ALISHA VINCENT art or craft

Art Philanthropists

2006-03-27T16:20:00.000-08:00

I met an art philanthropist last Friday. His work was a combination of Norman Rockwell’s accuracy and emotion, and Andrew Wyeth’s mystery and nuance. Both artists, not so surprisingly, inspire him. As we sat to talk, he thumbed through a dozen or so pencil drawings: A montage of childhood portraits for a young girl who was graduating high school; a drawn family tree with portraits from a family of women; a nature scene that looks as if it were traced from a photograph. Talent is something so few people have, and this man had talent seeping out of his fingertips. I ask the hard question, “How much do you sell your work for?” He looks shy and pensive and fumbles through telling me he did many of these drawings for a man who commissioned them, and after the work was done he just didn’t know what to charge. He knows he spends too much time on the work, but he enjoys it. He can’t imagine actually timing himself as he sits down to draw. I think about that… Yes, well, art making is his equivalent of taking a bubble bath. If I were about to take a bath, I wouldn’t want to look at a clock either! We continue talking and he lets a price slip out. He was charging $300 for deeply personal drawings that perfectly portray individual expressions, snapshots in time, and the memories people hold most dear. If a photograph can speak words, his drawings speak volumes. Because making the work felt so fulfilling, he was not just undervaluing his work… he acted as if he were cheating the buyer by putting an appropriate price tag on his therapy and enjoyment. With each drawing, he was giving his time and talent away for pennies. He has been acting as an art philanthropist! We talk a bit more and he finally agrees to raise his prices, taking his time into account. His work will now start at $750. Praise is a form of recognition. When someone pays you for your work, it feels good. When they come back and ask for more, it feels even better. But… money is also recognition and it feels very good to know that your time and talents are worth part of someone’s monthly income. By being afraid to place value on his work, he was missing the rewards he’ll need to push his talent further. Being an art philanthropist and giving away your work is just a nice gesture. If community service is your true intention, you’d be better off to value your work appropriately, sell your pieces, and then simply give the money away. Just, please, stop giving away the work.

Where are Snooty Artists Born?

2006-03-26T16:37:00.000-08:00

Snooty artists really bug me. They don’t “get” how connected they are to the craft community. They ignore all comparisons. They walk out of pricing or marketing discussions that veer the least bit toward examples of functional craft work… presumably because it doesn’t ‘pertain’ to them. They can't hold decent conversations with craftspeople. They feel more comfortable talking about obscurities. I know I’m not the only person who hates artists who hold their noses in the air. Yet, there a predominantly high percentage is still born each year. Why is that? Art schools aren’t creating the problem. Perhaps they feed it, but it certainly doesn’t originate there. Are middle school or high school art programs the issue? Or does it start even earlier – in elementary school? My art teachers were great. Still, I have met many art teachers who snub their noses up at functional work over “higher” art forms that are more widely accessible. Art teachers have books, slide sets, and videos on Monet, Van Gogh, Picasso, Warhol… Art through all ages but only art by dead people and, even then, only one side of the story. To prove my theory that most snooty artists are nurtured and born in K-12 art classes, I looked into some popular teaching resource catalogs. What materials are made most accessible to art teachers? XXXXX Results of my informal research? Art teachers have a really tough job! There are many views they can teach, but only a select few prepared professional materials to facilitate their classroom activities. If we (the collective community who snubs OUR noses at snooty artists) want to see more harmony and cross-pollination in the art and craft worlds, we’re going to need to support the needs of art teachers. We’re going to need to help them understand where function meets fluidity. We’re going to have to ask them to bring art VALUE discussions into the classroom. We’re going to have to take it upon ourselves to re-write the art history textbooks… this time, with the other side of the story. After all, there are always two sides.

Is it Really in the Details?

2006-03-25T23:21:00.000-08:00

Tonight I find myself sitting in yet another airport, having given up my seat for a standby passenger - a grandmother who was going to Baltimore to visit her grandchildren. I am returning (or attempting to return) from another successful arts business workshop, this time in Abingdon, Virginia. I sit in this section of the terminal as one of only two people. It’s just me and a middle-aged maintenance man, who wobbles to-and-fro as he walks. Slowly and methodically, he starts on one side of the room. As he edges toward me, he flips over rows of chairs to expose their underbellies. I ask, “What are you doing?” He says in an everyday, matter-of-fact way, “I have to flip the seats over to clean the bottoms.” “What would be on the bottom? And who would touch it, even if there were gunk under there?” He shrugs his shoulders as doubtful as I and says, “Health inspector says we’ve gotta do it, so we do it.” I think about that a moment as he continues flipping chairs – now the entire half of the room. “How often do you do this?,” I ask. To which he replies, “I dunno. Sometimes just once a week. Most times, twice a week, though.” “Twice a week! Why would they want you to spend hours every week cleaning the bottoms of chairs, where only little children might even have contact with the dirt? And, even then, licking a little dirt won’t hurt anyone. Just touching the bathroom door handle… now that’s a health hazard!” He finishes his job. And as I watch him wobble down the hallway, it occurs to me how ludicrous this man’s job is. He spends a huge portion of his week flipping chairs, sweeping them, and setting them upright. Over and over again. Cleaning a part of the airport no one even THINKS or DREAMS about. At the workshop I just wrapped up, I took a break after my second presentation. As I walked away an attendee stopped me. “What is that word you said back there… minutiae? What is that?” I pulled up a seat and explained the definition of the word. “You know… when you have been working on a piece so long that you've lost objectivity. You’ve started addressing the minutiae – the tiny little details that no one but you will ever notice. It’s not going to help the piece, but still you go at it. You can't see that you should have stopped an hour and a half ago.” Why is it that when I looked tonight at the hard working maintenance man, flipping an entire room full of chairs over… the absurdity of his work jumped out? Because it’s minutiae! It’s the smallest common denominator. It’s the thing that’s not going to make or break anything, and certainly is not of consequence to the thousands of people who interact with the result of his labor…unaware how clean and sanitized the bottom of their seats are. He saw it. He knew it was ridiculous. But, artists… we don’t always see it. We wrap our heart into things. We tell ourselves the minutiae IS important and that even if people don’t notice it – it’s the intent that matters. For a maintenance man, going through unrecognized motions is draining and absurd. For an artist, going through the motions with inconsequential details is still draining and absurd… we just tell ourselves it’s not because it helps justify our wasted energy or it demonstrates how dedicated we truly are. “Why yes, he is such a great painter that he spends weeks preparing his canvases, sanding 12 times between thin gesso layers!” Look... At the end of the day, we are only as good as our body of work, whether a clean airport or a series of art/craft pieces. But, if any of the “work” in our body of work is not evident to the person buying our pieces… maybe it’s time to step back a bit and stop making so much out of the invisible. Maybe our work would sell just as well if we streamlined, stopped taking the ‘scenic route’ through every artistic journey, and started getting to the heart of the matter a bit quicker. What are people praising or buying in your work? Now, go out and do just that! Stop worrying about minutae – the dust underneath the seats.

Trade Shows With a Twist

2006-03-17T09:44:00.000-08:00

I know two ways for artists and craftspeople to sell their work: 1) Selling directly to a collector or gift giver 2) Selling through galleries and retailers The traditional craft market has many wide avenues to accomplish both. A craftsperson can appeal directly to collectors by selling at a regional fair or festival or by retailing online. They also have another avenue available to them - advertising, conducting direct mail campaigns, or exhibiting in a wholesale trade show to reach gallery owners, catalog companies, and others who re-sell craftwork. The fine art market is another ball of wax altogether. In order for most painters, printmakers, collage artists, or other traditionally recognized fine artists to develop a collecting base, they must follow a less defined path. Their options include: - Trying to hobble together an accepting audience through more contemporary craft events or juried craft markets. - Spending a great deal of time and energy to apply for and exhibit work in quality exhibitions around the country. Prestige, award recognition, and high profile jurors a nice perks that help this process along. - Finding gallery representation If you are able to find gallery representation, one of the great additional options is having gallery support for your work at one of the growing list of affordable art fairs that take place each year. Particularly popular in Europe and Australia, more and more events such as those I'm highlighting below continue to gain strength in the States: NYC's Affordable Art Fair - Galleries represent work ranging from $100 to $5,000. There also are AAF's in Bristol and London. SOFA NY or Chicago - A blend of art and craft, galleries who exhibit at SOFA each year tend to be on the higher end of the craft collecting scale and the mid-range of the art collecting market, particularly sculptural pieces. Single Art Events - 'Single Art' is the name of the show promoter. Their shows are held in Sydney and Melbourne. 75% of all work is from emerging artists with price ranges at or below $5,000. Glasgow Art Fair - Last year marked Glasgows 10th anniversary. Shows similar to this in format and style of work can be found in London, Cologne, and Berlin. There's similar, smaller events too, such as... The Art on Paper Fair - Held in London and connected with the Royal College of Art The Sydney Art on Paper Fair - 2006 marks the 11th consecutive year for this show

