Artists

74 Artists & IllustratorsMASTERCLASSMotivation is a difficult subject, it is so personal and variesgreatly from artist to artist. Needless to say, there is noperfect regime or guaranteed recipe for productivity, andthis is one of the most interesting things about art. FrankAuerbach famously took one day a year off from painting,but eventually he denied himself even this luxury.Meanwhile, Gerhard Richter has said, “I could spend my lifearranging things. Weeks go by, and I don’t paint, until finallyI can’t stand it any longer.”Nevertheless, it can be helpful to discover what works forother people, and so here are some guidelines – practicaland psychological – that have helped me over the years.To be motivated in the studio, you need to becomfortable on your own. Being alone is an integral part ofcreativity, essential for the development of ideas. This isn’tsuch a problem when you’re desperate to paint, but mostpeople find there are still times when being alone in thestudio makes them restless. This is why I see painting as aSTUDIOMOTIVATIONPROCRASTINATION AFFECTS US ALL, EVEN IN OURART STUDIOS, BUT THE KEY TO STAYING CREATIVE ISTO STICK TO A STEADY ROUTINE, SAYS BP PORTRAITAWARD WINNER, SUSANNE DU TOIT``````PAINTING ADVICE74 Studio Motivation.indd 74 10/06/2016 14:28