10 Signs You Need an Artist Retreat Day

Take the opportunity to step outside the day-to-day and look at the big picture.

By Linda Dessau | Posted 12/29/05 | Updated 5/2/20

Chances are, if you're a creative artist, you're longing for more time to create. Even when we're lucky enough to be surrounded by our art on a regular basis, there's always more we feel we could be doing. And for many of us, the idea of freely expressing our creativity — whether it's for one day or ANY day, feels like a far-away dream.

What would you love most about having an Artist Retreat Day? For most of us it's the thought of getting away from our "normal routine", having our creativity sparked by new surroundings and having the luxury of "open time" to work on our creative projects.

An Artist Retreat Day also gives us the opportunity to step outside the day-to-day and look at the big picture of our creative dreams. It gives us freedom from obligation and responsibilities and the opportunity to be surrounded by other artists in a setting where we feel understood and accepted.

Top 10 signs YOU might need an Artist Retreat Day

You feel resentful about the success that other artists are enjoying.

You can't remember the last time you created something new.

You're bubbling over with new ideas and haven't had the time to develop any of them.

You've been staring at the same unfinished piece for longer than you can remember or care to admit.

You want to learn or improve a specific skill.

You have an approaching deadline for a contest entry, gallery submission or festival application.

You made a New Year's resolution about making more time for your creative work.

You feel like your flow of creativity is blocked.

You start to work on your creative projects but end up distracted by everyday life.

You always put yourself and your creativity LAST on the to do list.

How to Make EVERY DAY
An Artist Retreat Day

What do you enjoy most about going on an Artist Retreat Day? For most of us it's getting away from our "normal routine", having our creativity sparked by new surroundings and having the luxury of "open time" to work on our creative projects.

A retreat gives us the opportunity to step outside the day-to-day and look at the big picture of our creative dreams. It gives us freedom from obligation and responsibilities and guidance from a facilitator and/or our artist peers.

5 Ways to bring these elements into your life EVERY SINGLE DAY

Call yourself an artist. Find a way to work it into conversations with new people or join and get active in an association, discussion group or other community of artists. Get used to fully claiming your identity as the creative artist that you are.

Enjoy — and celebrate — something you've already completed. Savour it, relish in it and accept it as a perfect expression of the "you" that you were when you created it.

Let go of one of the obligations and responsibilities on your list today. Delegate it, cancel it (respectfully and in a considerate way), reschedule it or let it go.

Make use of the free space you've just created. Take a small step towards making your creative dream come true.

Change something in your routine. Take a new route, brush your teeth with your non-dominant hand, get outside, eat your meals in a different chair or change the location of something in your creative workspace.

Linda Dessau is the owner of Genuine Coaching Services and Content Mastery Guide. more

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