Why am I feeling blue in the studio after a successful gallery exhibition? I am grateful for my successes, but I still feel letdown, grumpy and just plain, blah!  I can’t seem to drag myself back into the studio to paint.  I don’t want to face those blank canvases!

Maybe it is that typical, self induced artistic temperment we all suffer or indulge in from occasionally.  So what’s going on with me?

The truth is I have been suffering from the Post Exhibition Blues – a common and curable phenomenon among us artists.

Artists are born to create. Months or even years of hard work, sacrifice, isolation, discipline, time money and expectations come to a grinding halt when our gallery exhibition is over.

No more hype, no more glamour and glory, no more fans or even worries about what to wear to the gallery reception – it’s all over.

Here are a few tips to help you when feeling blue:

  • Count blessings – yes this is a good reality check and it works!
  • Take some time off and spend it with family.
  • Reconnect with friends.
  • Read a good book.
  • Take a trip – even any easy road-trip.
  • Talk to your gallery director and get some feedback.
  • Try another creative outlet – I knitted a scarf.
  • Update your website.
  • Blog.
  • You can add your own ideas to this list.

In my opinion, the bottom line is this:

Artists put a lot of pressure on themselves. Artists are self-starters and self-motivators.  We are used to pulling all-nighters, skipping meals and cramming before a big show.  We oftentimes run on adrenaline, caffeine and good music.  Many artists are under appreciated, under payed and misunderstood.  A much anticipated gallery reception or exhibition is the main way we show the world who and what we really do while we are in our studios.  So it’s no wonder we have the blues when it’s all over.

You might enjoy reading: Use the Hidden Meaning of Color in Your Art or Overwhelmed in the Studio? Check Your Work Habits

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