Exceptions to Every Rule

2006-03-16T05:23:00.000-08:00

So, if you read this blog, you know I have a few pet peeves. I cannot stand the usage of "unique" and "whimsical" when referencing art or craft. I think fashion jewelry is steadily strangling the wearable art market with simple, strung beadwork that lacks involved craftmanship. And, I think eBay is one of the dumbest ways for a serious artist to promote or sell their work. On the eBay subject... I think I'm now ready to admit I have seen an exception to my rule. I've enjoyed Duane Keiser's work for quite some time now. In fact, I've had a link on this blog to his website since the beginning. Duane's blog exclusively showcased one painting each day. He committed to the exercise of doing a small, postcard-sized painting, scanning it, and posting it online. People started purchasing them at $100 per painting. I never purchased one because everytime I would go online and fall in love with a piece, it was already sold! Yes, his work is that simple and clean and good. Then, suddenly Duane started listing his paintings on eBay. It was a true "business" move, if ever I saw one. Because, soon his paintings on eBay started rising in price. He had widened his market and people were bidding against one another. The paintings were just as good as ever but the price was higher, perhaps more appropriately in line with the success in his style and execution. I would guess that during this time Duane learned a great deal about what his work is "worth" and what value people place on his brushstrokes, color pallete, and subject matter. Just seeing how the prices in still lifes began to have dramatic range was probably an eye opener. A fortune cookie sells for $120, but an orange half sells for $186? What subjects do people buy? What colors sell best? What amount of surface development is enough to convey what's intended and sell well, while avoiding wasted energy or overkill? So, for the past year I've watched Duane sell on eBay. With one day left on the auction, yesterday one of Duane's postcard paintings had already been bid up to $325! Aside from kicking myself for not buying his work earlier, I can't help but admit that Duane is breaking my eBay art sales rule. He's succeeding in an environment that is slathered with garage sale art, slapped together "contemporary art pieces", and tacky painted surfaces that shimmer and sparkle. When I looked further, I found another "painting a day" artist who started doing one painting per day and posting the piece online... the same model Duane has used with success. Is Justin the next Duane? Is there room for both? What do I pull from this? Well, yes, there are exceptions to every rule. Still, I maintain that making art or craft work and expecting eBay to build a collector base for you is ludicrous. There's something to say for choosing a sales environment that matches the perception of your work quality. The eBay perception of quality, like it or not, has always been like that of a really, really juicy yard sale. Selling your work on eBay is just like any other sales avenue... you're up against some difficult odds. There will be a time, money, and creativity investment on your part. The investment I have slowly watched Duane put in came in this order: 1) Making great work and working consistently. Practice doesn't make perfect, but it does improve your execution. To my eyes, Duane's work has only gotten better and better. Before anything else, it should and does always begin with making artwork with integrity and appeal. 2) Allowing a natural progression to take place. I don't know Duane personally, which is why I feel good commenting with my outsider perspective. He started simply, with a blog of daily paintings. Then his website grew and his larger studio work appeared. One day I started seeing a gallery listed where he had a show installed. Still later, eBay came into the picture. Duane didn't rush the process or try to build a business. He just let things percolate and develop as they needed to. 3) Duane still keeps it simple. Maybe he has what we all have - too many commitments and too little time. I don't know. What I do know is that even when prices for his small postcard paintings started rising to double (or more!) their original $100 pricetag, he has still stuck with what worked in the beginning. His work still mainly featured quick little "snapshots" of objects centered in the frame or sections of a landscape or streetscape. He could try to transition his collectors and his email mailing list over to larger pieces and stop doing the postcard pieces. Maybe someday he will. But in the meantime the simplicity works and, I imagine, it still holds enough interest to not bore him. So, don't everyone go rushing to sell on eBay. Think about your options and exercise them wisely. But, DO go rush to eBay this week and check out Duane and Justin's paintings. Because some day your small $100 or $200 dollar investment might just grow on you. I've already seen it happen before MY eyes!

Unexpected Deliveries

2006-03-15T04:00:00.000-08:00

One morning when I was in college, there was a knock at my door. I opened it and found a pair of keys and a note shoved into my hand. The note simply said: "Alisha - Had to leave early for winter break. Please take care of plants. My roomate also had to leave early. Look after his pet." Ok. I can do this. I had only been living in Baltimore for 6 months and would refer to the person who wrote the note as "a friend", but only in the way anyone would look to embrace a city full of strangers. I had never been to his apartment. I didn't know where "home" was for him. All I really knew about him up to that point was that he was a nice guy with unbelievable drawing and painting talent. I went through my morning trying to put off the new responsibility that had been pushed into the palm of my hand. I tended to my errands and watered my plants. A set of keys and a crumpled scrap of paper stared at me from the dining table. Somewhere just before nightfall I reluctantly grabbed the keys, threw on my coat, and slammed the door shut on my way out. I moved quickly, before I gave myself a chance to find another diversion. The apartment was 2 blocks away, just around the corner. I had walked past his building everyday on the way to classes. It was an old, dark row house. His apartment was at the top, on the third floor. Inside, every board on the staircase creaked. The building was old and uncared for. At the apartment door I found myself fumbling through a set of keys to open 3 locks. Why would a poor art student need to lock up like Fort Knox? As the last lock turned, I pushed my way inside. Two big rooms with 2 large windows. A wall of stereo equipment, cd's, records, a sound mixing turntable, and the weighty smell of incense. Two old couches, an assortment of pillows on the floor, a tall bongo drum, and a stack of sketch pads sitting in what should be a dining room. There was 1 plant. I searched for the "pet". In the kitchen I found the reason bachelors frequently eat out. A sink overflowing with dirty dishes. A stove that didn't appear to have ever been used, also covered with more dishes. On what I recognized to be counter space had been tossed half a dozen empty tuna cans. Where's the cat, the dog, or the snake? I was anxious to hurry in AND hurry out. Then, I saw it. Sitting in the living room, squarely in the center of the coffee table was a fish tank. My stomach knotted as I walked closer. The fish tank did not contain fish. Sometimes, even now, I find myself with that same feeling. "How did I get into this situation?" I don't know of any artist who asked for the hand they were dealt. But, whether you asked to become consumed by the need to create art or not, there it was in front of you to confront and react to. In the studio I feel that knot every now and then. I don't remember what it was that nudged me towards making art. There was no flash of light or big build up. One day, like a knock at the door and a pair of keys being shoved in my hand, I just looked around and found art as something I "had to do", something I "had to make". My path changed and, no matter how much I dragged my feet, it was inevitable. At a certain point I started thinking of artmaking like an errand or an expected dot on my schedule. Water plants. Feed cat. Brush teeth. Make art. Open mail. Pay bills. Check email. Make art. You can work in an office or tell yourself that parenting is your true path in life but if creativity is something you've been hit over the head with, there is no greater or lesser priority. It's simply something you have to do. So make time for it. What was on the coffee table? Well, it's even hard to belive now, but in the fish tank in the center of the room was yet another empty tuna can and a dark, black thing. The top of the tank was covered with metal mesh and, sitting on top of that as a weight, was a brick. I leaned closer and my mouth dropped open. An alligator was inside! Filling the full length of the tank, from tail to snout, the alligator had no food and no recognizable water. At that moment, I was yet again handed another responsibility I didn't ask for. I ran out of the apartment and back down the block to my own. Inside I didn't even take time to peel off my coat. I threw open the phone book and started calling anyone and everyone I could think of who could help me, or at least tell me if an 'apartment alligator' was a legal pet! After almost an hour and a half of phone calls and repeating myself over and over... I spoke with an employee at the Baltimore Zoo's reptile house. He knew of a daytime employee who would perhaps be able to help me. The next morning I called at spoke with the man I had been referenced to. He drove to meet me that the apartment on his lunch break, armed with a large container and a friend who also worked for the zoo. Together we all went upstairs to look at the animal again. He was thin from lack of food, angry (probably from being crammed into a tank the same size as him!), and in clear need of rescue. We loaded him into the new, larger container and they slowly and carefully carried him down to their truck. The "friend" who put me in the situation and forced me to make that call? Well, I left his keys in the mailbox, said a prayer to his 1 plant, and never spoke to him again. I don't even know if he returned to campus after winter break. What's the point in me telling you this story? Well, the key is in how it BEGAN. Something was shoved into my hand. And something was, likely, shoved into yours. Don't avoid what's in front of you. Take what was thrust into your hand and do something with it. Make art with meaning. Make art with intention and purpose. Be creative and don't look back. And, above all, stop asking why or what you're supposed to do with this passion... and just do it, already!

