Clutter

So I think that I want to focus more on discussion on the Tiger Strikes Asteroid blog rather than it being a diary of things we've seen, so I will be posting more about different topics that relate to artists rather than posting music or show reviews. If you want to see posts about that, you can go to my old blog, Watching Paint Dry.

I've been reading Letters to a Young Artist, and there is a part of Gregory Amenoff's letter that I've been thinking about:

"...LET YOUR STUDIO BE YOUR SANCTUARY... When your work leaves your studio and moves into the world, its character changes. One doesn't need to consult a Marxist to understand that art is a luxury commodity. You learn to live with this fact (and find ways of justifying it), but in the studio, things are different... If the marketplace finds its way (siritually) into that studio you have abdicated your essential power. Keep your studio clear from concerns of the marketplace. You might have to dance with the wolves but you can still keep them near the door."

Now, granted there is no marketplace for my work, but i still find myself stressing out about art-career related things while I'm working. I don't paint differently or anything, but sometimes it immobilizes me, and often times it makes me grumpy and less likely to enjoy working, mumbling something about getting ready for my retrospective at my U-haul storage space.

I realize that a lot of artists are perfectly happy to just create and could care less if they show in New York, LA, Berlin, whatever, but that is a choice that they make. I've chosen to try to have a "career" in this horrible game.

What do you guys think? Do you have strategies for clearing your mind of all the stress-clutter that comes with trying to be an Artist?