Is your art good? Is it mediocre? Is it expected? Are you surprising yourself? Have you seen growth in your craft, or are you simply doing the same thing? Are you proud of your body of work in 2023? As artists, sometimes, we get so busy in art-making that we don’t take the time to evaluate our art. I’ve crafted these 10 questions as an evaluation tool for you to pause in the process of art-making and to congratulate yourself, correct yourself, and direct yourself.
- On a scale of 1 to 10 how do you feel about your year as a creator?
- What is one big lesson you learned as an artist this year?
- Glance through your calendar for this year, are you happy with how you invested your time? Why or why not?
- What piece or series was the best one you produced this year, and why was it the best?
- Evaluate your photography. Are your pieces where you want them to be artistically? Technically?
- What do you like about your images? What do you dislike about them?
- Are you producing great work, mediocre work, expected work, innovative work, or poor work and why?
- What did you accomplish this year that you are most proud of?
- What are you most disappointed about from this past year as a creator?
- What is one thing you want to stop doing (1), start doing (2), and continue doing (3) in 2024?
It was John Dewey, in his book “How We Think,” who said: “We do not learn from experience… we learn from reflecting on experience.” Although some scoff at the idea of annual reviews, and New Year’s resolutions, taking time to think about your art-making and evaluate is infinitely valuable, whatever time of year you choose to do it. If you’re bogged down with gatherings and family visits now, I encourage you to save the questions for another day.
My self-assessment drew out some great observations. This, for example, is what I wrote when answering what my biggest lesson was in 2023: “If I don’t build a particular segment of my business, it won’t grow. Growing and directing the business requires investing time in strategizing. I can follow where and how my business grows organically, but if I want it to grow in a certain way or direction, it takes time and intentionality. Often I’m so busy between answering my emails and keeping up with my shoots, that I just grow in the way referrals lead me. However, if I want to grow in a specific direction, I have to strategize and direct my growth.”
To counterbalance the value placed on self-improvement in this article, I believe that taking photographs, solely for the joy of creating art, is a valuable end in and of itself. Wherever you find yourself in your artistic journey- whether you need the inspiration to propel your skills or simply wish to revel in the joy of being an artist without any other purpose—I extend my heartfelt wishes for a joyful artistic journey in 2024 to you. If you care to share a portion of your own 2023 end-of-year artist reflection, please do in the comment. Cheers!