Crossing the Line

2006-03-14T08:55:00.000-08:00

Several stars have aligned recently to help me see ART and CRAFT in a new light. When I began this blog I, unconsciously perhaps, titled it "Art or Craft". I had the sense that art and craft were merging and had been for quite sometime, despite what mainstream magazines or art guilds were telling me. My friends who were craftspeople frequently read art history books and aimed for a goal of having solo shows in fine art galleries. My friends who were referred to as artists often visited typical craft venues, continually craving the personality and commraderie found at many craft fairs. Today, I find myself sitting squarely within a scenario where many creative friends of mine are trying to "cross the lines". ...Craftspeople now finally ready to step into the solo, fine art show circuit and away from trade show events. ...Fine artists planning to travel to Penland where they will absorb traditional craft skills that will improve their art delivery. The one nagging thought I keep having is... how hard it is to cross the lines! Moving from one segment of the cultural divide to the other, you will encounter: * Sadness and a tinge of regret as you slowly replace people on the networking list you've grown accustomed to, inserting people from the other side of the tracks who have, perhaps, already made the leep you hope to attempt. Friends will change. Daily conversations will change. The people on your speed dial will also change. * Silence - The slightly uncomfortable sound of silence as you step into your studio each day and try to make something new, directed towards a different audience, away from the intuitive ways you've embraces to create thus far. It is hard to consciously stop what is unconscious. But you cannot make work for a new audience without pulling apart your old processes, symbology, and intentions. * Anger as you fight with yourself, fight with your medium, and fight with people around you who may not entirely "get" where you're going or what was so wrong with where you were in the first place. * Comfortability when you finally hit your 'groove', stepping back and seeing your new work... like when you meet someone in person you've only spoken to on the phone previously. Your expectations will be temporarily set aside as you wake to the ideas you had in you all along. Do any of these steps sound familiar? Don't they bear a strangely similar note to the 4 Stages of the Grief Process: Denial, Anger, Sadness, Acceptance? This isn't by my design, I assure you! It surprises me as much as you... that we might MOURN our work and the process of change, as we "cross the line" and attempt to move our work out of one genre and into another. So, perhaps what I found so inciteful about the invisible but real divides placed between art and craft is the struggle these walls present for artists. Defining oneself is hard enough. Add to this the pressures of making a living, still finding enjoyment in the studio, and expecting others not to pigeon hole your work into a corner... well, but of course there would be a period of mourning! What were we all thinking?! The road ahead will be rough... and rewarding.

Knowing All

2006-03-13T07:00:00.000-08:00

There's something incredibly self-serving about blogging. You write your ideas, suggestions, tips, and press "publish post". In an instant your words are online. Answers that no one even solicited by asking a question! I know I don't know everything. That's the profession Martha Stewart and Oprah and a dozen other people have taken up for their respective fields. But for many months (which has now turned into over a year!) I've been neatly bundling up what I do know, and I post it here to share with you. When I started this blog, I was doing so in the path of friend who recommended blogging as a way to solidify my experiences and present ME to the world. At the time I was working for an employer who had a strong take on the art and craft making community. I don't entirely subscribe to that take, it turns out. I hold pieces of it dear to my heart, but several elements don't sing to me. Blogging DID help me sort out my feelings and opinions at a time when I was starting to lose sight of where I began and my employer ended. So, why do I continue to blog? Well, I think for two reasons: 1) I believe all artists and craftspeople should blog. Keep your blog address to yourself, if you like, but the process of journaling... even in a not-so-frequent way as I do... is like taking snapshots and filling a photo album. When I look back at some of my thoughts last June, I'm surprised. I don't entirely disagree, yet my thoughts are colored with another layer of opinion now. Blogging is easy, free, and for goodness sakes... being an artist doesn't mean you can avoid writing. So, just embrace the written word already! 2) I also continue to blog because I believe there are so many misguided opinions being posted out there. The web and the blog worlds are filled with a ridiculous amount of HOT AIR! I recently read a few posts from another craft business blog, which happens to be authored by someone who hasn't even been actively making work for quite some time. Well, it could be assumed that quantity of posts means quality. But in this case it would have steered someone wrong! I don't expect people to read my blog every week or even once a month, but I do feel confident that the ideas I share here are successful tips I've seen MANY artists utilize. I know they are real-world, practical details that I can back up. I'm not anonymous. I stand behind my words. And, I don't post on discussion boards just to "market" my blog and steer people back to it. I do what I do and if you like it, you can read it or tell others yourself. But that's about the end of it for me. Moral of the story? I really don't know it all. And I'm not afraid to admit that. BUT, I do know a lot of artists who have tried a lot of things in their careers... and I thank you for continuing to read along as I share these little snippets with you now and again. Every time I blog I feel like I'm planting a little seed. Gardening, even if just in your blog, is a luxury.

Goal Setting - Consequences

2006-03-07T07:52:00.000-08:00

Alright, I think I've nearly exhausted myself and my readers with goal lingo. So this is my final word on the subject for awhile... My last, best suggestion to get you motivated to not just set, but to actually work toward reaching your art business goals. Look... I am a procrastinator of the worst variety. I wait until the eighth hour, then rush around making myself crazy to meet a deadline. I know this about myself and for years I tried to change the behavior. Then, I heard Ellen DeGeneres... Yes, Ellen turned me around! Watching an Ellen DeGeneres comedy routine recently, I was reminded: "Procrastination isn't the problem, it's the solution!" Exactly. It's the answer! And pouring on the self-induced pressure all these years, I suppose I have been fighting with the very thing that has made me push more, do more, and be more successful. Some of my best work comes out at the last minute because I have no choice but to drowned everything out except the task in front of me. Procrastination gives me focus. So, you want to be a successful, self-supporting artist or craftsperson? And, you know a million and one things you need to work on, learn, or develop to get you to that goal? What you need now is to SET YOUR GOALS IN STONE by BUILDING IN CONSEQUENCES. Your graceful walk towards the goal will turn into a gallop (or in my case, a procrastination frenzy) when you take time NOW to... ... mark your calendar with the date you expect to accomplish a task; ... plan a studio open house, release party, unveiling, or opening night; ... print postcards or invitations for your open house or new work unveiling; ... invite your peers, people from your network, and those you admire to attend your event; ... post your event date and some rough details of what you hope to accomplish on your own blog. Imagine having a party at your home or studio to announce your business name, reveal your logo, unveil your latest work, or have a group critique session. Would it really be so difficult to just put a simple consequence on the horizon that pushes? Procrastinate tomorrow. Mark your calendar today.

Goal Setting - Timelines

2006-03-06T06:40:00.000-08:00

I just returned (As in, my plane touched down just hours ago!) from another successful weekend Arts Business Institute workshop in North Carolina. We had a smaller group than in past years, but every, single student was dedicated to their goals, devoted to their artmaking, and inspired by the synchronisity of the group. Something amazing happens when artists gather their hope together and start opening up, sharing and learning with one another. Our weekend ended like every ABI workshop ends... a sea of a better prepared creative minds, each with a very long list of things to work on! So, where do you start? Where do you dive in and begin? Last week I gave my top tips for identifying and reaching your art goals. This week I have two more tips to add to this theme, and I hope any ABI alumni now reading my blog will consider today's post as a springboard for getting started. Take a moment today to sort through the long list of things you learned and can't wait to work on... and SEGMENT A TIMELINE. Start with one item on your list and ask yourself: "How long will it take to build/create this?" Create a notecard for each task associated with your goal and write how long you will give yourself for task accomplishment. You may actually take a longer or shorter time period, but before getting started you should make a realistic estimate of the time it could take. If you were building a home, wouldn't you do a budget and timeline? Doing this for each of your larger goals gives you perspective, focusing your expectations on what is actually attainable. After attempting this exercise, you will have an idea of how long it could take to formulate your art business identity, to develop a line of work you feel is priced and designed competitively, promote yourself, or market your art. With big goals like these, it's hard to have any real concept of how long the road to success will be. But, looking at the time it takes to manage each tiny task toward a big goal, well this will put your mind at ease.

