Thomas Edison once said that genius was 1 percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration. Such words ring true in the analysis of every great artist. However, it’s not always about producing more art, but developing your craft as well.
The following are a few programs and events that can help artists expand their repertoire.
Workshops
Do you want to try something new? Maybe shift from watercolours to acrylics, or try your hand at sculpting? Well, many workshops can help you with that.
Galleries, museums and other cultural institutions host regular seminars and are always willing to take in new students.
Courses
You may be set in your ways, but you’re never too old to learn. Community colleges have special learning annexes that offer short courses on art, which range from beginner to advanced levels.
You can take advantage of such courses by learning a new skill that could help enhance your technique.
A course on topics such as screen-printing can help you speed up your acrylic painting to meet commercial timelines. Art houses and residency programs also have outreach programs in which professional artists take you through their processes.
Cast a wide net and open your mind to take advantage of such opportunities.
Events
Artists can also expand their craft by attending or participating in various activities, such as:
Exhibitions
Galleries, museums and other art collectors conduct regular exhibitions. Getting your work into such showcases, or merely attending, can be an eye-opening experience.
Festivals
Festivals combine art with a carnival-like atmosphere. People come from all over to have fun and buy souvenirs. You can expand your creativity from the feedback that festival-goers often provide.
Happenings
Happenings combine live musical performances, situational art, food, and drink into one explosive event, where guests get to witness the creation of spontaneous art pieces. Attending or anticipating in such activities can be incredibly enriching.