Elevating Your Artistic Journey: A SMART Approach to Achieving Your Goals

Embarking on an artistic journey is a deeply personal endeavor, and for me, it's about honing my craft with the aim of becoming a career artist in the next 10 to 15 years. As an aspiring artist, I've found that setting Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) goals is pivotal in transforming my passion into a purposeful and skillful pursuit. In this post, I'll share my artistic evolution and guide you on how to craft SMART goals specifically tailored to enhance your skills as an artist. Whether you're a seasoned professional, an aspiring artist, or a fellow hobbyist, the journey of self-improvement begins with clear and intentional goals.

My Artistic Evolution:

When I began my artistic journey in 2007, I explored various mediums without a structured plan for skill development. Art was my enjoyable escape, not a strategic part of my personal growth. Around ten years later, during a stressful period, art became my solace. Recognizing my desire and potential to make art a full-time career, I realized the need for structured goals. This realization led me to narrow my focus to working with clay and watercolor as a medium and to adopt a mastery approach.

The Mastery Approach:

Taking a mastery approach to skill development allowed me to continually improve and celebrate growth. Adopting the SMART framework for goal-setting significantly accelerated my progress, boosting confidence and inspiring risk-taking.

Crafting SMART Goals:

Define Clear Objectives:

Specific:

Identify specific skills such as mastering one-point perspective, perfecting tonal values, and experimenting with different textures. When delving into ceramics, set clear objectives for each creative session, like achieving uniform thickness or crafting intricate surface textures.

Measurable:

Establish ways to track progress. Instead of aiming for a particular artwork, focus on measurable aspects like completing a set number of practice studies or achieving specific improvements in your chosen skill. For instance, when pulling clay on the wheel, measure progress by consistently achieving a specified thickness in three pulls or less.

Achievable:

Ambitious long-term goals demand careful consideration of your current skill level, available resources, and personal motivations. For aspiring artists, especially those with full-time commitments, it's essential to break down these goals into manageable steps, acknowledging the need for continuous learning and practice.

Relevant:

Ensure your goals are relevant to your overall artistic development. Invest time in researching and understanding the relevance of your chosen skills within the broader art community.

Time-Bound:

Set clear end dates for goal accomplishment. Define specific deadlines for achieving milestones within your goals. For example, in the realm of watercolor painting, set a deadline for completing a certain number of architectural pieces, emphasizing the importance of consistent practice and growth within a specified timeframe.

Looking Ahead to 2024:

This year I have set a theme for my works to further give me the opportunity to narrow my focus and refine my skills. While I allow myself the ability to create anything that sparks inspiration, I will focus my attention on architectural pieces. This enables me to harmonize my interests in both ceramics and watercolor with a theme, although I will focus on different skills for each medium. Some examples from my 2024 artistic skills goals are shown below. I hope these give you some inspiration to craft SMART goals aligned with your ambitions.

Ceramics SMART Goal:

By June 30, 2024, I will develop a collection of five detailed sketches, accompanying templates, and finalized designs for fairytale-themed toad and fairy houses to be used in ceramic village sets.

Watercolor Painting SMART Goal:

By December 31, 2024, I will achieve proficiency in painting one-point and two-point perspective in architectural-focused pieces through the creation of 10 paintings that prominently feature architectural elements, showcasing improved perspective skills.

Conclusion:

Whether you're a seasoned professional or an emerging hobbyist, setting SMART goals is the key to meaningful growth. Reflect on your current situation, ambitions, and skill level, then craft a clear plan to achieve your artistic aspirations. Let's embrace 2024 with intention, creativity, and a commitment to our artistic evolution.