Goal Setting - Daily Affirmation

2006-03-03T05:08:00.000-08:00

Do you remember Stuart Smalley? "...Because I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and... dog'gonit ,people like me!" Stuart Smalley became a Saturday Night Live hit at a time when Americans were nearly as fond of daily affirmation as we were last year to the Atkins or South Beach Diets. Stuart was funny because he was mocking us! At the time, everyone had a book of daily affirmations and a calendar of inspirational quotes at their bedside. Affirmations were the flavor of the moment. But there are many cultures that have always believed in the power of belief itself. And, when you think about it, isn't that essentially what prayer is? ...A spiritual wish that you state aloud? You have no promise your prayer will be manifested. Yet, there is the hope that it could become real. Consider that goals can only become successful realities when they are believed to the same extent as prayer. What if the daily affirmation could play a role in helping you get from Point A to Point B? Affirm your goals each day or each week by... - Reading your goals aloud or writing them down every day - Placing visual reminders in places you frequent the most - Emailing or leaving yourself voice mail messages to keep your goal in sight

Goal Setting - Take Inventory

2006-03-02T05:00:00.000-08:00

I am very good with educating others. I am an expert at resourcing. But, if you promise not to scream it from the rafters, I'll share with you that I struggle with proper organization, strain against regimine, and literally have to force the evil procrastination devil off my shoulder each morning. When I write down my weaknesses and see them on paper before me, it is clear that I was not cut out for the military. Thank goodness I chose a more creative route! I don't think anyone who ever achieved success did so without the benefit of taking stock of their assets. What are you working with? To set and achieve even one goal, you really need to first TAKE INVENTORY OF YOUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES. Ask yourself the following questions and rate your strengths and weaknesses on a scale like the one below.

Where do your skills lie?
What are you capable of accomplishing?
Where do you flounder when push comes to shove?
What are you simply not capable of delivering?

Goal Setting - Networks

2006-03-01T04:45:00.000-08:00

Ten years ago you could have told me that "networking is the key to success" and I would have rolled my eyes, turning away from you. Today, I'm the one singing the networking song! I suppose I previously had an aversion to networking because, like a lot of artists, I was more comfortable harboring my own opinions and ideas, in my introverted skin. While I would guesstimate that artists and craftspeople are at least 75% introverted, we must push ourselves to make use of that extra 25%. Afterall... our extroverted side is what we will make first impressions on or be judged by. Before ever setting goals or even being able to build upon them, you must first BUILD A NETWORK. There's just no way around it. So, don't allow yourself to put it off. Take time today to consider 5 key people in your network: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) Tips to keep you on track:

Be sure to choose mentors with honesty.
Choose cheerleaders with objective opinions, free of bias.
Try to aim for at least 1 person who is where you want to be.

Goal Setting - Artist Feedback

2006-02-28T06:00:00.000-08:00

When I started out in art school, I looked around with Freshman eyes and knew I had one thing that most of the other students in my class didn't... I knew that critique was something I would rarely receive once I graduated and left college. With few rare exceptions, I enjoyed every critique in four years. I even found enjoyment in the ones that left me in tears, slammed for poor execution or flimsy ideas. Most of my peers attended critiques with dread. Consider that a chef-in-training is critiqued with every mouth that encounters their work. Art is very similar, with just as many subtleties and nuances to perfect and control with finesse. So why then, when we leave the art school realm and begin to promote or sell our work, do we stand back and assume we have all the tools and are now capable of critiquing our own work? Does a BFA really put a stamp of approval on our critical eye? Is self feedback really the same as outside feedback? Any honest artist or craftsperson would say, "No!" In order to achieve our art sales or promotion goals, we have to find a way of receiving reliable, reflective critique. I suggest every serious artist or craftsperson BE RELENTLESS IN SEEKING HONEST FEEDBACK using these guidelines: 1 - Avoid friends and family. Your mother doesn't want to hurt your feelings. Neither does your boyfriend or girlfriend. Look for objectivity. 2 - Seek out experts in your field of interest. Find successful artists you admire, people whose work you feel inspired by, or gallery owners or curators who are interested in contributing in small ways to artists in their community. The first time I called an artist I admired, I was stumped at what to say. But, I made the call, she laughed, and we had a great talk. It wasn't complicated or impossible. Don't psyche yourself out of asking for feedback from the best in the business. 3 - Make a habit of revisiting your own work and your own ideas. Sketchbooks are powerful. So are journals. But their power isn't in immediacy. What is incredible is when you pick up a sketchbook from 3 years ago and see similar forms, shapes, or ideas that relate to where you are today. Make a habit of journaling and sketching. Then put your ideas away on a shelf or in a box. Revisit these ideas now and then, and you will be surprised how peeking at the past is a form of review or reflection! 4 - Use a physical or online questionnaire to depersonalize the process. Ok, I know it may seem silly to send a questionnaire out about your work. But consider how busy people are today! I once received a package in the mail with 4 wooden jewelry chests and a paper questionnaire. It was from an artist I knew who was working on a new line and wanted feedback. By testing the piece, writing down what I liked and disliked, I was providing valuable impact that later was incorporated into his final designs. I've seen weavers do this by having people test their scarves or painters who allow friends to "house" their work for a month or two. Why not use a free service like Survey Monkey to make the feedback process seemless? 5 - Dig out the Polaroid or digital camera and give distance to design. One of my favorite tools is a Polaroid camera. I have two in the studio, and always back-up film. There is nothing better than being able to arrange something - snap. Rearrange it - snap. Flip it all around again - snap! Then, I line up all my photos and can stand back to review them. Other people can then also see what you saw in that quick moment. This speeds the critique process up. You waste less time on poor design ideas. 6 - Create a critique wall. Art schools have walls covered in cork or painted homosote. My studio also has this on one wall. It also has excellent lighting for the critique or display wall. I can put up pieces in progress or finished work and step back, with a strong lighting scenario, and review what is before me. Even the smallest of studios needs a blank space for review, reflection... and semi-formal critique.

Goal Setting - Acknowledgements

2006-02-27T08:05:00.000-08:00

Last August I was honored to be one of two invited keynote speakers for a weekend art business event put together by the Kentucky Craft Marketing Program and the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft. I talk about goal achievement quite a bit, so when I was told that the theme for the weekend was about "achieving and setting goals", it didn't phase me. I thought, "no problem!" Of course this was soon to be followed by, "Wait! How DO YOU go about SETTING a goal anyway?" All these years I've been preaching steps towards achieving this or succeeding at that, but what about that special inspired moment before all the work sets in? Goal setting, in my mind, is 1 part enthusiasm and 2 parts fear. It's the terrifying part of visioning the goal that usually stops us in our tracks. So, in the coming days I'll share with you what I wrote before and after my Kentucky Goal Setting talk. Today, we start with several ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ON SETTING GOALS. You've got to be a believer if you want to feel the wave of art business religion wash over you! #1 ) Know that business goals aren’t linear. Businesses rarely operate on a "do this, then this, then you're a raving success" model. Usually you start in one area and find yourself weaving a winding path towards your success marker. #2 ) Recognize that within yourself, you already know what steps to take. Somewhere in you is motivation, enthusiasm, interest, and background knowledge. In fact, somewhere in you is even a spot where you know what you aren't great at and need to pick up knowledge on! #3) Welcome the idea that you don’t have all the tools. As I said, somewhere you already know what you don't know. But in order to achieve your business goals, you have to be brave enough to admit it and deal with it. Eventually this may mean learning, hiring, contracting, or apprenticing just to cover the areas you lack. #4) Accept that ideas aren’t goals until you begin trying to achieve them. Think about that a minute. There is a difference between an IDEA and a GOAL. What is that difference? Well, it's action! #5) Believe that you can and you likely will. There is a lot to say for possitive thinking. And certainly if you can't envision success of one sort or another, there's little likelihood it will drop into your lap. #6) Losing sight of what made the idea interesting or fun handicaps your success. Don't forget what it was that made a light bulb go off for you in the beginning. When you lose this simple starting point, you lose a great deal of energy and joy. The hard work begins to cloud over everything. And, THIS is the spot where most businesses... or most artists... throw in the towel, feeling disillusioned.

Crafter or Craftsperson

2006-02-24T08:15:00.000-08:00

Art Bloggers

2006-02-07T17:50:00.000-08:00

Blog is the Word. Art and craft are the ever present Bible. Last year web was the debated issue among galleries. This year blogs are what I expect to hear everyone talking about at the big winter shows. There are more than a dozen good reasons I can identify off the top of my head as to why ALL artists and craftspeople should promote a weblog that they post on quarterly, bimonthly, weekly, or just whenever time and interest allows. My Top Three: 1) A blog is easier and much more attractive than a print newsletter. Time saved is more time in the studio. And, in this case, free software and pre-made templates will add to your professionalism. 2) You can have a blog even if you don’t have a website. Actually, it’s better than having a website. You can post images on it, as well as descriptions. No need to fuss with making a functional shopping cart. When it’s all said and done, how much volume would you have to do to justify the monthly work to keep up your full website? Ug… Too much time and energy down the drain. 3) Blogs make your stories come alive. It’s okay if you spell things wrong on occasion. It’s also okay if you never post an image. The key is to simply get your stories in print. How many little details about your work would you just love to share with someone but rarely get the chance? Using your blog as a way to relate how you started making and selling work, what your early days and first designs were like, or why certain pieces are so much more closely tied to your heart over others are all fantastic ways to push your artistic story into the stratosphere. So, I urge you to make a simple, first step today. Pick a blog name. Register your blog. And start posting on it. I promise, you don’t HAVE to share the address with ANYONE. But you will slowly begin to appreciate how the simple act of journeying your process helps you and helps others. It’s a lovely, easy way to give and take.

