Tag: creative growth

Why It’s Time to Show the Messy Middle We all love the final piece, the polished canvas, the perfectly lit photograph, the sculpture that stands proud and complete. But what about the versions before that? The smudged pages, the failed attempts, the half-formed ideas that eventually led you there? Most artists hide those moments. But here’s the thing: they’re gold.  Audiences are no longer content with just the result. They want to know the story behind it, the hands that shaped it, and the journey it took to arrive. Including works…

What’s This Portfolio Actually For? Let’s be real, figuring out how long your portfolio should be is a bit like packing for a trip. Too little and it feels like you’re underprepared, too much and it becomes a hassle to carry. The truth? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. It all depends on where your portfolio’s going and who’s flipping through it. Are you applying for a residency, a grant, or finally updating that website your cousin’s been nagging you about since 2022? Every opportunity has its own expectations, and that changes the…

Updating your art portfolio regularly sounds like something only superhumans do… or people who somehow enjoy spreadsheets. But for the rest of us (who maybe have 37 unfinished paintings, two open calls bookmarked, and no idea what year our artist bio was last updated), it can feel like a lot. So, what if we made it… not stressful? What if your portfolio timeline felt more like a cozy studio ritual than a looming admin task? This guide isn’t about turning you into a marketing robot. It’s about crafting a flexible rhythm…