That’s What She Said welcomes back heroic and magical artist counselor Beth Pickens for the release of her new book, Make Your Art No Matter What!
Beth Pickens describes herself as a consultant for artists and art organizations. Her time spent working with so many artists is distilled to the most universal lessons possible in her new book, Make Your Art No Matter What, which has been described as “The Artist’s Way for the 21st century.”
(Her previous book, Your Art Will Save Your Life, was featured in That’s What She Said podcast episode #178 back in 2018, so please check it out if you’d like to hear more from her!)
In this conversation, we cover three big huge topics for artists that are also chapters in the book: Time, Fear, and Asking.
(You know, tiny insignificant no-big-deal topics.)
- How do you handle unstructured time as an artist?
- How do you keep your work from taking over your life?
- How do you shape time to your liking without keeping a minute-by-minute schedule?
- Are your fears universal, or is it JUST YOU who’s freaking out?
- What do we DO with our fears of making, creating, promoting, etc…?
- Why are all artists afraid of asking for help?
- What does a ‘good’ ask for help look like?
- How do you make it more likely that you’ll get a ‘yes’…?
- What happens if and when you DO get the yes you were seeking? (Other than panic?)
THERE ARE MINDFUCKS EVERYWHERE, AREN’T THERE?
Beth walks us through all these questions in order to create and maintain a relationship with our artistic practices. Her words are deeply grounded, wise, and perspective-shifting.
Before you click away because you don’t see yourself as an artist, please read Beth’s definition:
“Artists are people who make art. My deeper understanding is that artists are people who are profoundly compelled to make their creative work, and when they are distanced from their practice, their life quality suffers. Making their work is a way to take care of themselves, communicate, process information, engage a spiritual interior, or strengthen their relationship to themselves and others.” — Beth Pickens, Make Your Art No Matter What, p. 10
Buy Beth’s book, Make Your Book No Matter What, here or wherever books are sold.
Once you’ve fallen in love, join Homework Club, Beth’s monthly subscription that helps you pay attention to and cultivate your art practice with other artists!
P.S. Beth says Your Art Will Save Your Life.
Author photo credit: Amos Mac.
