Every Minute Counts ⏳

Before we begin. If you missed my last post, it’s here, open it in a new window to read it after this, if you wish:

Three paintings you haven't seen

Author’s Note: Every Saturday, I share my art practice over the past 7 days. I'm fascinated by artistic practice – it's not just about creating art but the entire process. From influences and ideas to materials and skills, each artist's unique approach shapes their work, making it more than a finished piece. Just imagine having a weekly update from your favourite living artist. How cool would that be?

If this piece is too long for email, you can read it here in Substack. Or download the app.

Lessons from planning the Crypt gallery exhibition

We have lift-off! I've gotten back into the groove towards the end of this week, despite experiencing a horrid bout of plantar fasciitis in my right foot. Thankfully, the pain has started to subside. I can walk short distances without too much hobbling, and I am back on track with planning.

This week, I’ve written out a rough budget that attempts to cover every single eventuality. Exhibitions I’ve set up in the past have been planned 12 weeks before and were a success in my hindsighted opinion (about 65 people attended for the opening and we had a good time!) but at the time I felt like a failure due to not selling enough art prints and I didn’t cover my costs.

Having 350 days at the time of writing to plan and launch Memento vivere, gives me a bit more headspace to think about all eventualities. Things I’ve never considered before, like insurance and volunteer staffing, even stanchions and rope hire. This exhibition will be for 3 weeks, free and open to the public so there’s a lot of mandatory and joyous bureaucracy involved.

Getting back on track has made me realise that you can only do one thing at a time. I loathe the saying “How do you eat an elephant? A little piece at a time” but it’s so true. When planning an event like this I get overwhelmed a lot, I’ve got a lot going on in life and you probably have too.

My friend

Beth Raps

told me an inspirational story yesterday about a seminar she attended for graduate students. The speaker, a tenured professor who was a single mother of three, shared her unique journey to success. Despite facing scepticism and little support from her peers, she managed to thrive by mastering doing things in small blocks of spare time. She emphasised how crucial it was to know exactly what to do with any small amount of time she found—whether it was 5, 10, 15, or 30 minutes—turning fleeting moments into opportunities for progress.

I was blown away by this story. As a parent working full-time and pursuing an art career, I can relate to how much time I waste, even though I’m much better than I used to be. Knowing what to do with 5 minutes waiting for a bus towards this project would massively add up over 350 days before the event. That’s a staggering 29 hours and 10 minutes over a year. If I’m honest with myself, I probably didn’t even spend that much focused time planning one of my previous exhibitions. Taking these small actions (not forcing anything) just when you have the spare moments, is something I am going to be doing more of this week. I just need to figure out what to work on, in advance, so I don’t just waste it flicking between apps.

I’d like to share with you the virtual walkthrough of the venue, my blank canvas for Memento vivere. It’s perfect, isn’t it? I look forward to going there and getting a feel for the place.

Let me know what you think in the comments.

My quick banner mock-up outside the Crypt Gallery has conveniently and accidentally turned into a cross!

Remember to check out the audio version of this post for extra commentary.

Thanks for reading.

Have a great week!

SLART

P.S. The daily queues for Memento vivere will be like…

Q: What has been the highlight of your week?