Quick Notes and Quirky Wisdom

A short-hand recap of our Seasoned Process panel-discussion

In case you missed out on The Field’s panel, A Seasoned Process: Sustaining Creativity & Weathering Change, we were frantically scribbling notes! Here’s a smattering of sage advice and topical tips (and our rough interpretations) for being an artist, making work, and enjoying the longevity of your career.

A huge thank you to our panelists for their honesty and openess—Eve Beglarian, Donna Uchizono, Keith Reddin, and Judy Tate—and our insightful facilitator, Todd London!

Here we go…

“A career in the arts is not linear…It’s by definition unpredictable…you’ll be following a path that hasn’t been built yet…you can’t look for external validation because there aren’t any marks on the path.” –Eve Beglarian

“…it’s a constant set of corrections to get back on course, rather than staying on a designated path.”
–Judy Tate, on being an artist and the practice of making work

 “The next thing I’m going to do is just for me.” –Keith Reddin, on taking a break from making for presenters or funders, and to reconnect with his creative practice

 “Don’t take things personally…” –Donna Uchizono, on how it is impossible for all the good projects that are submitted to funders to get awards they deserve

“Have the confidence that it’s all going to work out and be ok—even if that confidence is artificial, because you can’t really know” –Eve Beglarian, advice on the financial instability of being an artist

“It’s been a financial disaster [laughs], but it’s been great. I felt a kind of freedom from promotion.”
–Donna Uchizono, on producing a show that was invite only with no advertising.

“Tension wants to resolve itself.” –Judy Tate, on having trust in your process and that the work has the power to resolve itself

“…I try not to be that introspective. I lose faith all the time…I took that vow of poverty and I haven’t left the monastery yet.” –Keith Reddin

“I have to re-commit to this every day.” –Donna Uchizono on keeping “faith” in her work and staying true to it

“We’re talking about bodies of work, sustaining the art. It isn’t about this piece, it’s about a life’s work.” –Todd London