Creative People's Centre

Questions a Visual Artist should consider…

Below are questions that an artist’s PACE manager would ask a potential PACE participant to consider. They are not a test – simply as a way of self evaluating your arts practice. The aim is that by asking valuable questions about your thoughts and processes, you can facilitate growth, and assess what stage you are in, within your career as an artist.

1. What, if anything, do you consistently draw inspiration from?

2. What came first for you, your desire to be an artist, or your knowledge of the materials you work with?

5. What are your goals as an artist, and what planning have you done to achieve these?

4. In what ways do you educate and challenge yourself in order to make your work grow?

6. How important is it to you that your work be seen by others? When you balance the making of the art versus showing or exhibiting your art, how do these stack up?

3. What is it that you feel your work offers society?

7. What are your biggest doubts (assuming you have any), about your artwork? How do these doubts affect your arts practice?

8. Do you ever say to yourself, “What the heck am I doing?” If so, what do you do to get past it?

9. When are you most creative and why do you think this is? For example – early morning – late morning – afternoon – early evening – late evening – Spring – Summer – Winter – Autumn? What structures have you created to allow for you to take advantage of these times?

10. Did you choose art or did art choose you? What advice would you give for someone contemplating dedicating their life to art?