Titling your art can feel like a chore—or even an afterthought.
But what if giving your work a title isn’t just about helping others understand it? What if it’s a deeply creative act—one that honors the piece, reveals more about your process, and prepares the work to travel into the world without you?
That’s the beautiful viewpoint of artist and writing consultant Fran Gardner.
Fran believes that titling your art is more than a practical necessity. It’s a moment of reflection. A step that deepens your connection to the art you’ve made. And a way to give your work the language it needs to communicate clearly with your audience—even when you’re not there to explain it.
In this episode of The Art Biz, Fran and I talk about:
- Why titling your art is an essential part of your studio practice—not just a business formality.
- How the right title supports your work’s identity and independence.
- A thoughtful process for arriving at meaningful titles without rushing or outsourcing the decision.
- The connection between titling and understanding your personal symbolism.
- What happens when you slow down and listen to what your art wants to be called.
This is the conversation I didn’t know I needed. It’s also a topic I’ve never covered before on the podcast—one I think every artist should consider more deeply.
What’s in a name?
Listen
Choose one recent work and give it the time and attention it deserves.
Sit with it. Reflect on the process behind it. Write or speak your thoughts. And then, give it a name that honors the story it carries into the world.
Fran Gardner Quotes
“Titling is the first step toward your art’s independence.”
“The title … is helping your art piece deliver your message and meaning out into the world.”
“I make my work to learn about me and my place in the world and how the world functions around me.”
“When I took them out and really began to process the imagery that I had made, it took me to a much deeper understanding of my own art-making urges.”
“It’s almost like the art came through them instead of from them.”
“Don’t put the work on Instagram and ask people what they would title it … It’s not their image.”
“The writing is your studio work. It’s not the thing that comes after—it’s your own responsibility in your studio to get this work, not only made, but prepared to take its journey away from you.”
“As a professional artist… you have a responsibility to do some degree of writing. It’s necessary to be a business professional in this art world.”
Mentioned
About Fran Gardner
Fran Gardner lives a creative life integrating her work as an artist, author and teacher. Through her years as a university professor, she developed her methods for working with artists on their studio practice and creativity and gained expertise for writing about art, leading retreats, teaching workshops, and judging and curating exhibitions.
Her mixed media art integrates painting, drawing and stitchery, with a heavy emphasis on fiber art, layering her work with rich texture, color and mark-making. She is the author of Artists Will Find a Way: A Studio Navigation Guide and Artists Will Find a Way: Practical Concepts for Deep Connections.
Follow Fran on Instagram: @frangardnerart
