Week 5 Recap: What Would You Make If No One Was Watching?
Week 5 of this project had me wallowing in my big, sad feelings. I wish I had a better reason, but the truth is this week I lost followers and it felt awful. How many times have I said, “I’m not doing this project ‘for the gram’” A LOT OF TIMES. How many times have I felt “blah” for the whole day when engagement was low? TOO MANY DAYS. I saw a post this week that said “My dreams were to be an artist. Not to try to outsmart an algorithm.” YEP!
I want to share some thoughts on this tender topic because I know I’m not the only one who feels discouraged on a platform where I used to feel connected! But first, here’s a recap of what I carved this week:
Day 21: Cordgrass
Day 22: Red Salamander
(my least favorite of the project so far 🙃)
Day 23: Black-Eyed Susan
Day 24: Wild Bergamot
Day 25: Blue Jay
Instead of sharing what I learned this week, I’m sharing some journal prompts that helped me think about why I’m doing this project (because it really, really isn’t about who’s watching) and how I can move forward with this “why” in mind. Emily Jeffords’ artistic wisdom has always encouraged me to “do it for the process.” So here are…
Journal Prompts To Help Us #DoItForTheProcess
How does social media influence your creative decisions? Are there aspects of your work that you change so you might get more “likes” or “shares”?
Reflect on a piece you created purely for yourself, without any intention of sharing it online. How did the process feel different?
Describe the most enjoyable part of your creative process. How can you do more of this?
Think of a time when you were completely absorbed in your art, oblivious to external validation. What were you doing differently?
Recall a piece that didn't receive much social media attention but you personally love. What does this piece mean to you?
How can you redefine success in your art practice, independent of social media metrics?
Imagine your ideal creative day, free from the constraints of social media. What would you make if no one was watching? (I’d make block prints!)
What steps can you take to detach your self-worth as an artist from social media validation?
I hope these will encourage you to keep making, knowing that your work and your growth matters - it matters deeply. Your work is needed, your work is valuable.
Week 5 on Social:
Yes, I’m still going to continue to share this because I need the reminder that my consistent posting has still increased engagement despite lost followers and my big, sad feelings. I’m not looking for “likes” but I AM looking for community. Here’s the stats for the last 30 days, with the difference from last week in parenthesis:
Instagram
Accts Reached: 31.7k (+4.1k)
Followers: 4045 (-6)
Accts Engaged: 1061 (+124)
TikTok
Accts Reached: 10.9k (+0.4k)
Followers: 28 (+2)
Accts Engaged: 541 (+46)
I certainly don’t take for granted that it’s still fun to share my work with you through these platforms! I simply think it was time for me to reevaluate my “why” and protect myself from taking these numbers personally, no matter who “likes” me. 😉
Insta Weekly Growth
Thanks for reading!
Yours in creative community,
Sarah K
TL;DR
Week 5 Highlights:
This week’s blocks were: Cordgrass, a Red Salamander that I didn’t like, a Black-Eyed Susan, Wild Bergamot, and a Blue Jay
I was in my big, sad feelings this week because it’s much harder to feel “connected” on social media in 2024
I shared journal prompts to help us all focus on “why” we make art (spoiler: it’s not for “likes”)
