Last Friday I had the opportunity to attend Big Art Day, an annual event at Kutztown University that connects fine arts alumni with current and prospective students. As a recent graduate doing marginally cool things and eager to reconnect with my professors, I broke out of my reclusive shell and made the trip up to central Pennsylvania.

The whole day proved valuable for me in terms of networking, touring new facilities, visiting with old classmates and professors, and taking in presentations by fellow alumni. One of the kernels that got me thinking was the mantra we all hear as creative people: the most important thing you can do to help your craft is practice it every day. Write. Photograph. Sketch. Do something.

I really take issue with the image of The Artist as this bottomless vessel of inspiration, and It's important to acknowledge the struggles artists experience throughout their creative lives. We all go through times when we just have to keep doing it despite not exactly overflowing with pride at the work we're producing. It's this perseverance that sets successful artists apart.

By the end of Big Art Day, I knew I had to get back in gear. As a somewhat intellectual artist, I constantly have to fight the inclination to put the cart before the horse. Unlike folks who always keep busy in their sketchbooks and feel most comfortable experimenting visually, I like to produce art within the structure of An Idea. While I've created great end products, the in-between is often lacking. After all, no one can expect excellent ideas every single day.

This calls to mind an entry in my paper journal from my first VISTA year. Coming out of college, my VISTA program felt like the hugest challenge I'd ever accepted. Despite my insecurities and wonderings – “what if I don't do enough, can't do enough?” -- I came out of my year of service far more confident than I had arrived. As time went on, I realized the value of remaining. Most endeavors don't require you to be a superstar, they require perseverance and consistent hard work.

For my work, this means accepting the ebb and flow of creative inspiration. More specifically, it means committing to updating this blog on a schedule rather than fussing about people potentially discovering it during a down time. It means taking photographs every day even if I don't have a strong idea for a project. Maybe it even means selling some of those “every day” photos to support my increased production.

None of this is particularly difficult, it just requires daily attention, something we may at times be hard pressed to provide even to our significant others. But it's the most important part of the creative process – not selling work, getting gallery representation, being awarded grants, nor thinking of the Best Idea Ever. Nope. The true success, the sole path to all that other stuff, is keeping the momentum going even when things aren't great.

Photo from expired 110 cartridge film.  I try to take photos with my Focal Micro 110 every day.