THE PATH OF CONSISTENCY IN OUR CREATIVE WORK

During a coaching session with a client, the topic of consistency came up. The concern she shared was that, in order for her work to be collectible, it needed to look consistent—and for her, that felt like a limitation.

She spoke about the two types of work she liked to make: representational paintings that featured very different palettes, each related to the subject matter she was painting. She also noted that when she tried to focus on only one of these subjects, she became blocked and things began to feel off. Both bodies of work had meaning for her, and she didn’t want to choose between them. Still, she believed she needed to give one up and focus solely on the other in order to be a collectible artist.

As we spoke, I recognized that the two subjects she was working with shared a linking idea. They were each speaking to a common aspect, but expressing it in unique ways. To me, they were very much consistent in what they were communicating. Sometimes we’re simply too close to our own work to see the connections and throughlines.

This discussion reminded me of an article I had read about how collectors look for a balance between consistency and development in an artist’s work. Too much consistency can feel like stagnation, or like an overemphasis on branding. Too much variety, on the other hand, can be perceived as a lack of creative vision or trajectory.

So there is a sweet spot that collectors are often responding to. I find this a comforting thought, as I also want to develop and grow as an artist—and knowing that collectors can recognize this growth as a strength feels supportive.

Artists can have multiple bodies of work and/or work in different mediums, as long as they are connected to something we are exploring through our art-making that is consistent and clear to us: our vision, or the idea we are expressing through the language of art.

I think it’s important to recognize that, as artists, we determine what holds our work together as a whole. When you’re uncertain about a developing direction in your creative work, it can be helpful to take some time to consider what is being carried forward from where you’ve been.

One way to reflect on this—and to move past our blind spots—is to question whether the feeling that there is no connection is actually true. To do this, we can look for what connects the various pieces of our work, rather than focusing on how different they appear.

What is the common theme or idea between the various ways you work? And why is that common aspect important to you?

When we identify what we’re interested in exploring through our art, it can become a guiding intention—one that offers us many ways to express that idea. We can use different mediums and materials, experiment with various approaches to making, and enjoy the breadth of our expression, as long as the work is linked to this overarching idea.

It seems that collectors are often looking for that linking idea, rather than a unified, predictable series of works sustained over an artist’s lifetime. When we’re clear about what we’re connected to in our art, and we hold that as an intention that guides our process, we create work that satisfies us and engages collectors as well.

Each artist is unique in how they build a body of work and develop their voice. If you’re an artist who loves variety and feels weighed down by the idea of consistency as a requirement for recognition or collecting, perhaps taking a deeper look at what your work is about—at a broader level—will help bring seemingly disparate paths together.

Ultimately, we get to decide what our art is about and how it evolves. When we understand what is truly underpinning our work, consistency becomes less about appearance and more about intention. For this to be possible, our mindset needs to support us—to trust our curiosity, our choices, and our capacity to grow. From that place, we’re free to explore, expand, and develop without abandoning ourselves or our interests. Our work isn’t a product shaped by external approval; it’s a living expression of what matters to us. When we hold this perspective, we make work that is both honest and enduring.

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