Expectations

2006-02-03T17:22:00.000-08:00

This week I had a conversation with a friend who reminded me that expectations are what tip the balance. Artists and craftspeople have so many expectations placed upon them, without even having to say a word. Do any of these ring a bell? - Making strong work you have confidence in - Juggling many commitments within time constraints - Keeping art output fresh all the time - Seeing eye to eye with galleries Two months ago I set out to make a dramatic change in my life, freeing up one part of my day for a set of priorities I had long neglected. What I noticed was that a new, invisible bar had been set. Consider that if an artist or craftsperson says their work is art, an immediate expectation pops up. We expect the work to look like art, feel like craft, or smell like something collectible or displayable. I would like to think the contemporary art arena has removed those expectations, but it hasn't. Recent proof of this in my studio are all people that walk in, head straight over to my studiomate's paintings, and walk straight past my abstract wall pieces. They can see a recognizable object in the paintings. This was their expectation before they ever entered the "studio". Consider too that everyone's time is limited and, because of this, you should control how it is spent. Last week I had to change my voice mail to reflect returning calls "within 48 hours". People expected to receive a call back the same day they left it. Even I expect this when I email. But, if you are only able to devote 3 hours a day to returning or accepting calls, it isn't physically possible to meet everyone's expectations. It could very possibly take 48 hours just to find the time to sit down and begin to dial their number! So, perhaps the hardest part about juggling expectations is that other people create them. Rarely are they created by the person they are expected of. Yet, you can limit them by remind people where your boundaries are, setting barriers earlier, and finding ways to comfortably and confidently remind people where the lies are drawn.

Buying a Beautiful Bowl

2006-02-02T14:30:00.000-08:00

I fell in love today. At first, I walked into the gallery and saw two crystalline glazed bowls on the right that caught my eye. They were exquisite. Pretty little feet. A delicious little lip that extended in, then out. And two small dimples on the underside of each of the bowls. It looked as if the maker had taken them off the potters wheel with a thumb and forefinger, pressing in just slightly. As I walked around I couldn’t get the bowls off my mind! And then, approaching the entrance of the gallery from the opposite side – there it was. This was my bowl. And it was lovely, with a slight brownish blush along the rim and four squatty feet carved out underneath. Inside was a brown dab of glaze. The entire bowl was a hazy crystalline blue-green. Beautiful. After sitting several pieces side by side and standing back, it was clear. This was my bowl. The others were nice, but not mine. And, as true love should work, I accepted her imperfections. Ok, so she’s not exactly in center. I affectionately refer to her as “wobbly”. And, yes, yes, so she wasn’t pulled particularly evenly on the wheel. She’s inconsistent and I can deal with that. Personally, I’m inconsistently inconsistent. So, we’re a nice pairing. With love in my eyes, I happily watched them wrap my piece and place it in a bag. After getting it home I unwrapped it with immediacy, as if it had changed or as if I was testing this new lighting scenario from the one where I bought it. It was great. My one little problem though, I don’t know who made it. I know she is a living potter in Florida with a Russian last name. That’s all I know. My new love has no name carved in her. She has no card with the artist’s information. There is no flyer or postcard with more about the potter. I know nothing other than that I like the bowl and that she is mine. To artists, the buying experience is perhaps not as important as the making experience. But to me, today, as a buyer... the uneveness in this approach truly made the difference... the subtle but crucial difference betweeen privately coveting my new bowl, or being given the opportunity to openly brag about the artist who made it every time I invite a friend over for dinner.

Liking It

2006-01-18T14:23:00.000-08:00

I actually made something I like today! I can hardly believe it. After weeks and months of stumbling and hemming and hawing... I leveled the last framed piece on the wall, stepped back with level in hand, and SMILED. I liked it. Now, of course the question is where other people will like it. But that is beyond the point right now. That's tomorrow's question, perhaps. Today, I really just want to keep this feeling... being caught up in the moment of enjoying what I've accomplished. It's my accomplishment. And, it's a big one. Liking what I've made makes me wonder why it's been so long since I had that feeling. Was I not putting the work in? Have I lowered my expectations? Am I actually making better work now? Perhaps tomorrow I'll feel like a one-hit-wonder working on cutting my second album. But while the feeling lasts... for tonight... I am a hit. Even if simply in my own mind.

Being Good Enough

2006-01-17T18:10:00.000-08:00

American Idol. I love it. No, I don't watch the main show. But, every season I do look forward to the 2 hour American Idol kick off, showcasing all the best and worst of the audition process. And, every season without fail, I walk away dumbfounded after the two hours. How in the world can so many people believe they are good enough at something to travel to an audition, wait in lines for hours, only to stand in front of three judges, all the while being video taped... exposed? In tonight's season opener Simon tells one contestant, "Well, that was a mess... a ripe mess!" The girl storms out of the room crying and telling people how great she is and how wrong they are. How stupidly, pathetically wrong they are. Next a girl rushes out of the room with her acceptance paperwork. She's going to Hollywood for the next round of auditions. She gets in an argument with the girl standing next to her, who didn't think she was a good enough singer to be accepted and is surprised by her acceptance. Instead of singing to demonstrate her worth, the Hollywood-bound contestant rolls her head, "I didn't just sing. I performed!" She is perhaps saying that it isn't just about having talent or a voice... It's about charisma, drama, and stage presence, which she feels she delivered in spades. Isn't this shockingly similar to the art market? There are those who think they have talent, yet you look at their work, turning your head this way and that... wondering if you're the only one who doesn't "get it". Where is the greatness in their work? Is this an 'inside joke'? Then there are other artists, who are good enough to pull it off. They keep at it. They find the 'X' factor in presentation, improve how they talk about their work, or succeed through sheer persistence. They may not have talent, but they push through with drive. American Idol is a singing competition, but to me it's a slice of hope... blind, brave, and otherwise. And, we all need hope that making our art is worthwhile. Don't we?

The Musical Studio

2006-01-12T16:17:00.000-08:00

I have my studio day timed out... I begin with 2 CD's. With a 3rd CD, I take a break. I eat an orange, munch on carrots, or sometimes make tea. I also try to clean my work tables, sweep the floor, take out trash. CD number four has me back at one work table or another. Five is lunch and rearranging things on my critique wall to get a new perspective. Six and seven is usually my last push of the day. I can, of course, work longer... but I notice that when I work longer than seven CD's, I get jumpy and make mistakes that require teasing out the following morning. If I'm really absorbed, I have a lull of silence in between CD's that I don't even notice. Suddenly I will look up and laugh... "When did it get so quiet in here?" The newly noticeable silence makes time creep by and I have to go over to the stereo to 'fix' the problem. So, why is this worth mentioning? Well, I don't just believe music sets a certain mood in my studio, I happen to know that it puts me into a trance, of sorts. At first I hear the sound and hum, sing, or even dance along. But, as the music continues to play and I keep my energy focused on the work at hand, I stop hearing the sound. I am nearly hypnotized by work! And music is my key to that kind of studio focus. Consequently, I can't imagine having a studio without a stereo! It's one of those "essentials" that I often forget to acknowledge, but would be devastated to give up. How about you? What keeps you motivated and MAKING art in your studio? What are the sounds that keep you buzzing?

