5 Simple Tips for More Studio Time

5 Simple Tips for More Studio Time
Recently, we asked, “What's your No. 1 art resolution or goal for 2009?” The top answer? “Make more time for art.” Well, we’re here to help. Here are five ways to carve out more time in the studio.
Make art a priority. You’ll never find time to work on your art if you don’t put it high on your list—and if you don’t, neither will anyone else. Let people in your life know you want to dedicate more time to your art—even if it’s an hour a week. Then find ways to reduce some of your commitments: Can the kids fold the laundry? Can you step down from that volunteer committee?
Get organized. If art-making time is limited, you don’t want to spend half of it looking for your supplies. A couple of hours organizing now will result in more time later. (See more on this tip below.)
Add it up. Maybe you can’t find a three-hour block for art, but you can probably find 15 minutes here and there. What can you accomplish in that amount of time, especially if you’re organized? Fuse a stack of fat quarters? Stamp some backgrounds? Set up a special station in your studio or home for 15-minute tasks and tackle them whenever you have the time.
Take it with you. How much time do you spend in the doctor’s waiting room, on the commuter train, or at your child’s basketball games? That’s time you can spend stitching, sketching, beading, snipping.
Schedule an art date. Put “art time” on your calendar and treat it like you would any other important appointment. Better yet, make an art date with a friend—you’ll both be more likely to keep it!
Jane Dávila—artist, author, teacher, and store owner—has great time management tips for artists in the April/May 2009 issue of Quilting Arts Magazine.