What would it be like to meet every version of the artist you’ve been over the last twenty years?
That’s essentially what Andy Holden has just done.
For his new book, Weight of Imagination, Andy re-performed works from across his career, encountering his younger selves along the way. The teenager who wrote an art manifesto with his friends.
The young artist returning a piece of stone he’d stolen from the Great Pyramid of Giza. The artist who had to become a cartoon to understand the laws of a cartoon universe. And the musician who found that playing with his band, The Grubby Mitts, could keep his creativity alive when making visual art became difficult.
In this conversation, we talk about what happens when you refuse to abandon the ideas that once mattered to you, how to keep making through periods of doubt, and what twenty years of work can teach you about the artist you’re becoming.
I’m Ceri Hand. I’m an artist coach, and on Extraordinary Creatives I get inside the lives of remarkable creative people to discover how they make their work and build a life that allows them to keep making it.
I can’t wait for you to get to know Andy Holden.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Looking back can be more than a way of taking stock; it can bring earlier versions of ourselves into conversation with the present.
Revisiting old work may reveal not a single, tidy through-line, but seeds and questions that are still alive and have potential.
Let the story help you find its medium. Sometimes the work asks you to learn a new skill or make something imperfectly, because the way it is made needs to carry the same meaning as what it says.
Creative practice can ask us to hold opposing truths at once: irony and sincerity, hope and pessimism, confidence and doubt.
Art need not resolve those tensions; it can help us stay with their complexity and carry that capacity into life.
BEST MOMENTS
“If It is curious to you, it will be curious to somebody else.”
“Don't try and reflect and analyse. Or create and analyse at the same time. They're two different processes.”
“Perhaps an extraordinary creative life needs a bit of both: enough irreverence to question the rules, and enough sincerity to care deeply about what you make.”
EPISODE RESOURCES
The Weight of Imagination by Andy Holden - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Andy-Holden-Imagination-Jennifer-Higgie/dp/191173640X
https://andyholdenartist.com/
PODCAST HOST BIO
With over 35 years in the art world, Ceri has worked closely with leading artists and arts professionals, managed public and private galleries and charities, and curated more than 250 exhibitions and events. She has sold artworks to major museums and private collectors and commissioned thousands of works across diverse media, from renowned artists such as John Akomfrah, Pipilotti Rist, Rafael Lozano-Hemmer and Vito Acconci. Now, she wants to share her extensive knowledge with you, so you can excel and achieve your goals.
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Ceri Hand Coaching Membership: Group coaching, live art surgeries, exclusive masterclasses, portfolio reviews, weekly challenges. Access our library of content and resource hub anytime and enjoy special discounts within a vibrant community of peers and professionals. Ready to transform your art career? Join today!
https://cerihand.com/membership/
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Unlock Your Artworld Network Self Study Course
Our self-study video course, "Unlock Your Artworld Network," offers a straightforward 5-step framework to help you build valuable relationships effortlessly. Gain the tools and confidence you need to create new opportunities and thrive in the art world today.
https://cerihand.com/courses/unlock_your_artworld_network/
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Book a Discovery Call Today
To schedule a personalised 1-2-1 coaching session with Ceri or explore our group coaching options, simply email us at hello@cerihand.com
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Discover Your Extraordinary Creativity
Visit www.cerihand.com to learn how we can help you become an extraordinary creative.
This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/
