Tips for Becoming a Successful Artist

Jaqueline Burgess Visual Artist

“I always begin my studio practice with a mindful mediation, and a warm cup of Cacoa”

from

SACRED CACAO

5 Usefull studio Tips

1. Declutter Your Studio, Clear Your Mind
A messy space breeds overwhelm. Create calm corners, invest in open shelving, and let your tools breathe. Your art deserves a sanctuary.

2. Keep Your Inspiration Visible
Pin up your favorite quotes, nature clippings, or a mini vision board. Let your space whisper encouragement on hard days.

3. Create Before You Consume
Start your studio time with 10 minutes of uninterrupted making before checking messages, social media, or emails.

4. Label, Store, Repeat
Clear jars, drawers with labels, and colour-coded tools = less searching, more creating.

5. Schedule 'Sacred Time'
Treat your art time like a sacred appointment with your soul. Show up, even if the muse doesn’t.

4 tools I love to use in my practice:

Palette Knives – Perfect for bold texture, layering, and expressive movement without a brush.

Natural Sponges – Great for soft blending, background textures, or lifting paint for unique effects.

Spray Bottle (with water) – Keeps paints workable longer, helps with drip effects or misty layers.

Silicone Scrapers or Wedges – Add sweeping strokes, remove layers, or drag paint with control.

Detail Brushes (Liner or Rigger Brushes) – Essential for fine lines, signatures, or delicate accents.

5 Essential Ways to Care for Your Brushes

(And Why It Matters)

1. Clean Immediately After Use

Why it matters:
Acrylic paint dries fast—on your palette and in your bristles. If left to dry, it can permanently damage the brush and make it stiff or unusable. Clean brushes while the paint is still wet using water and a gentle brush soap.

2. Never Let Brushes Sit in Water

Why it matters:
Leaving brushes standing in water can cause the bristles to bend and weaken the glue that holds them in place. Over time, the brush will shed or lose its shape.

3. Use a Gentle Soap or Brush Cleaner

Why it matters:
Regular dish soap can be harsh. A gentle, artist-approved brush cleaner helps remove pigment without stripping the natural oils from the bristles, keeping them supple and responsive.

4. Reshape Bristles After Washing

Why it matters:
Taking a few seconds to reshape your brush heads while they're damp will help them dry correctly and retain their original form—especially important for round, pointed, and angled brushes.

5. Dry Brushes Flat or Bristles Down

Why it matters:
Drying upright can allow water to seep into the ferrule (the metal part), loosening glue and causing rot. Laying them flat or hanging with bristles pointing down protects both the shape and the structural integrity of the brush.

Why Going Into Nature is So Inspiring for Artists

Here’s why nature is such a powerful source of creative inspiration:

Nature has a way of speaking directly to the soul. It invites presence, sparks wonder, and reconnects us with something ancient and true. For artists, stepping into the natural world is like stepping into a living canvas—full of colour, rhythm, texture, and space.

1. It Slows Us Down

In nature, there's no rush. The trees aren’t in a hurry to grow. The ocean doesn’t care about deadlines. Being in this slower rhythm helps us drop out of our busy minds and into a more receptive, intuitive state—ideal for creativity.

2. It Awakens the Senses

The scent of eucalyptus, the crunch of leaves underfoot, the way the light hits a rock at golden hour—nature stimulates all the senses, which are essential tools for any artist. When we’re sensory-aware, our art becomes richer and more alive.

3. It Clears Mental Clutter

The simple act of walking among trees or sitting beside a river helps clear the fog of overthinking. In that quiet clarity, ideas often arrive effortlessly. Many artists say their best ideas come when they’re not trying—often while in nature.

4. It Mirrors Our Inner World

Seasons change. Storms pass. Flowers bloom again. Nature reflects the cycles of growth, stillness, death, and rebirth—just like our inner emotional and creative cycles. This natural rhythm reminds us to trust the process, even in creative droughts.

5. It Offers Infinite Inspiration

The organic shapes of bark, the subtle gradients of a sunset, the contrast between stone and moss—nature is a masterclass in composition, colour, texture, and flow. It teaches us without saying a word.

“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”

— Albert Einstein

"Treat your painting practice like a full-time job—because if you don’t show up, the art won’t either."

“Your art deserves to be seen—because it carries a piece of you the world needs.”

Putting your work out there can feel vulnerable, but confidence grows with action. The more you share, the more your art finds its place—and the more people it touches.

5 Ways to Get Your Art Seen (and Build Confidence Along the Way):

1. Start Sharing Online (Even Imperfectly)
   Post your process, finished pieces, and behind-the-scenes on Instagram, Pinterest, or your blog. Done is better than perfect.

2. Join Local Exhibitions or Artist Markets
   These in-person spaces are great for connecting with your community and building confidence through real conversations.

3. Collaborate or Trade Work
   Partner with local cafes, wellness studios, or other creatives. Hanging your art in a public space helps it reach new eyes.

4. Enter Competitions or Online Calls for Artists
   It’s not just about winning—it’s about momentum and visibility. Each entry is a step forward.

5. Talk About Your Art
   Practice sharing the story behind your work. When you speak from the heart, people listen—and they remember.

You Were Born With This for a Reason

You were born with a vision, a spark of creativity, a talent that flows uniquely through you. It’s no accident. The universe doesn’t hand out gifts without purpose. Your art is not just for you—it’s medicine, a message, and magic.

When you create, you heal.
And when you share that creation, it carries a resonance that ripples outward—touching, inspiring, and sometimes transforming those who witness it.

Art is a bridge.
From your soul to the soul of another.

Don’t hide your gift. The world needs what only you can express.