by Kathy Gulrich
 

This morning I wandered into a neighborhood store looking for the perfect Halloween treat for one of my friends.  I was feeling wonderfully ghoulish.

Between the Halloween aisle and the cash register, however, I also bumped into Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas decorations.

Come on, guys.  We're just starting October! 

Truth is, you know as well as I do that it's only going to get crazier from now until the first of the year.

More holidays, of course. 

Also more shopping.  More parties.  More fund-raising events.  More family commitments.  More get-togethers with friends.  More travel.  More....

Okay, so what does any of this have to do with art? 

More than you might imagine.  Here's what I'm talking about....
 

1 - DON'T BE CAUGHT BY SURPRISE

No matter what your age, you've been through enough holiday seasons to know that it's going to get a little crazy out there.  So there's no excuse to be surprised by it again this year. 

Instead of the usual surprise - and almost inevitable overwhelm that follows - I suggest you do everything you can to prepare for it. 

Start now to get your artwork organized (or framed, or photographed, or priced, or inventoried) for all the shows that you have coming up this fall.

And whatever you're up to, remember that most everything you need to do will take a little longer than usual during the holidays.  Orders get backed up.  Few people return phone messages on time.  Suppliers go missing.  And to top it all off, you've got all that extra "fun" stuff to fit into your busy days.

Sound familiar?

That's exactly my point.  You've been through this before.  Don't let it surprise you yet again.  Be ready for holiday craziness this year!
 

2 - GET YOUR PRIORITIES STRAIGHT

If you're serious about your art, get serious about keeping it moving forward during the holidays.

I'm actually pretty astonished at the number of artists who decide to "take a couple of months off" once the holidays roll around.

Does that seem like professional behavior to you?  I hope not.  Is it good for their art career?  No.  Helpful to their creativity, or creative process?  Doubtful.  Good for their customers and collectors?  Nope.

So what's the deal?

I could be wrong, but I think it's because these artists simply don't take their art careers very seriously.  Art isn't their priority, so the holidays become yet another excuse to take the easy way out. 
 

Fortunately, if you're reading this, chances are you're not in that group.  (Whew!) 

Take a look at your business priorities.  Your goals.  Your dreams. 

Take time to remind yourself of all the things that you absolutely love about being an artist.

Renew your commitment to success. 

And work even harder to find ways to keep your business growing during the holidays - no matter how busy it gets this year.
 

3 - TAKE SOME TIME FOR REFLECTION

Overall, how did the year go for you, and for your art? 

What went really well?  What did you enjoy most?  What kept you really excited?   What was most meaningful?  What were you most proud of?  Make a list of everything that worked well for you, then come up with several specific things you can do to build on each of these items for next year.

What challenges did you have this year?  Any disappointments?  What do you need to change so that things will go more smoothly next time?

What one change could you make right now that would make a big difference in how successful you are next year?

And here's a tip I think belongs somewhere on your list:  Instead of "taking it easy" over the holidays, work even harder than usual. 

Really invest your time and energy into your art business.

And do whatever it takes to keep your business moving forward over the holidays - and well into next year.