Asking for help

Like many people who run a small creative business, I work alone. It’s great, I get to make all the decisions about what sort of work I want to make and when, within reason. I am more than happy spending most days by myself working away in my studio - just me, the clay and the cat for a bit of lunchtime banter.

It can however lead to becoming a bit stuck from time to time, because it’s just me, seeing things from the same perspective all the time - it’s hard not to. When I was at Art College, we used to have regular one-to-one tutorials and group ‘crits’ with my fellow students. These were regular critiques of your work giving good and bad feedback often throwing up difficult questions about your motivation for the work & what you were trying to achieve, how successful the work was……or not. I would often get really nervous beforehand knowing I would be asked to explain my work and why I’d made it but I almost always came away clearer in my ideas and motivated to develop the work further.

I realised a couple of years ago that I missed that. I was feeling a bit stuck. Knowing that I wanted to develop the work and my business further but not really having a clear vision or the confidence to do it. So, I reached out and booked myself an hour’s session with a creative mentor. I needed input from a creative professional with a broader or different experience to me, to give me a critique and help me to move forwards.

It was just what I needed and it worked. I came away buzzing with ideas and energised by an action plan to help with the developments we had discussed. It was so valuable to my creative practice and my business that I now actively seek out extra help as and when I feel I need it.

I recently felt I wanted help writing my artist’s statement as the one I had written was kind of okay but I was keen to again bring in a new perspective, particularly from someone who had a track record of writing in the creative industry. Once again it was way more valuable that I had expected.

Before each meeting I have had, I prepare notes and points I want to discuss as well as taking along samples. When you are paying for someone’s time, you want to make the most of it and make sure you get what you want from the meeting. Usually we cover everything on my list and loads more. The one -to -one provider will ask for an outline of what you’d like to discuss so that they can prepare, then the whole thing flows in a lovely fluid conversation of bouncing ideas, feedback, practical advise and forward planning.

I’m glad I don’t have to have a ‘crit’ every 12 weeks anymore, as sometimes that was a pressure, but I’d recommend reaching out for advice & feedback or help in your creative business every once in a while.

I would advise that you research who might be best for your needs but in case you want to know, I went to Caroline Jackman at the Crafts Council and Claire Pearce at Thrown Contemporary who both offer sessions for one-to-one chats in person or by skype. For the writing, I contacted Melody Vaughan who came to my studio for the session.