The Artist’s Guide to Beating Isolation: 5 Tips for Staying Inspired & Connected

Being an artist can be a solitary existence. It's way too easy to spend days on end holed up in your studio alone. (Ask me how I know!) What I also know is that I'm a happier artist, and happier human, if I remember I need connection.

If you've ever felt isolated or uninspired, here's an artists guide to beating isolation with five ways to reconnect and reignite your creative spirit:

1. Find that ONE friend.

   
   

Who cheers you on? Loves your art? Is delighted to be the friend of an artist? If you're lucky, you might have a handful of these, but one will do. The person you can text to say:

• "OOOHHH... I'm excited about THIS!"

• "Look what happened when I tried this!"

• OR (and possibly more importantly) "I'm sooo frustrated right now. This is shit. I hate it".

Having someone you can share the small, messy, joyful, real moments with is a gift.

Extra points if you can build in a little accountability with this person. "If you don't hear what happened with this by - insert day/time here - would you please check in and hold me to it?

2. Join an artist community.

   
   

You have SOOO many options here:

• A casual group get together to share art making in real time, like the Art Dates in my Artful Life Collective,

• A structured business-focused community like Alyson Stanfield's Art Biz Success,

• A local group who meet in person

• A friends of the gallery or museum group

• An online salon for creatives like Inger Kenobi & Sarah Seidelman's SHINE

Being in connection to and community with other artists is sustenance for your artist heart, mind and soul.

And remember - the old adage is true - you get out what you put in, so join up, and get involved! The collective energy can carry you along when your own is flagging.

3. Invite a studio companion into your creative space.

   
   

Dog, cat, canary, even a snake if you're into reptiles. (Personally I'd rather gouge out my own eyeball with a fish fork than share my studio with a snake, but I'm not here to tell you how to live your life!)

A furry (or scaly) friend will listen to your laments and long winded yammering without judgement, and they'll love you even when your painting sucks. And they'll never tell you that you should give up right now, or you're doing it wrong.

4. Listen to great conversations.

   
   

Even though you're not connecting directly with another human when you turn on a Podcast, you get to connect with ideas. Podcasts are wonderful studio companions for those times when you're doing repetitive or tedious tasks. Sometimes silence rules - especially when you're in the deeply generative, thoughtful parts of your process, but when you're craving company and have to get the work done, search your podcasting platform for topics that fascinate you.

5. Get out of the studio.

   
   

Artists need a life rich in experiences. That variety of experience lights up your imagination, gives you grist for your creative mill. Get out and do different things with different people, your art (and your energy) will thank you for it. Need some ideas? You could start with:

• Go for a walk, hike or swim, soak up different scenery and surroundings.

• Visit a community event - festivals, fairs, shows, fundraisers, trivia nights are fun!

• Go for a coffee or meal someplace you've never been before.

BONUS tip: Get yourself a coach.

Creativity coach, life coach, business coach... doesn't matter - it's all the same thing, really!

Investing a little time and money into working with a coach helps you to:

• Understand why you're suddenly more interested in cleaning out the garage than getting to work on your exhibition pieces

• Reconnect with what inspired you to start your current project and fan the fire to keep going with it when a new 'bright shiny thing' threatens to pull you way off track

• Take a step back and get an objective look at what you're doing when the series you're working on feels stale and devoid of spark

A good coach listens in a way that helps you hear what's really going on - and supports you as you find your way through it.

You don’t have to be stuck with your own company. Being an artist doesn’t have to mean being isolated. Pick one thing from this list and do it TODAY.

You art and your heart will thank you.

Curious about coaching? Find out more HERE