please incquire if you are interested.

Have an art related product, service, or event you would like to advertise on the Messy Studio Podcast?
Email Ross at rticknor.core@gmail.com for current mid-roll advertising rates.
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For more from The Messy Studio:
www.messystudiopodcast.com
www.facebook.com/messystudiopodcast
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For more from Rebecca Crowell:
www.rebeccacrowell.com
www.coldwaxacademy.com
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The Messy Studio Podcast is a Tick Digital Media Production.

Thanks to everyone who has been sharing the show and donating! If you would like to donate to the Messy Studio Podcast donate here.
​
When you buy art supplies at Blick remember to use our affiliate link to support the podcast! Bookmark this link and then you don't even have to think about it again. This is one of the best ways to support the show. It takes a few seconds and costs you nothing! The Blick website works exactly the same way, but we earn 10% every time you buy art supplies.

www.messystudiopodcast.com/blick
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Rebecca and her partner at Cold Wax Academy, Jerry McLaughlin are wrapping up their Summer Quarter and have announced their lineup of topics for both the Fall Quarter and into 2022. Their weekly live, interactive sessions this Fall will focus on Techniques and Processes involved in developing a painting and on expanding ways of using cold wax in such areas as printmaking and photography.

All sessions are recorded and fully accessible in the Member Library, and you can watch and rewatch at your own pace. In addition, joining at any time gives you access to all the perks of membership and the benefits of being part of a growing, knowledgable community of other artists.

Here is what a member named Sandy has to say about her own experience:
"Rebecca and Jerry have presented the most professional, authentic and structured approach to a creative activity I have ever come across. Their selfless sharing of all their knowledge and encouragement is a gift in my life unsurpassed."

Have an art related product, service, or event you would like to advertise on the Messy Studio Podcast?
Email Ross at rticknor.core@gmail.com for current mid-roll advertising rates.
​
For more from The Messy Studio:
www.messystudiopodcast.com
www.facebook.com/messystudiopodcast
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For more from Rebecca Crowell:
www.rebeccacrowell.com
www.coldwaxacademy.com
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The Messy Studio Podcast is a Tick Digital Media Production.

Special Guest: Jim Scherbarth.

The conversational aspect of our work begins with an inner dialog as we track our progress. Later, when this work is in front of an audience, it speaks with our viewers. Thinking about our work as a partner in a conversation with the viewer forces us to consider an outside point of view.

Mark Tobey once stated that “art needs to come through the avenues of meditation, only then can one have a conversation with a painting”.

We can think of the work as existing between two sides of this conversation. The artist communicates with as well as through the piece, while the audience also communicates with the work. In order to achieve this creative conversation, something deepers must be instilled in the work, beyond the superficial appearance. If a viewer can take in the whole piece with one glance, it will not be much of a conversation.

Part of the self-critique process involves evaluating what you offer your viewer. Have you considered your own intentions and meanings deeply enough? How will your work engage your audience? Have you given too much, or too little information? Respect your viewer, engage their intellect, and give them more than they are expecting.

The Messy Studio Podcast is a CORE Publication MGMT production.

More Messy Studio Podcast:
www.messystudiopodcast.com
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More from Rebecca Crowell:
www.rebeccacrowell.com
www.squeegeepress.com

www.rebeccacrowell.com
www.squeegeepress.com
www.facebook.com/messystudiopodcast

NOTES:
This topic comes up a lot in workshops—"I’m too scattered”— work is all over the place
-wanting more focus, direction, way to bring depth to their work.

But also said in a positive way-- “I have a lot of interests.” “A lot of things excite me.”

In either case, we’re talking about someone who works in a lot of different media or styles

First—it can indeed be a positive thing.
--A necessary stage of searching at the beginning of your art journey
--if you’re blocked –try new things can be good advice
--basic attitude of being open and exploratory is good
--working in various media can cross-pollinate and be very helpful
some well-developed artists work across media and subject matter:
Usually conceptually drive—an underlying continuity of ideas, emotions, or which visual elements they are drawn to. Sense of connection, Open to any form that expresses what they want to say. Interests are dealt with in a focused way.
Example: Picasso, Gerhart Richter, lots of contemporary artists who work in installation format with many components tied together conceptually

Negative aspects:
From less developed artists:
Scattered, lack of focus or consistent voice, work lacks depth, can seem derivative

Use “Is it me?” to decide what you are really connected with, that you have focused on in a sustained way. Recognize that consistency is an aspect of personal voice.

The objective judgement is whether the work is high quality, well-developed, mastery of media—this comes only through sustained focus

May not be obvious as a rut type of comfort zone (stagnation)
gives feeling of change, exploration. Can be defended as this, a deflection attitude for any criticism that the work lacks depth.

Comfortable because easier to skim surface than dig deeply.
Being in “forever a student” mode is a comfort zone that may impeded your progress

If you are in this kind of rut recognize that it involves a lot of avoidance behavior:
Avoiding frustration
Avoiding criticism
Avoiding need to explain or understand the work
Avoiding taking next steps in your career and putting yourself out there
Avoiding success and the challenges that come with that

Lack of commitment means you never have to really excel or challenge yourself
Like being unable to commit to a relationship and weather the hard parts

Can be hard to recognize in yourself—easy to justify—you have a lot of interests, so many things to try—you’re generally excited about your work and it feels good. You may not see it as a problem.

And it is not a problem if you are truly happy with things as they are. It’s your work and entirely up to you if you want to change. Is it a choice or default mode?

If you don’t feel happy with it --how to identify this a negative kind of comfort zone?
questions:
Do you have basic underlying intentions that you bring to all your work
Does personal voice show itself in an overall, connected way
Are their particular visual elements you explore consistently?
Is your work recognizable as yours?
Do you find it hard to talk about your work beyond that you like to experiment and play?
Have you ever spent time developing the various things that interest you; focused attention?
In an exhibit showing of various examples of your approaches, would viewers see a conversation between your various pieces-- or would it seem disjointed?

How to move away from this—
Central concept is INTENTIONS
Identifying what you want in your work provides consistency and focus

Re: avoiding skimming the surface, take a hard look at past work-- what felt most like you, what offers most potential

What do you think you can commit to exploring in depth?

Set a goal to work in only one medium or approach for a period of time (several months + depending on how much studio time you have) or in terms of # of pieces.

You may be easily distracted by your other projects—put them away, pack away other materials

Make yourself accountable to someone—arrange to show them what you’ve done or have n progress

Wrap-up:
Experimenting and exploring new ideas definitely has an important role in an art practice. We’ve covered ideas about change in previous podcasts. But it is also a pitfall to change so often that there is little depth or consistency in your work. If you recognize that as an issue for yourself, we hope this discussion has been helpful in moving past that particular rut.