Finding Your Creative Frequency

In this post, I talked about how my creative rhythm has changed dramatically over the years — from creating constantly in 2021 to working on just one piece a month in 2024.

Today, I want to help you think through how to find your own creative frequency. Because the truth is, what works for me might not work for you, and that's exactly how it should be.

The Questions That Matter

When you're trying to figure out your rhythm, here are some questions I think are worth asking yourself:

What's Actually Going On in Your Life Right Now?

This is the most important one. Your creative practice doesn't exist in a vacuum — it lives alongside your job, your family, your health, your energy levels, and everything else that's happening.

In 2024, I was working on really large pieces. That meant I physically couldn't create as many pieces as I did in other years. Instead of fighting that or feeling bad about it, I adjusted. One piece a month worked.

Be honest about what you have capacity for right now, not what you think you "should" be doing.

Are You Creating to Create, or Creating to Sell?

Both are valid, but they require different approaches.

If you're creating just for the love of it, you might work in bursts when inspiration hits. If you're creating to sell, you might need more structure — whether that's planning around shows, building up inventory, or creating prints.

In 2022, I separated these two phases completely: six months of creation, then six months of selling. It took so much pressure off.

What Actually Drains You?

For me, trying to do everything at once — creating constantly while also trying to sell and promote — left me burnt out in 2021.

Some artists get drained by the business side. Others get drained by being in the studio too long. Pay attention to what leaves you feeling empty, and build a rhythm that gives you breaks from that thing.

What Energizes You?

On the flip side, what parts of being an artist actually fill your cup?

Maybe it's the quiet hours in the studio. Maybe it's connecting with people at shows. Maybe it's seeing your prints arrive and knowing your work is going out into the world.

Build more of that into your rhythm, whatever it is.

There's No Such Thing as "Enough"

I think a lot of us get stuck because we're worried we're not creating enough, or not selling enough, or not posting enough.

But enough compared to what? Compared to who?

In 2023, I created "sometimes multiple pieces, sometimes less." That vagueness would have driven me crazy in 2021, but it was exactly what I needed that year. I was learning a new part of my business (prints), and I needed flexibility.

The amount you create doesn't define whether you're a "real" artist. What defines it is that you keep showing up in whatever way works for you.

Your Rhythm Can Change — And That's Okay

Here's what I really want you to hear: the rhythm that works for you this year might not work next year. And that's completely fine.

I've had years where I created constantly, years where I worked in careful monthly cycles, and years where I timed everything around three big shows. None of those approaches was better or worse — they were just different responses to different seasons of my life and work.

Give yourself permission to adjust. To try something new. To go back to an old rhythm if it's calling to you again.

What About You?

I'd love to hear: what does your creative rhythm look like right now? Are you in a season of making, or selling, or learning something new? Are you feeling aligned with your pace, or is something feeling off?

There's no wrong answer. Just your answer.

In the final article of this series, I'll talk about all the other parts of being an artist beyond just creating — because there's so much more to this work than what happens at the easel.