Begin at the Beginning

2006-01-05T18:54:00.000-08:00

The funny thing about setting goals is that setting them isn't particularly the hard part. What makes goal setting truly difficult is taking the first step after your big aha moment. So, how can you set a goal and then take the plunge to realize it? Well, after working with enough capable people who talked themselves right out of accomplishing what they were once so excited to achieve... I have patched together an exercise that at least attempts to quiet some of those negative voices in your head, if not help move your along your path. Our example here is my brother, Robert, who took a weaving class several months ago and discovered he loves weaving, is skilled at it, and would like to find a way to weave for at least a part-time income. First, I sat down with Robert and asked him what his goals are. Generally we all know this about ourselves. Most of us know we have a goal to have a local gallery exhibit, sell our work to a certain type of collector, or even make a certain amount of money. Robert's goals were simple, after all, he's just beginning. For now, he would like to (1) become better at weaving, (2) make good work he is proud of, and (3) share his work with others, (4) sell some of his better work. He wrote each of these down on slips of paper and I attached them to the living room wall. (YES! That means the art originally hanging there was taken down. Hello? This is a bigger priority!) Next, we selected one of the goals and wrote separate slips of paper for every step related to accomplishing that goal. An example: To become better at weaving he needs to (A) take more classes, (B) practice, and (C) attend a weaving conference. We did this for each of his goals. In this case, he had four. After this we started back where we began and reviewed each step we had just pasted on the wall. He now placed slips just underneath these with details associated with these steps. Example: In order to take more classes he has to (a) sign up for weavers guild newsletters that list the classes, (b) save money to pay for the class he chooses, and (c) set aside time with his 2 jobs to attend the class. This is what the wall looked like after accomplishing this and brainstorming the path towards achieving just 1 of his 4 goals: During this process Robert learned that he knew more than he thought he knew. He had most of the answers in his head about where to begin and how to start down the path. He had just been so fearful of beginning that he hadn't allowed himself to think past that fear. With his milestones on the wall in front of him every day (milestones he created and brainstormed), it made them REAL and achievable. Even on days when he doesn't work towards one of the goals, he can read everything on the wall, re-set his priorities in his mind, and plot where to dive in the next day. So, why not try this with the brass ring you've been dying to reach up and grab? If you need a coach, a cheerleader, or just someone to help you with the process... you know where to find me.

Non-wearable Gifting

2005-12-20T17:06:00.000-08:00

So, you don’t make wearable artwork, eh? (You wouldn’t believe the amount of email I received on this. It’s heartening and also a good kick in the seat of my pants-style reminder that blog readers are not a one-size-fits all group.) Below are two scans of my friend Julia Sokol’s fabulous trade show gifties… I won’t give away Julia’s secrets to how she made them, but they are affordable and attractive wearable versions of her larger wall clocks and handpainted art. She brings them to shows to give to people who buy her work, admire her work, or otherwise support her. I know I proudly wear mine. If you are a painter, photographer, sculptor, or otherwise non-wearable artist or craftsperson, think outside the box. There is a way to promote your work in a simple, inexpensive gift that others will wear or otherwise display. Let me know what clever ideas you come up with! (Hint: You can email me OR, better yet, you can post in the public comment area just below the end of this post... this way everyone can gain from you idea, insight, or inspiration!)

3 Rules of the Road

2005-12-03T18:14:00.000-08:00

I had a fun walk down Memory Lane yesterday. It all started with a simple email invitation. It ended with a 3 hour long lunch, lots of laughter, and a great flow of energy. I drove away with so many things on my mind, but here are just a few thoughts that may relate to you and your interest in making and selling your own artwork... #1 - If I haven't made it clear here in the past, I am definitely making it clear now... art and craft are so closely merged that, today, they distinctly overlap. Don't get overly hung up by labels and terminology. There's a time and place for academia, but it should mostly be left behind in art history class. Today's art market is about accepting blurred boundaries. Art, craft, and design are so blurred today that if you aren't considering all three, then you will likely be left behind. This is the moment and the topic that will be in art history books 20 years from now. So wake up and get with the program. #2 - It's no longer enough to just make things. This is another strong view behind my posts here. Today, you can't just MAKE artwork. You also have to consider the value of your work. All work has value, so why ignore that fact? Even if you don't have plans for how to sell your work, knowing the value helps you determine better ways to make work. If you blindly continue making things and assume someone/somewhere will just slap a price on it for you, you miss out on one crucial part of the critique process... accepting that your audience will always be making value judgements (valuing your time and energy with the price tag next to the piece). After you work on value, you can deal with promotion, marketing, branding, and every thing tossed toward you. But, an evaluation of value IS where it all begins. #3 - The past isn't a book that has closed. Some people never move on. I happen to be a person who gets excited about moving on, hence why I'm always moving! I always see something big around the next corner. But, what if the next big thing in your work or your career is behind a door you've already closed? Consider that your future art collectors could be people you crossed paths with 10 years ago. Your biggest collector could even be someone you went to high school with! ...Yet one more reason why your Momma was right. That "Golden Rule" stuff really is relevant. So, thank you to my lunch buddy. Once again, you unintentionally made a big impact. And, good lord... watch out... because the gears are turnin'! Big things are on the horizon.

The End

2005-12-02T17:25:00.000-08:00

When I was in art school there was a certain flow to each week. Classes narrowed their focus on both skill and concept. Students were expected to develop work as a response and, in upcoming weeks, participate in some form of critique. This constant exploration and review allowed young artists-in-training (like me) to hone their craft. We never spent too long laboring over something useless because the project either came to an end or the critique snapped us back into reality. But when you're no longer in school, you have to determine your own ways of working. And, many times that is a long, uphill battle. No one is assigning anything. No review sessions are plotted on the calendar. There is no reason not to let studio work linger on and on. Pieces are only finished when you want them to be. And no piece really has to be finalized. After I graduated, I went through a long process of: - Not making work - Making work on the couch - Wanting to make work and instead making excuses - And, finally, making and finishing pieces (what a concept!) While career artists and craftspeople with collectors and galleries probably shake their heads at this, I know there are more than a handful of artists who have had or are in the midst of their own similar crisis of completion. The question for them isn't so much where to find the time or place to make work, but how to develop the urge to finish what you've started. So, my solution? Something very simple that you must do today if finishing things hasn't been your forte lately. Get out the calendar and let "X" mark the spot. Pencil in a day for a studio open house, an artsy dinner party, or a full-fledged critique. Mark a day of your choosing right now, before you lose the nerve. My calendar? Well, I marked it weeks ago. To ensure I stuck to my plan, I upped the ante by ordering postcard invitations from an area printer. Who knows! I may only have 5 people attend from my entire list, but in the end even those 5 will have served their purpose. Afterall, the real value of my opening is every day it nudged me back into the studio before my big night. Sometimes, pressure really is a good thing.

Being a Tool Head

2005-12-01T17:48:00.000-08:00

Most artists and craftspeople are really just big, tool heads. They get jazzed about gadgets. And, yep, I admit to being a tool geek too. Last week I had a day that just didn't start so well. So, what did I do? I went shopping! And because I'm not especially big on clothes shopping, I went to the hardware store to hang out and 'get happy' for a few hours. Hardware stores have a way of helping me refocus becuase I walk away with a big mental list of dozens of things I never knew I needed, but now can't live without. My favorite new tool? An itty bitty butane pin torch. I love my tiny torch so much that everyone who walks into my studio gets a quick demo and my 'five points of light' on why, exactly, this gizmo is so great. I'm so head-over-heels in love that I've considered buying several. You know... just in case have a pin torch emergency, I'll always have a 'back up'? (Nah... I talked myself out of it to.) So, what's YOUR favorite new tool? Email me a quick note to share what has you jazzed these days in the tech department.

Ending AND Beginning

2005-11-18T18:53:00.000-08:00

I've had some difficult personal questions I've been juggling lately. The 2 questions that might sound most familiar to you... - When is it the right time to spend more time in the studio and less time at your day job? - How do you jump from being a working world, career climber to being a career artist? - What does the sign look like that points toward spending more time making art? My personal questions were answered over the past few years, as I worked with more and more artists who balanced their careers with art making. On most accounts, I've had a luxury in this regard. I've been able to see so many models of how to dive into the studio and find success. But if helping other artists succeed before I've helped myself isn't pressure, then I don't know what is! My answer to the questions above is that we all will have different answers. Some of us want to do the show circuit. Some of us want to have gallery exhibits and let others handle the business side of art making. And some of us have career goals that mean just as much as our artistic goals. I can assure you there is no magic, flashing sign! I can also assure you that you won't wake up one day knowing exactly how to shuffle your priorities and feel secure with the path you've chosen. The challenge in being passionate about a dream is that you may always wonder what's on the other side of that dream. For me, NOW is the time when I will strike a bigger balance. As of next Monday I will be stepping down from my full-time career role and stepping into a part-time position of flexibility. My studio will see my face more frequently. My work will reveal itself more quickly because I will finally have time and energy scheduled for it. And, who knows where it all will lead... but there will be some exciting new projects on the table soon too. And... of course... this change will also now allow more time for me to post on my blog!

