What really goes on behind the scenes when it comes to artistic development? Is it a straight path or are there a number of twists and turns along the way? What part of the process is active and what part of it is passive? My guest, Sally Strand opens up in our conversation about her journey and the process that led to her development as an artist over the last thirty years. Sally is open and transparent about the difficulties along the way but she is also quick to relish in the joy and beauty of the process as well. I know artists like you will get some helpful encouragement from Sally’s unique perspective. Evolving As An Artist How have you evolved as an artist over time? Has your artistic development been incremental or have you had specific moments that have shaped you along the way? There is no right answer to this question! Some artists make intentional shifts and some take the more gradual route. My guest, Sally Strand describes her development as more of a gradual process. The way she describes her past and how it slowly opened up to who she is as an artist today is fascinating! What will Sally’s story stir up in you? Let her story encourage and inspire you as you push forward on your journey! Overcoming Challenges Along the Way How do you react in difficult situations? What impact has that left on you as an artist? There are helpful lessons to be learned as we encounter difficulty and adversity on our creative journey. Sally Strand has learned that the best way to handle difficulty is to push forward and don’t let it bog you down or change you in a negative way. She also recounts a particularly difficult episode in her life where she struggled to understand what was happening in the world around her and how it would come to impact her artwork. I hope you find Sally’s perspective as captivating as I did! Deciding What to Say “Yes” To One of the most difficult aspects of the life of an artist is navigating your time as a friend or family member. You can feel like you are constantly torn between two worlds that you love deeply but you can’t inhabit simultaneously. How do you decide where to draw your lines? My guest, Sally Strand was kind enough to open up and explain how she works her way through this complicated and difficult area that all artists face at some point in their life. Sally’s method of dealing with this conflict is taking a moment to ask herself, “What can I not repeat?” This question allowed Sally to decide what moments in her life needed her attention and which ones could be accomplished at a later date. Habits of a Successful Artist What are the habits that have contributed to your success as an artist? Each one of us has a different spin on the answer to this question. As we continue to explore our artistic development, it can be immensely helpful to get the perspective of other artists, especially ones as experienced as Sally Strand. When it comes down to it, Sally says that scheduling her studio time and sticking to it has been a huge part of her journey of success as an artist. She doesn’t paint it as an easy task, but she does believe strongly that if you can commit to an appointed time and stick to it, creativity and inspiration have a high probability of making an appearance. Outline of This Episode [1:35] I introduce my guest, Sally Strand. [3:00] Sally talks about her start as an artist. [7:00] The struggle for meaning and purpose as an artist. [9:00] The impact of travel on Sally’s development as an artist. [14:00] Everyday life as a theme in art. [17:00] Sally talks about her decision to go back to school. [21:00] Evolving as an artist. [27:30] Overcoming challenges as an artist. [29:30] Deciding what to say “Yes” to. [31:30] What does it mean to be a “Successful Artist?” [36:30] Habits of a successful artist. [45:00] Sally talks about her studio routine in light of caring for her mother. Other artists mentioned on this episode Edward Hopper Richard Diebenkorn Burt Silverman Andrew Wyeth A