The goal that happens to come last in the list is probably the most important one. Its corollary is: show up in the studio. Which leads to: keep making work. After all, "work makes work."
1. Make a living.
2. Have a solo exhibition.
3. Be in a group exhibition.
4. Have studio space.
5. Be in an artists' network.
6. Do residencies.
7. Submit work to open exhibitions.
8. Submit work to juried exhibitions.
9. Be invited to submit work to exhibitions.
10. Narrow down my practice.
11. Broaden my practice.
12. Write a book.
13. Teach.
14. Work in an entirely different medium.
15. Win an award.
16. Continue to make work for my own pleasure.
17. Produce [x quantity] of work a week/month/year.
18. be represented by a gallery.
19. take part in an 'open studios' event.
20. run an arts festival.
21. be pals with the movers and shakers in the art world.
22. keep motivated.
(just thought of another: enjoyment --- but, is that "professional"?)
And if your goals are financial, there's an interesting model for breaking them down into a checklist here.
PS - these are not my own professional goals. Those boil down, in regard to art practice, to three: produce;
enjoy; share.
'Enjoyment' would definately be in my list but perhaps with more defining -what drives me is the problem-solving aspect of making art.What about understanding and mastery of your medium?
ReplyDeleteGee, M., I hope this isn't your list for this period of your life! Or you must really be a major Type A. Actually, it looks a lot like my lists did just a few years ago...now I just want to enjoy life and make art. Can't be bothered with trying for most of that other stuff these days.
ReplyDeleteAdmirable list -- I'd like to have the same list (in what would be a fantasy life at the moment). I particularly like 10 and 11.
ReplyDelete