Setting your Art Career Goals ...part 3 of my New Year's Goals

'Beauty Surrounds Us'         8x10     pastel      ©Karen Margulis
available in my Etsy shop  $75

I'm trying to keep my goal list simple. Last year I had a huge flow chart of goals and it was just too overwhelming.  This year I am slowing down and simplifying the goals.  If you have been following the blog this week you have read about Richard McKinley's plan for goal setting....the three 'C's'  Craft, Creation and Career.  You can read more about it here.

Today I am reflecting on the third 'C'  Career.  This is where you evaluate how you see your career as an artist. Perhaps art is only a hobby and you don't have career goals. Many of us enjoy the journey of creating art and don't worry about selling our work or getting recognition and that is fine. You can skip the career part of goal setting!

But for many artists being recognized and having others interested in their work is an important part of feeling validated as an artist.  It also helps to fund the habit! It helps to have an idea of what you wish to accomplish in your career so you can decide on ways to make these goals happen.  Just be sure that your list is manageable and make a plan for accomplishing each goal!  Here is mine:

• I would like to enter a select few pastel exhibitions.  I only need one point for the IAPS Master's Circle so I will concentrate on the IAPS exhibitions. I will also look for a national exhibition for all media.

• I already have several demos and workshops scheduled for the Southeast. I will keep it as it is since I have a busy travel schedule planned. Keep it manageable!

• I would like to be more involved with local artists. I will be taking over the awards chair position for the Southeastern Pastel Society so that will help me get out of the studio more.

• Increase my blog readership!  My plan is to continue to improve my blog content and to attract new followers. I love to share and help other artists and teaching and reaching out through the blog is a great way for me to be connected to the art community.  Last year I doubled my followers and I would love to repeat it this year!

What are your career goals?  Have you made any plans for accomplishing them?

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About Today's Painting:  This 8x10 pastel was done for a private class demo. It is on Canson Mi-Teintes paper using my 'back to basics' method of a layer of Nupastels followed by soft pastels. I will do a demo of this process in a future post.