Taking Mentorship Seriously
Barbara Hepworth in studio
Artists have always looked to their seniors for inspiration and to learn their craft. From Lee Miller, working and collaborating in the studios of Man Ray and George Hoyningen-Huene, to the numerous people in St. Ives who cut their teeth in Barbara Hepworth’s studio; an artist always needs a guide.
As art has become a global industry, new formats for mentorship have been put in place. Many young artists looking for regular work find positions in artist’s studios acting as makers, assistants and managers to big brand artists like Tracey Emin.
Aside from the obvious financial stability this brings, working in artist’s studios offers a chance to learn from peers who have been accredited by the industry and lived the daily struggles.
The gallery system and self-promotion are a tricky business and it is necessary to find a guide to learn from or else be strung out by its complexities. An artist needs someone to ask not only what paints to use, but what gallery will suit them best, what price is a realistic ask for their work and so much more in the development of professional mindset, goal setting and personal branding.
Photography by Maxime Ragni, KISS Photography and Design
A question we get a lot from artists who write in is:
I get the value in mentoring, but how do I find a mentor?
One easy hack, is leveraging the accessibility of the internet to reach and engage with people who produce content that adheres to your values. Call it a virtual modern-day type of mentorship. For me, I have a handful of these people I call my ‘online mentors’ that I have followed over the years and take joy in learning from.
Ryan Holiday for example, the author of The Daily Stoic, Ego is the Enemy and The Obstacle in the way, produces a podcast that promotes his contemporary stoicism vision of life. Of course I have never met Ryan, so it’s a one-sided relationship, but I take great comfort in engaging and learning from his content in my attempt to become the best version of myself.
“This is not your responsibility but it is your problem.”
A tangible way to find a mentor is to join a community, like Creative Edinburgh. With almost 5000 members, over the 9 years as a social enterprise in Scotland they have assumed the leadership in this space and are dedicated to helping artists and creatives grow and connect across their network.
“The aim is to debunk the industry and provide a solution to the known problem that art schools and the wider educational system isn’t providing” explains Anna Gormezano Marks, Director of Community and Mentoring at Creative Edinburgh.
This is consistent with the view point that we have seen in our findings, when we interviewed over 100 visual artists. Many artists felt that Art Schools provide a lot, and should be celebrated for the good work they do. While at the same time, actively looking at themselves and evaluating how their own support structure and curriculum work to prepare artists with what to expect after flying the institutional nest.
Creative Edinburgh, like other programmes, work to fill this void by giving structure and creating a formal space for discussion between peers. These programmes help to provide the support that is needed but so often lacking in creative industries: from mentorship, to hosting events, offering opportunities for networking as well as information on jobs.
Developing mentor relationships, whether virtually or tangibly, will help broaden your perspectives of your trade and reach your goals.
We would love to hear your stories and views on mentorships - Let us know your stories of how mentorship in the creative space has helped you. email here