Are you an artist who needs help focusing on what you truly want to do in your art?
What if you had consistent support and encouragement to refine your artistic vision?
Would you like to apply for exhibitions and residencies but need a little nudge and a person to whom you are accountable as you take the sometimes intimidating steps to put your work out in the world?
If so, a six-session mentorship is just the ticket! I can help you create a strategy that works for you, and be the supportive and encouraging person to whom you are accountable when you take the necessary steps to put your work out in the world.
Since 2010, I have worked one-on-one with dozens of artists both locally or via Skype.
The Coaching/Mentorship Program is an outgrowth of many years of experience mentoring graduate students in colleges and universities, and is tailored to meet the individual needs of each artist.
The program consists of
six one-hour meetings or the equivalent, completed within six months, and provides the structure for working on the issues most important to you in your art practice.
Use your coaching/mentorship sessions to help you:
- Build and maintain a sustained and consistent studio practice
- Critique your work and develop your artistic vision
- Apply for exhibitions, residencies, grants, and other opportunities to share your work
- Write a cogent artist’s statement and a professional c.v
- Prepare a portfolio for consideration by galleries or graduate school
- Stay focused and productive in the studio and to show up even during difficult periods
- Price your work
- Become the best advocate for your own work.
- Know that I can be your accountability partner as you commit to taking on tasks to refine your vision and build your career.
To prepare for the mentorship, I ask that you fill out a short goals form before the first meeting which helps you to focus on what you’d like us to accomplish together. As our work progresses, goals and priorities may change, and I always allow for flexibility. Many artists have told me that just having a supportive and encouraging person expecting commitments to be acted upon helps them to take steps towards accomplishing their goals. Mentorships are renewable for an unlimited number of times.
Feel free to contact me for fee information or any other questions you may have.
Cancellation Policy: To best accommodate my art and teaching practice, I set aside a certain number of hours for mentorship meetings every week. Please let me know at least 24 hours in advance if you are unable to attend a scheduled meeting, and we will reschedule for another date. For less than 24 hours advance notice, we can of course reschedule, but the missed meeting will count towards the six hours of mentorship. Thank you for your understanding.
please Note:
For artists who live outside of the San Francisco Bay Area, mentorships are available via Zoom.
Studio is wheelchair-accessible.
What artists have said about the program:
When I started transitioning away from landscape painting 10 years ago, Lisa suggested a series of exercises that led me to my current style of abstract sewing work. I'm forever grateful to her for encouraging me to follow my muse and offering steps to find her. Lisa mentors with a delicate balance between kindness, humor and honesty which affirmed as well as inspired me to explore new possibilities. Recently I enrolled in another 6 month mentorship with her to focus on refining my search for galleries and other opportunities to show my work. Her exensive experience and support has, once again, been invaluable. Thank you Lisa for always being with me on my journey!
Kristin Meuser, Los Angeles, CA | www.artmeuse.com
I was privileged to participate in Lisa's mentor program this past year. I had followed her work for a long time, never dreaming I would have the opportunity to know her and have her see my work. I have had an active studio practice for several years and working day after day in the studio can get lonely. It’s all too easy to let deadlines slide and projects ramble without conclusion. My goals with the mentor program was to have my work looked at through the fresh eyes of someone I admired. Even though Lisa's medium is different from my own she was able to look and think about what I was doing and give helpful feedback. Sometimes I didn't agree with what she said but those were the times I learned the most about how my work was being understood. I had fallen into a default way of working, however, through her questions began to understand this and make important shifts in my process. She was kind, supportive and generous. She encouraged me to take risks and move outside of my comfort zone while validating my feelings of hesitancy.
Michelle Saffran, Moretown, VT | www.michellesaffran.com
Working with Lisa Kokin has been an enlightening adventure in process, professionalism and craft. I have been impressed by her work for many years so I was delighted when she agreed to mentor me for six months. I came to her with modest aims: To discover the purpose of art and the role it played in my life. I also needed an infusion of fun. Lisa took on these unwieldy aims and guided me into realms of chance and discerning response. She provided concrete direction, resources and thoughtful support. Her engagement with my process helped to guide me into a new and deeper understanding of my art practice. I’m truly grateful to her, not only for being a wonderful person but for also providing a professional and deft eye for detail, material and content
Casey Jay Gardner, Berkeley, CA | www.setinmotionart.com
My mentoring sessions with Lisa provided the accountability I needed to really move forward on some art exploration and business ideas that I had been putting off for some time. Lisa was generous with her knowledge of art and materials, made good suggestions, reviewed my art experiments and exhibition proposal and was honest with her opinions.
Lisa Flowers Ross, Boise, ID | www.lisaflowers.net
Lisa is generous with information and intelligent advice based on her own extensive experience, flavored with humor and warm support. Working with her has elevated my art practice immeasurably. I highly recommend her as a superb mentor!
Janet Bogardus, Novato, CA | www.janetbogardus.net
I have been very fortunate to participate in a critique group with Lisa Kokin and a community of artists for many years. When I felt myself stuck at a crossroads with respect to the next steps in where to direct my time and energy in a professional art career, I invested in the opportunity of an individual mentorship with Lisa. It was such an invaluable experience to be able to bring my many questions with respect to galleries, commissions, pricing, and residencies to such an established, talented artist. With Lisa’s guidance, thoughtful questions and encouragement, the “where,” “what” and “how” became clear.
