My mother was a clever woman. Although she didn’t have schooling past year 6 (intermediate), she knew about nature. She could name any local animal or bird and understood the medicinal qualities of plants.
Growing up on a farm during the Depression, my mother knew that understanding seasons and weather patterns was critical to their family’s survival, so she developed an impressive ability to read the sky.
My mother could tell you what the weather would be like based on the sky’s colour, cloud shape, and cloud height. She was always right.
As artists and creators, we can often be so focused on our work or the mechanics of building our art practices that we forget to stop and look around. The challenge of the here and now can be difficult enough without worrying about what the wider art world is doing. Yet, that awareness is what we need to have to ensure we remain relevant in the industry.
My challenge to you is to start developing an ability to ‘read the skies’ of your local art world (not the wider world, just the part of the art world that is relevant to you). The more you remain aware of what is going on, the more you will be able to sense when something has shifted, changed, or evolved. If you can do this, you will be better placed to decide how you might wish to alter course to suit.
Here are some examples of how to flex your ‘awareness’ muscles:
Be aware of the game you are playing: The more you understand the art world and how it operates (especially at your local or national level), the easier it will become to make decisions, spot opportunities, enhance your visibility and build your business.
Be aware of trends: Understand what’s selling to decide if you want to pivot to suit the market and create work that resonates with collectors. Trends could include sizes, styles, subjects, mediums, etc.
Be aware of networking opportunities: Stay aware of industry events, which will provide opportunities to engage with galleries, curators, and other artists.
Be aware of your audience: Gaining a solid understanding of your audience will allow you to connect better and sense when any shift might occur in your fan base.
This challenge invites you to develop a proactive approach to your business. By learning to ‘read the sky’ and be aware of what’s happening around you, you’ll stay better informed, cultivate adaptability, and develop foresight in your creative endeavours.
What’s one thing you can do today to build greater awareness in your art practice?
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