Creating and Being Seen? Finding Balance Between Art and Communication
For a long time, I felt like I was spending more time making myself visible than actually creating.
A vague, sometimes guilt-inducing feeling — of being more “present” online than in my studio.
More often talking about my work than actually making it.
And then one day, I heard a sentence that gave shape to this tension.
A sentence that lifted the weight of guilt.
A sentence that reframed everything
During a Singulart Talk hosted by Véra Kempf, I listened to Magnus Resch, an expert in the art market.
He said, without hesitation:
“Artists should spend 80% of their time communicating and selling. The remaining 20% should go to creating.”
At first, I was shocked by that.
But then I understood: this imbalance wasn’t just my experience.
It’s a shared reality.
What the numbers say
Several recent studies confirm what many artists already feel intuitively:
A 2022 Art Basel & UBS study showed that 65% of emerging artists spend most of their time on non-creative tasks: communication, social media, sales, admin…
According to The Creative Independent, 70% of artists spend more than 10 hours a week on communication, rather than creation.
And a 2023 Malt & BCG report revealed that visibility is the #1 key to sustainability for independent creatives — far ahead of talent or professional network.
This isn’t cynicism. It’s structure.
Today, being an artist means more than creating.
It also means showing up, telling your story, staying organized.
And it does not make you any less of an artist.
Reframing communication as part of the creative act
The real issue isn’t the time spent on communication.
It’s the belief that this time doesn’t “count” as creative.
For a long time, I saw two opposing worlds:
👉 On one side, the pure gesture — the studio, intuition, silence.
👉 On the other, screens, emails, promotion, strategy.
Eventually, I realized that this division was limiting me more than it was protecting me.
I needed to shift my perspective.
To build a rhythm that felt aligned.
Three habits that changed how I work
These days, I try to integrate both creation and visibility — without putting them at odds.
Here are a few things that have helped me:
1. Honoring my creative energy peaks
I dedicate my mornings to creating.
That’s when my mind is sharpest, and my gestures feel most fluid.
I avoid adding administrative or digital tasks during those hours.
2. Structuring my days into focused blocks
I assign dedicated slots to communication, outreach, and email.
This helps me avoid mental back-and-forth and the constant feeling of being scattered.
3. Leaving space for the unexpected
I intentionally keep unscheduled time — no creation, no management.
These moments are vital. They let intuition surface. They make space for inspiration, rest, spontaneity.
Seeing visibility as a continuation of the creative act
Today, I see communication as part of my artistic process.
That doesn’t mean sharing everything or surrendering to every trend.
It means giving space to the act of making visible what was once invisible.
It’s a way of creating bridges. Of connecting. Of passing something on.
This shift in mindset has been freeing.
I no longer feel I have to choose between the authenticity of the studio and the visibility of my work.
Both can coexist — if I allow them to.
Creating without guilt. Communicating without burnout. It’s possible.
It takes care, structure, and deep listening.
But it’s a fertile path.