Think BIG

2005-09-30T06:04:00.000-07:00

So, art isn't exactly the hottest commodity these days, eh? Well, what have you considered changing in your repetoire? Are you willing to adjust your designs or price points? Are you interested in trying a new material or switching to a different medium? And, what if I asked you to think BIG? Public art isn't something to turn your nose up at. Public art commissions mean big dollars, long term projects, and, many times, an opportunity to work with a team of people who are experts in installation, lighting, landscaping, or even casting. Public art commissions extend budgets averaging between $10,000 and $100,000. Of course these opportunities don't come without hurdles. But, garnering a public art commission could lead to a stable new project on your horizon, isn't it worth at least a second glance? As I write this, the following states have several lucrative public art opportunities available: Florida :: Kentucky :: Oklahoma :: Missouri You can also place your bio and information on file at one of many state, city, and county public art commission offices, like these: Arizona :: Florida This is, of course a sampling of opportunities, but doesn't it seem possible that if you think BIGGER and apply your creative energies to an 'out of the box' idea, it might just pay off by reviving your bank account and energizing your other work?

Where is Your Light?

2005-09-29T04:42:00.000-07:00

I know a potter who has struggled for several years now. Juggling family and a business is not easy, but he has had additional burdens to bear. His work sold well at a show last year and he finally had confirmation that his work was good--very good. After the drive home, though, the verdict wasn't so clear. Sure, his work sold well, but his prices were all wrong. He lost money in the end. He lost A LOT of money. It nearly broke him, but he woke up each day for months and kept working toward his goal. This struggle required him to take an evening job at a grocery store. He kept his head high, despite this. At a recent show I saw him every day for three days and each day he was easily the hardest working craftsman on his aisle in the show. He was up, animated, ready to go, smiling. Upon seeing me, he folded. Underneath all that effort was a man that was breaking. I left his booth each day seeing him with tears in his eyes. He was trying so hard. Even his wife was beginning to say, "Honey, pack it up. It's time to stop chasing this dream." Still, he took every piece of advice sent his way. Every day of the show he tweaked his signage, rearranged his shelves, rethought his approach. When he returned from this show, he again had confirmation of success. He had orders to fill and, thanks to his past lessons learned, he wasn't losing money on these sales. Back at home, the potter now had to work out production problems. He could no longer rely on the uneven results of the gas kiln he owned. He also couldn't keep getting up in the middle of the night to drive several miles to the location where his kiln was housed. He used a friend's electric kiln and fired a handful of pieces with success. Now, he needed to find a way to afford the electric kiln, which would streamline his process and cut his costs (not to mention, his sleepless nights!). Still, he pressed on despite minimal sleep, the doubt of even his family, and the discouraging signs looming everywhere. Then, one day, recently a letter arrived. His name was spelled wrong. The envelope could easily have been mistakenly tossed aside as junk mail. In the envelope was a letter from a bank. The author of the letter seemed to be familiar with his story. The bank knew he needed a kiln, more time to develop his work, more opportunity to court craft retailers, more relationships with buyers,... a break. Having someone know his story and care enough to write a letter of concern meant a lot. But what gave him real pause was the $10,000 check from an anonymous donor that was attached to the lettter. We can't all rely on faith alone to keep us pushing along toward out goal, and, unfortunately, we don't all have spouses to help us bear the load. At the end of the day, whatever our circumstances, we either have the energy to wake up and do it all again, or we don't. But, isn't there somthing inspiring in the knowledge that others are dealing with the exact same strains, that we can lean on each other now and then, and that there is, somewhere/somehow, an inevitable light at the end of the tunnel?

Monday Muse - Terese Agnew

2005-09-22T17:22:00.000-07:00

An Unlikely Arts Ambassador

2005-09-22T17:00:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's true! Even sock monkeys can be champions for the arts!! There I was last weekend, at Tamarack in Beckley, West Virginia. The students were wide eyed. The weather was beyond gorgeous. The food was fantastic. And, then there was the sock monkey that accosted me in the hallway... telling me all about art and craft traditions in West Virginia and just how many living artists there are that truly need support and mentoring. Thank goodness we were in town to deliver just that with the Arts Business Institute. Thanks, Artie, for bringing this important issue to my attention. I was happy to be in town to help. However, it made me even happier to hear about Tamarack's partnership with organizations in the local area to develop a resource center for working artists and creative small business owners!

A Shrinking Arts Market?

2005-09-19T04:43:00.000-07:00

As I look around right now, I know more artists and craftspeople that are trying to turn art making and selling into their full time career. Does this sound like anyone you know? At the same time, when I look around I also see more graduate arts administration, masters of arts in business, and master of fine arts programs then ever before. And according to my view, this mass of education and effort isn’t quite matched by sales figures, job options, or a widening art market. Sure, all outward appearances LOOK great, but the art market appears to be narrowing. Is this due to a lack of art buying confidence? Is this the result of a bigger economic picture? Or, is this the result of having more buying options than ever before? A recent RAND study, while focusing on nonprofit arts and the fine art world, does still speak to the bigger picture artists and craftspeople work within today. The study offers several of the shallower pool in which we frequently find ourselves standing today. Click here to read a brief report on this research which, to quote them, “suggests that the visual arts picture isn’t as rosy as it first appears” and that the report tells “a story of rapid, even seismic change, systemic imbalances, and dislocation.” Hmm… not particularly encouraging. But, fact IS a far easier platform to plan and act from than the theories, wild guesses, and reactive disappointment we typically arm ourselves with.

Getting and Giving

2005-08-23T18:11:00.000-07:00

I believe that we arrive at destinations in life thanks to many people along the way – some who help us directly, some who aide us by hurting us and unintentionally teaching us lessons about ourselves, and others who just pass by us like strangers in an airport. This past week I have had the rare opportunity to slow my life down and step back a bit. And right there along side me were several key people who, through the openness of their hearts and homes, made it possible for me to take the journey I had to take. I needed to reacquaint myself with myself. Sometimes these simple acts feel so big. Generosity IS big. And it shouldn’t be taken lightly. So, on my way to the airport I just let that emotion take me over. Generosity, it turns out, is the rocket fuel that allows us to tap into our dreams, renew our energy, and see parts of ourselves we might have long forgotten as the day-to-day takes over. Surround yourself with people who can give you that gift. And, hopefully, you will feel inspired to give that gift back to others. Be generous today, tomorrow, and always.

No Plan, No Problem

2005-08-20T04:57:00.000-07:00

Most days for me (and likely, also for you) have a certain order. I know what time I’m roughly waking up. I have a routine that includes brushing my teeth, having a quiet moment with my cat as the sun spreads across the city, and dilly-dallying before heading out the door. Today I had no plan. There was no order. In fact, I avoided even planning not having the plan. I knew today would be a “day off” but I didn’t even allow myself to fill it with plans for the day off. Now that it’s evening and much of the day has come and gone… I can report back that I did the following: - Walked on the beach just before sun-up with the sound of water lapping on the shore and the rustling of grasses in the wind. - Ate a breakfast that included 2 soy sausages, a handful of raisins, an apricot, and a tiny wedge of cheese with crackers. No prep, no mess, no mid-morning lingering hunger. - Sat at the edge of the bay and drew 5 pages of old, scraggely-looking pelicans, not quite capturing the look of a “yawning” bird as it stretches out one arm and lifts one leg, then the other, and not exactly getting the look of the depth of the water or the enormity of their bodies. - Mid-morning nap while trying to read a book, tossed the book immediately upon waking up. Good books shouldn’t inspire sleep. - Quick shower and then back on the beach where the wind could dry my hair, except for the out-of-nowhere rainstorm that popped up, causing me to resign to a wet head. Then, laying on a wet beach with rain drops hitting my lips and eyes and nose as I tried to keep my eyes open to watch the rain cloud pass by. It was just water. It would pass. That’s just the tiniest peek into my non-planned, non-orchestrated, non-regulated day. I encourage YOU to pick a no plan day and to stick with the program of not having a program. Don’t worry. Nothing earth shattering will happen because you took a 'YOU DAY'. I also assure you that, as elementary as the concept sounds, your body wants a day off. Your mind will rejoice. Your head will recharge. Your smile will be hard to peel off the next day.

