The life of an artist can be very lonely. Working in isolation may be necessary in order to develop a personal style or voice, but it needs to be balanced with rich connections with peers.

Although I enjoy working with people, it took a while for me to develop ways to meaningfully connect with my peers. The two that have proven most useful to me are an e-mail support group and membership in the Fibre Art Network (FAN), which is a western Canadian fibre artists’ cooperative.

My e-mail support group is made up of nine women from across Canada. The group began as a way to have meaningful dialogue about art. We share information about books, exhibitions, concepts that we are wrestling with and ideas we are pondering. We also support one another through births, deaths, weddings, separations and illnesses. This group clearly likes and respects one another.

The problem with this group is that we are all very busy and sometimes out of synch with each other. Discussions often stall because we can’t seem to maintain our commitment to keeping it going. I am as guilty as the next person. Nevertheless, this group is a treasure to me.

The second group is a more formal organization. FAN is made up of women from the western provinces. It is a self-selecting group. It has a monthly newsletter and an annual retreat. They also plan group exhibitions.

The best way to utilize FAN is to attend the annual retreats. There friendships are fostered and most of the work of the organization is shaped at the annual meeting that occurs in conjunction with the retreats.

Last month I attended the retreat. It was planned and organized by the Saskatchewan contingent of FAN. Their aim was to foster connection in the group. They organized small “play” sessions – drawing mandalas, creating quick round robins, making beads and developing small abstract studies. A member of the planning committee facilitated each group.

Another important part of the retreats is “show and tell.” Each evening we gathered to share examples of our work. This can be intimidating for new people, but for me it is the very best way to get to know the members of the group. I find it exciting to hear who is experimenting with new techniques, who is tackling new concepts, who is refining work begun in previous years.

The problem with FAN is that is you are not able to attend the annual retreats; it is very difficult to maintain a sense of connection to the group. I had not attended retreats in the previous two years because of conflicts with my work schedule. I was glad to reconnect. I realize that it is essential to make a commitment to attending the retreats in order to derive the greatest benefit from the group.

I consider myself lucky to have two groups that help to sustain me in my artistic practice. Doing my work is still up to me, but it is comforting to know that I have a network of peers who support me.

© C O P Y R I G H T   2 0 0 7.  Mary Sullivan Holdgrafer ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.