Instagram is seductive to me. On the one hand, I justify a presence there as professionally beneficial. On the other, it’s easy for me to waste time on the platform, endlessly scrolling and feeling bad that I haven’t been as productive as the artists I follow. Perhaps if I spent less time scrolling and more time in the studio, this would be less of a problem.
At it’s best, the site is full of inspiring work and opportunities to connect with peers, colleagues, and potential collaborators. These characteristics are all part of what independent curator Kate Mothes promotes in her newly-released PDF Instagram for Artists. (Available for $15 here. ) Much of what Mothes discusses is not radical or unexpected, just solid advice. It turns out there’s no magic formula for Instagram; the same things work online that work in the real world: showing up, being authentic, and tending to relationships.
After reading through the guide, and in thinking back on some of the themes we discussed in #digPINS last year, I realize I don’t use Instagram with any professional goals in mind. But I’d like to. Seems like that might be an appropriate and helpful way to use the platform more mindfully. We shall see.
