Turning points that amplified my art practice

A reflection on pivotal moments that became big turning points in my art practice and how important it is to try things out and nurture community

This article is a transcript that first appeared on the Art Chatter podcast hosted by practicing painters Gaynor Leverett Jacques and Karen George. I was asked to contribute some reflections on turning points and these thoughts came up. I stand by them all but particularly the final paragraph which highlights the importance of staying true to yourself.

It was a great honour being asked to take part in the 100th Art Chatter and I was surprised that everything mentioned below was actually used. It was really interesting to hear about pivotal moments in a number of artists’ practices. I urge you to listen and to subscribe to this podcast that follows the creative lives and thoughts of Karen and Gaynor as they navigate their own art practices, the ups, the downs, the celebrations and the helpful insights.

Art Chatter podcast episode 100 Listen here

Pivotal moments in my art practice can be divided into a number of different things. Sometimes there are positive actions that you take and sometimes you respond to something and it works but it is also about giving yourself permission and it’s always about nurturing community .

I have always painted but for the past seven years this has been my full-time occupation. One of the most interesting turning points was a decision to enter my garden shed studio for Shed of the year. I woke up one morning and decided to do this after seeing some posts on Instagram. I sent off my application and it featured my highly decorated colourful studio in the garden which is covered in symbols and marks that I frequently use in my paintings.

My decorated garden studio - Shed of the Year 2019 workshop/studio category

People on Instagram responded really positively and voted for me and as a result my shed studio won the studio workshop category in 2019. This was a pivotal moment for me because as a result of taking part and winning my shed got significant media attention and this lead to some fantastic opportunities and exposure for my practice. When I entered the competition, I had no game plan and no realisation that the opportunities that emerged would happen.

On the back of the media coverage I was also offered a licensing deal with my local water company and I was invited to appear on a BBC program called Home is where the Artist.

The signage at Bristol Water HQ

These two opportunities needed me to respond and say yes and I think saying yes to things is really important particularly when they put you outside of what normally feels comfortable. The media coverage about Shed of the Year meant that my art practice was featured more prominently by search engines so when a PR company was looking for a local Bristol artist to work with Bristol water, my name came up. The same thing happened when a BBC researcher was looking for artists to take part in the program Home is where the Art is. The appearance on the programme resulted in three years of commissions and significant art sales.

filming for ‘Home is where the art is’

Roll back a few years prior to this and I can see on reflection that for many years I held back on creating opportunities for myself and much of that was due to the gremlins that many artists struggle with.

This can be simply giving yourself permission to call yourself an artist and also having the confidence to invest in yourself and in your practice. Investment comes on two levels here and it’s not all about finance. It is more about allowing yourself the time to develop and reach your potential.

For many years, I think I was a little bit mean with my art practice particularly when it came to ensuring that I had all of the supplies and the space that I needed to pursue my work and to invest the time and the money and acknowledge that this was of critical importance in order to move forwards.

Getting over The tendency to hold yourself back through lack of investment is a big lesson. I now know what I need in order to create my best work and I’m not afraid to try new things or to spend money.

I can honestly say that there are many pivotal times when I look back. A crucial component to any art practice is developing a community of supportive people around you who help to cheer you on.

Early on in my practice I was lucky to meet a really lovely neighbour, Jo Whiteland, who makes amazing batik paintings. Jo invited me to exhibit with her and she generously shared a lot of knowledge about her own practice. Over the years we have had exhibitions together and also shared market stalls.

For a short time I joined Alice Sheridan‘s Connected Artist Club which ultimately wasn’t for me but through this I met a number of really lovely artists living in and around Bristol. I’ve also made great connections by attending courses and workshops and through meeting artists I had connected with on Instagram through art swaps. One thing I have learned is that artists all want each other to succeed.

Although most artists I know are ambitious they are also incredibly generous with sharing knowledge. We all know that by lifting each other we lift ourselves and I’m a firm believer in what goes around comes around.

More recently I have had to deal with a cancer diagnosis which has meant that many of the plans for 2025 have had to be put on hold.

But even this has given me opportunities to reflect on practice. I’ve hit a pause button giving me space to make some work that is reflective of the situation I find myself in. I’m making a series of paintings that are all about finding light in darkness. These emotional landscapes are giving me the opportunity to work at a slower pace and to make the focus the process and to give a sense of space without pressure to make it all about producing to sell.

‘Calm winter light with palm and arch’

Frustratingly, I have had to shelve plans to develop online courses but I know this is something I can return to in the future.

Sometimes circumstances determine how we move forward in our practices and it’s an ongoing learning process.

I think as artists we need to know that we can be both reactive and proactive and that we can be very productive but that it’s also completely okay to pause. Creative burnout is a big problem for all of us. Sometimes we’re riding a wave like I did when I was making commissions but this was a double edge sword and I found that commissions are not my favourite thing because what can happen is is that you stagnate because customers wants a little bit of a certain stage in your practice.

I’ve learned to be more assertive when I work with people and to be clear about what I can and what I will do when I collaborate with a customer. The resulting paintings are far better if I’m not given too prescriptive a brief.

So to conclude pivotal moments happen all the time sometimes because you strike forward with a positive action, sometimes because you respond to an opportunity that may work and it may fail.

Sometimes good things happen because you recognise the importance of investment in yourself and always recognising the importance of building community with artists from whom you can learn and help and support. I have learned that artists are not competitive with each other. Those who have been in the game for a while know that Art is so subjective and that the right person will always find the right painting or artwork for them.

The biggest lesson - always work for yourself and to your own agenda - and by getting lost in the process of making and pushing boundaries you will continually arrive somewhere and then eventually move on somewhere new. An art practice is a moveable feast and forever evolving - that is the most important lesson I have learned.

Listen to the podcast episode here