Kerith Lisi, San Carlos, CA | www.kerithlisi.com
Lisa has been coaching me for over five years now. When we first started working together, I had recently moved overseas and transitioned from another career. It was an opportunity to see where I could take my art conceptually, technically, and to stretch for new opportunities. With Lisa's support and wealth of experience, my work evolved to places I had not even envisioned. With her guidance, I got my first gallery contract, completed my first solo exhibition with a catalog, and now have a foot in a market that I continue to nurture. Fast-forward to another recent international move, and I am starting over, this time building off of what we started. Every time Lisa and I meet via Skype for a coaching session, I walk away with a fresh way of looking at the work, actionable feedback, and new ideas. These sessions have been immeasurably valuable for the work itself, as well as my growth as a professional in the art world. Lisa provides the grounding and context to do what fear would otherwise keep me from doing. Her experience and viewpoint are immensely helpful in putting things into perspective. Lisa's combination of thoughtful questions, artistic expertise, tough love, and great sense of humor are the right mix to support an artist at any career stage. Kelly O'Brien, Stanton Prior, England. Kelly O'Brien, Frankfurt, Germany | www.turningpointepress.com
Someone once told me that you can't teach people how to make art; the best you can hope to do is teach them to get out of their own way. Lisa has a tremendous talent for helping a person identify and overcome his or her own specific obstacles. I started working with her to develop a studio practice and cohesive body of work and have found her to be an invaluable help in the process. She is insightful, honest, compassionate, and practical. She keeps me honest, and I leave each meeting reenergized and more confident in my ability to take on whatever challenge is next.
Spencer Merolla, New York, NY | www.spencermerolla.com
Working with Lisa has completely changed my practice. I am a self-taught artist and I had gone as far as I could go alone. I had many ideas and single pieces and no idea how to bring them out into the world. I felt like a dilettante. Very respectfully over a period of a few sessions, Lisa helped me focus my ideas and find the one that was most important in the moment. This brought focus and discipline to my practice, which has allowed to create a whole body of work that delights and challenges me. Lisa is both demanding and supportive and has pushed me conceptually and technically. I now feel like an artist who knows when to play and when to work and how to mix the two. Working with Lisa has been a truly transformative experience.
Christine Meuris, Oakland, CA www.christinemeuris.com
I have just completed six sessions with Lisa Kokin as my mentor. I hired her to help me transition from my primarily teaching practice, to return to a practice of being a studio artist, exhibiting in galleries. It worked miraculously. Lisa is extremely adept as a mentor. When she puts on her mentor hat she fully enters that professional persona. She held me accountable, and gave me assignments to work on for each session. This kept me on track. Working with her increased my confidence. Lisa had practical answers to my questions. When I started to veer off my intended path towards what is easy and familiar, she asked me pointed questions about how that detour supported my goals. She is a brilliant and gentle task master/mistress who gets results in a short time.
Daniella Woolf, Santa Cruz, CA | www.daniellawoolf.com
Stumbling onto Lisa Kokin’s six week workshop was the first step into a small group of artists whom I felt akin to in process. Art-making can be a solitary endeavor and coming into the company of a group of artists in whose reflection I saw the words “yes!” was invigorating.
In mentoring with Lisa, her clarity, straight-shooting approach, sharp eye and confidence in what we were discussing made me believe I could do the work ahead of me. Mountains that I had been struggling with for years became molehills and were brought to resolution in a months time. I emerged happy and exhausted from the experience.
I look forward to continuing mentoring with Lisa in the future as a tool with which to approach creating my work with clear vision,humor and directness.
Sue Bradford, Napa, CA | www.suebradford.com
Lisa is a gifted teacher who listens carefully, with true kindness, interest - as well as a sense of humor! I’ve learned so much from her, not the least of which is a belief in myself as an artist. From the germ of an idea, she makes suggestions, asks questions and provides helpful feedback, allowing me to delve deeper into my projects. Lisa’s warmth, encouragement and creative, constructive insights provide an atmosphere for artistic growth. It’s a pleasure to work with her.
Carolyn Beahrs, Berkeley, CA
The mentoring program has been really helpful to me on several fronts. First, I use it as a regular check-in to keep my studio practice on course. Knowing that I am going to see her makes me finish pieces that might otherwise linger on. I am eager to have something to show. Second, it is very nourishing to my art to have the undivided attention of such a talented and trained eye. Doing art can be very solitary and it is so refreshing to get this kind of feedback on my work. Thirdly, Lisa is helping me to see and develop the unique character of my work and this is such a gift for any artist.
Melinda Tidwell, Santa Fe, NM | www.melindatidwell.com
The opportunity to receive one-on-one mentoring with Lisa Kokin was just
what I needed. It helped me hold myself accountable in applying for a MFA
and I received immeasurable benefits far outweighing the cost.
I got to know myself better though the process and with Lisa's feedback I
was able to see my work in a more constructive way. Lisa introduced me to local
artists with whom I've developed exciting new art opportunities and also
helped me kickstart my teaching career at a local art center.
What I love about Lisa Kokin is her honest, straightforward approach. While
preparing for a show, I mentioned to Lisa that I thought I might pick up
and continue some older work that I had created several years ago. Lisa made
a bold comment about my limited time that helped me realize the importance
of doing work that I'm compelled to do rather than what I think others want.
This mentoring process was invaluable. I'm grateful for the opportunity to
get to know Lisa Kokin on a deeper level and look forward to more of her
inspiration in her critique group.
Leah Virsik, Oakland, CA | www.leahvirsik.com