by Carolyn Edlund
After a demanding year, clarity often comes not from adding more, but from letting go.
As the year comes to a close, many artists are less interested in making resolutions, and more interested in a sense of relief in leaving it behind. And that’s understandable. Overall, this was not a year that rewarded excess effort or scattered focus. It was a year that quietly revealed what wasn’t working.
So, before you look ahead, it’s worth pausing to ask a different question. What doesn’t deserve to come with you into 2026?
Letting go is not about giving up. It’s about gaining clarity on what doesn’t serve you.
Holding on can cost more than letting go
Artists tend to be loyal to what they know, and what they’ve used over time. They tend to stick to ideas, platforms, shows, pricing strategies, and routines they feel invested in. And that type of loyalty can be a strength. But when your business faces headwinds, it can become a drain.
Many artists continued commitments this year simply because they had already poured energy or money into them. Shows that once made sense but no longer delivered. Marketing platforms that demanded constant attention with little return. Pricing decisions rooted more in caution than sustainability.
Sometimes a deep dive can be life-changing. A case in point is described in How a Hard Look at Business Changed an Artist’s Life, an interview with Florida painter Carroll Swayze. She did a critical evaluation of the long-term business practices and assumptions she held—which proved to be false and expensive. Armed with new information, she made a complete change in her business strategy. Ultimately, she sold more art, earned more money, saved time and travel and improved her quality of life.
Letting go of what no longer works is not failure. It’s discernment.
Busy is not the same as effective
A slower market has a way of exposing what is inefficient. While sales are steady, it’s easy to mistake activity for progress. But when conditions tighten, that illusion disappears.
Many artists worked hard in 2025—sometimes harder than ever—and still felt stuck. That usually points to a mismatch between effort and impact.
Ask yourself, “What took the most time without producing any momentum?” “Where did staying busy replace strategic thinking?” and “Which tasks felt urgent but weren’t actually important?”
A common cause of the “busyness” syndrome is social media marketing. It’s incredibly easy to be lulled into believing that if you just post three times per day, three days per week, you’ll attract a huge audience to buy your art. But are you getting any engagement? Have your social posts led to productive conversations and art sales? Or are you wasting time and effort on something that doesn’t add anything positive to your art business?
Anecdotally, I’ve noticed a big increase in the number of artists who don’t have any social media links at all. They’ve moved off social platforms to find better use of their time and more effective ways to market and sell.
The goal isn’t to do more next year. It’s to do less of what doesn’t work. Staying busy isn’t the same as working smart.
Not everything you drop needs a replacement
One of the most freeing realizations is that you don’t have to replace everything you let go of. Stepping away from a platform, a show, or a commitment doesn’t mean you must immediately fill the gap.
Sometimes the most productive move is to say “No” and give yourself the space to decide what deserves a “Yes” in the future. Clarity often arrives in the quiet.
End the year lighter than you started it
The end of the year isn’t about reinvention. It’s about release.
As you say goodbye to 2025, identify what earned its place in your art business, and what didn’t. Carry forward what felt aligned, respectful, and sustainable. Let go of what drained you without delivering value.
You don’t need to prove anything as the year ends. You only need to decide what no longer belongs.