As artists struggling to make names for ourselves, we are found on a seemingly never ending quest to become what one would consider a “professional.” This is a task that takes a lot of time and energy, both creatively and physically. You really have to commit and play the part of a mature artist no matter what the age. It’s never too soon to begin.

The first, and possibly the most important step, is to form a cohesive body of work. This means that all of the work that you do can be separated into groupings that have to do with a common theme, a period of your life, a particular inspiration, etc. Your body of work is important because it will show others viewing your work insights into your creative process and your progression as an artist in general. It shows off your ability to handle various factors and unexpected obstacles. One body of work might also become a transition into another grouping. It’s important to remember that inspiration often stems from past work.

In my case, shown in the picture above, my current body of work shows off my use of my most commonly used and favorite materials found around my studio. These consist of exotic woods (preferably with some bark showing), leather, fur, glass, bronze castings, and various animal bones and horns. Each element plays a unique role not only on the compositional level, but on the level of content as well.

With all of that said, I hope to have inspired some of you to possibly pursue this idea of a body of work and possibly make a collection of ceramics, a relatable series of paintings, an edition of sculptures, or if you’re feeling extra creative, the pieces of your body don’t even have to be of the same media. As long as they have an open dialogue with each other, you have the beginning of a great body of work!