Articles by: Shane Mehling

[caption id="attachment_11802" align="alignnone" width="831"] Image via Flickr[/caption] Someone has left (or they’ve been kicked out) and while you feel that your band still has potential, you need that void filled as soon as possible. But bringing someone new in can be exhausting, stressful and possibly fruitless.

[caption id="attachment_11709" align="alignnone" width="806"] Photo:By Jennifer Trovato[/caption] The two biggest mistakes artists make are on the opposite ends of the spectrum: Showing your work too early or never showing it at all. The problem with the former is if we let others give their opinions before we’ve done enough self-revision then it’s difficult to keep the momentum going and it’s an unfair representation of your project – no architect asks people what they think about a building before the walls have been put up and no baker wants an opinion on their cake before they put it in the oven.

[caption id="attachment_11560" align="alignnone" width="620"] Image via Flickr[/caption] “If you want something done right you have to do it yourself,” is an adage that doesn’t necessarily apply to setting up your own show. If it’s your first time you are going to do some things wrong.

[caption id="attachment_11290" align="alignnone" width="620"] Photo: Kate Ter Haar on Flickr[/caption] Creating something that you are truly proud of takes an incredible amount of hard work and discipline. But it also requires a firm understanding of who your ideal audience is.

In all art, sometimes you need to isolate yourself from the distractions and create what is truly your own. And other times you need someone standing over your shoulder saying, "Actually, how about we try this instead?