As we step into a new year, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the path we’ve trodden and plan for what lies ahead. I’ve often felt like the new year is similar to a blank page, unnerving and full of possibility.
In this blog post I’m sharing what my aims for 2024 are and how you can elevate your own artistic journey through goal setting.
Why Do You Create
Before deciding on a goal defining the vision is crucial. In a world where there are so many distractions returning to the ‘why’ is vital. For me my vision statement is:
I create in order to share nuanced perspectives. The fantasy world my characters inhabit provokes thought and connection between myself as the artist and the audience. It celebrates the unique voices out there and emphasises subtlety and quietness in a monochromatic, noisy world.
Charlie Kirkham -Artist Vision Statement Extract
Take some time to reflect on your artistic vision. Look at the themes you return to repeatedly. Why do you explore them? When you define the reason for doing it’s easy to stick to the goals. You’re reason to create art doesn’t need to be complicated. It may be as simple as ‘because it gives me great joy.’
Goal One: analyse works for inclusion in the solo body based on whether they meet the ‘why’ of creating, rather than aesthetic merit.
Set a Schedule
Before any of us can meet a goal we need a timescale. For most artists time is precious and juggled! Between teaching, day jobs and care responsibilities the schedule can be pretty packed. Be realistic with this. It’s better to commit to less and do it.
10 minutes per day x 365 days = 60.83 hours of work done
Think of it like this, you schedule ten minutes of art time per day, every single day. It’s a small amount so you can’t make excuses. You do it. By December 31st 2024 you’ve got over 60 hours under your belt.
5 hours per day x 8 days = 40 hours of work done
Conversely, if you jump in guns blazing and intend to do 5 hours a day after you finish a shift that’s a big commitment. For some of you this is achievable, for others it’ll quickly lead to burn out and you’ll end up with 40 hours art done plus months of recovery.
You know yourself best, you know your schedule, energy levels and commitment to this goal. Creating is a muscle, it needs to be moved and rested to grow.
Goal 2: stick to the schedule and fit in small chunks of creative work when possible, keep a drawing board handy in car and bag to maximise time.
Keep Learning
It’s so important to keep upskilling and growing. The world of materials, technology and social media moves so fast it can be hard to keep up. To avoid overwhelm it’s good to pick one thing to improve at.
It might be that you really want to learn a new painting technique, like watercolour painting. It could be that your website needs a bit of TLC so you’re going to take a course with WordPress. Maybe you want to tell more people about your art so you upskill your Social Media skills. It doesn’t matter what you’re learning, the process of taking on new knowledge expands the mind making you more creative.
Goal 3: Upskill via learning new inlay veneer techniques, commit to monthly learning online via YouTube, Webinars or mentoring calls.
Share the Journey
Surrounding yourself with people who get it is so important. Whether that means sharing the ups and downs over tea or online, it’s all about people. When I started submitting to shows and getting rejected it was so hard. My confidence took a big knock. By sharing the disappointments as well as the wins it’s easier to get a perspective.
If you feel ready to share your work more widely your goal might be submitting work to exhibitions, creating a website or sharing more on social media. Artists are generally some of the most supportive, friendly people out there. Building that community is crucial to helping you meet your artistic goals.
Goal 4: Keep Sharing the Artistic Journey via exhibitions, vlogs and blogging as well as website and socials.
Intentional goal setting is key to enhancing your artistic journey. We’ve explored understanding ‘why’ before creating any goals, defining the vision behind our practice. My first goal is focused on aligning my ‘why’ with the works in my solo show.
The second part of intentional goal setting is acknowledging time is a precious resource in an artist’s life. The key to goal setting is realism. Smaller, consistent wins are often more effective than unsustainable bursts of creativity. My second goal is to incorporate small bursts of art where possible to avoid burnout.
Continual learning is the heartbeat of artistic growth. Goal Three advocates upskilling, whether it’s mastering new painting techniques, improving your website, or enhancing social media skills. The focus is on steady, manageable progress.
Finally, surrounding yourself with understanding individuals, both offline and online, provides a support system for navigating the highs and lows of being an artist. My fourth goal is to keep sharing through exhibitions, vlogs, blogging, websites, and social media platforms, fostering a supportive artistic community.
What are your four goals for 2024 and how will you achieve them?
REFERENCE LINKS
Pre-Register for Charlie’s Course
CHARLIE KIRKHAM NEWSLETTER
Sign up for free and be the first to get notified about updates.
Charlie Kirkham 
Leave a comment