Tag: creative mindset

Most artists assume residencies are decided by the strength of their portfolio. And in a way, that’s true  your work gets you through the first door. But once you’re inside, the conversation changes. Selection panels rarely debate whether someone can paint, sculpt, or conceptualize well. What they discuss instead are the subtler things that don’t always show up on a slide deck: clarity of thought, curiosity, adaptability, and whether your proposal feels grounded enough to actually come to life. Panels receive hundreds of strong applications, and by the time they sit…

Inspiration doesn’t wait until the laundry’s folded or your inbox is clear. It tends to crash into you while you’re in the middle of reheating leftovers or racing to meet a deadline you swore you’d tackle earlier. And honestly, that timing can feel cruel. You want to grab the idea, sketch it out, let it breathe, but the rest of life is standing there with its arms crossed, reminding you it comes first. That’s the real struggle of being an artist in everyday life. You’re not living in some cabin in…

Ever catch yourself staring at your own work and thinking, “Is this even good enough?” Yeah, that little whisper isn’t imaginary. It’s self-doubt, and for women artists, it tends to crash the studio like an uninvited guest. You’ve probably tried ignoring it, scrolling past it, or telling yourself, “Just focus on the art.” But it sticks. And the more you push, the louder it gets. Here’s the twist, self-doubt doesn’t mean you’re failing. It’s more like a foggy mirror that makes you question what’s already right in front of you. That…

Most women creatives start their days with a mental juggling act: deadlines, family, social commitments, self-care, and that little voice whispering, “Am I making enough art?” Sound familiar? That feeling of stretching yourself in a million directions isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s just the reality of living in a world that still underestimates the bandwidth women carry. The word “balance” often gets thrown around like a magic solution, but let’s be honest, it rarely feels magical. More often, it feels impossible. Here’s the thing: balance isn’t about dividing hours evenly…