Teamwork

2005-08-18T18:19:00.000-07:00

I just returned from a quick, but fruitful, visit to Ohio. Invited to speak to the Eastern Ohio Arts Guild, I hopped on a plane and soon found myself in a small town outside of Columbus. My first unshared, internal thought: My, it’s amazing how something as simple as the act of making creative objects is such a universally understood expression! Art and craft are truly a part of our humanness. It glues us together. Small towns are no exception. In many ways they are the rule. Sure, art congregates in big cities. But it swells up from the ground in quieter areas of the country! My second thought: What's the flavor of this guild? Where are they headed? What is their purpose for gathering together? All member groups have something in common. I think it’s natural to have a group that appreciates and makes art, but what is the common goal? As one who travels and visits with groups of all shapes and sizes, I’ve seen some truly muddled goals in even large art guilds. I was curious where this group fit in the grand scheme of things. My questions were answered and my thoughts bubbled to the surface at their Wednesday evening meeting which I was scheduled to present at, following the traditional business meeting. There were the basic readings of old business, treasurer’s reports, and new business. And then, there I found myself, a quick introduction and I was off and running. We talked about several shared challenges and roadmarkers for success in artmaking. Specifically, I highlighted how focusing on marketability can transform the way you create, what you create, and how you share that creative expression with others. If you move beyond just making to focus on WHO you are making objects for, it colors your commitment to art and enriches your experience. The group was extraordinary. They were rich with diversity, as most art guilds are. I saw a wide range of ages at the meeting. There were the quiet introverts who sat patiently and waited for the discussion to get rolling. There were also the head nodders who were struggling to define the path ahead of them and had already asked themselves many of the questions I posed. In the end, hobbiest or full-time career hopeful... We were all on the same page. Our passions deserve to be acknowledged and nurtured. THIS is what glued this guild together at the seams -- A shared desire to support one another. And when I thought about it, this simple beginning CAN spawn so many things: critiquing each other's photography, improving one other's prices, learning how to step away from our work to allow others in to honestly review our objects/images, possibly even identifying group discounts for slides, postcard printing, or credit card processing. I do hope this group can maintain that core focus as each member begins to bring something new to the table month after month, slowly expanding the bounds of the guild's purpose for mutual member benefit. Individually, artists should allow themselves to think big. And, having the support of a membership group allows artists a certain freedom from that individual risk. Suddenly, with the support and creative input of others, we begin to think GIGANTIC! So, why not investigate an art guild this month in your area? Why not join the group and begin seeing how your boundaries stretch and your work grows? If you're already a member of a group, why not begin assertively bringing new ideas and suggestions to your monthly meeting? A well-steered team can certainly accomplish much more than any individual artist working unguided in their home, garage, or studio space. Teamwork isn't just a childhood classroom exercise. It truly is one of the winning factors that successful artists have in their back pocket -- the support and guidance of others.

Not Just Thriving, but SURVIVING

2005-08-10T05:58:00.000-07:00

It has been a rough summer for so many artists and craftspeople I care about. At times, I’ve questioned how many more summers I’ll continue to hear stories about “bad shows”, “slow sales”, and a “lack of buyers”. It seems this has been the art/craft buying experience since 2000, a slowly eroding river bank that we keep trying to help each other from falling into. In many ways emerging and already emerged career artists are sharing the same struggle. When you truly step back and look at the landscape, there are still buyers. They are still buying. They are just being far more delicate about where they invest their money. Risk is avoided. Chances are taken with less frequency. Whims are placed on the endangered list. So, what can those having “bad years” really do? Well, I think we ALL should be doing so much right now – Not leaving anything to the weather. Bad year, bad show, or otherwise, there is one mantra we should all be chanting. It should be written on the threshold of our studio doors, causing us to confront and step over it every day. It should be hummed all the way to and from a show. It should become the song we all work to in the studio. “Resilience.” I can cite specific examples of what tactics have worked for others and I often do here – mailers that helped, certain shows that provided prominence, and on and on. But the true question of who will succeed comes down to simply who can best weather the storm. Then weather the next and the next and the next. It’s a simple concept that we brush over. Actually we usually PUSH and SHOVE past resilience, running toward something more concrete that we can point a finger at or hold up as explanation. When, really, isn’t art market resilience just the same as nature’s “the strong will survive” resolve? Isn’t studio resilience also similar to the way wooden homes that sway with the wind are often the structures that remain standing after hurricane forces clean the slate? In my estimation, resilience in the art/craft marketplace is about: - Not surrendering to anger. Bend to it on occasion, but then bounce back and keep your professional exterior. - When the anger of a “bad show” or poor sales subsides, set aside emotion and run the numbers. Review sales stats from the past several years (if possible) and identify the holes. And, a quick note… We ALL have HOLES. You may have been selling work for 25 years, but the market has not stayed unchanged for 25 years. - When you identify the problems, work to resolve them quickly and with minimal drama. Let the numbers guide you, not nursing sentimental hope that natural bouncing back on your feet will work this time like it may have in past rough years. A “sticking it out” perspective just will not do. This leaves your future to chance and there are small things we all can do proactively every day. Like a plumber, your job is to find leaks, fix them, then move on. Find another, fix it, then move on. - Then begin rebuilding by trimming the fat. Make fresh steps forward with new measures that will be more cost-effective and efficient. We would like to say we always do this. But, for example, have you ever thought to improve show success by increasing your energy level when you sell your work? Gym memberships and exercise classes are effective ways to improve this area of your sales plan, but it’s one of those often forgotten (or avoided?) solutions. How about looking at software to shorten bookkeeping time, sending a survey to customers to receive actionable feedback, or re-evaluating your suppliers from printing materials to raw supplies? Plan one day, every other week to brainstorm new ways of working that could turn over better results. Two common features of resilient artists is their consistent grip on what brought them to make and sell work in the first place AND their persistently flexible approach to success. Do you find yourself falling back on these qualities? Reacquaint yourself once a month (or more!) with the simple joy you receive from making and sharing work. Maybe for you this comes in the form of a PLAY DAY that you mark on your calendar. Perhaps you create one page on your website to sell these experimental pieces. Or, maybe you commit to give work away to a worthy cause regularly. Keeping your focus on your work does, in the end, become a key strategy to staying afloat. When your artistic spirit wakes again after a long sleep, it’s like a reunion and this energy boosts us to keep the whole cycle going over and over and over again. Rediscovering your simple business beginning IS a place for emotion. As to a flexible approach? Well, we all have ways we think success should look when we get there. We assume it should be the same from year to year and have all the same markers we've seen in the past. We also presume it will be concrete and be based on rational factors. The simple fact is business is business. Some years success will be in numbers. Other years success will come in the form of contacts or private commissions. Some years luck is on our side. Other years it seems as if no puzzle piece is fitting. Our unfailing flexibility will help push us through this, guiding us to try new things, take things in from a fresh perspective, or overturn the apple cart entirely in favor of a new result from radical change. Flexibility is about controlling emotion and using it for ideal benefit.

Pining for an Opinion?

2005-04-22T17:23:00.000-07:00

I checked my email tonight and received a surprising message from someone who disagreed with my opinion and not only chose to tell me so, but I feel, presumed I didn't have my facts straight. I know I have clearly stated here time after time that my postings are simply my take on things. You may have a different take. Still another person may have a third perspective. Having said that, let me clarify my position... - I am sometimes wrong. If I am wrong email me and tell me so. My email address is AlishaVincentATcomcastDOTnet. - On opinion issues, sometimes our opinions will differ. If you would like to share this, email me at AlishaVincentATcomcastDOTnet. - If you would like to openly disagree with me on your blog or web site, great. You might be surprised to know that I would be interested in sharing this difference of opinion with my readers. So, email me and I will link to your post. Again, my email is AlishaVincentATcomcastDOTnet. So, to recap: I don't know everything and, horror of horrors, I don't pretend to. However (a BIG "however"), I do post only on topics I have some base of knowledge on. So, if you disagree with me, you shouldn't expect me to shrink in a corner and say, "Oh. Ok. I shouldn't have said that." I stand by what I say and I stand by what I post.

Coming Out to Play

2005-04-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

When I first headed off to art school I arrived on the East Coast with a sewing machine, a rice cooker, my clothes, and car trunk full of other ‘necessities’. Oh, yes, and a trash bag full of 400 condoms. (Bear with my story here…) Somehow, over the course of that short summer, an idea lodged in my mind to create an unusual sort of ball gown. I made the sketches before I had any clue what my material would be. And, then the material came to me through a classified in the paper. A local group was conducting safe sex education workshops in the area and had placed a simple promotional ad. So, I called them to explain my idea and they were surprisingly thrilled at the prospect of helping an artist. They allowed me to drop by their offices and fill a bag with whatever I liked. I chose the generic white packets with gold writing. They were interested in drumming up a little creative news for their cause. I was simply looking for free art supplies! I spent my ‘spare time’ (what little there was) as a college freshman, piecing together a quilted fabric of these white packaged condoms. The gold writing somehow transformed the piece into something elegant. It was a strange experience for me too, letting the material dictate where I headed. Aside from this ‘spare time’ project, most of my work up to that point revolved around mediums I had more control over – clay, photography, paint. How do you control a uniformed square packet? You can’t. So, I followed where the shape led me. By the following October my ‘spare time’ project had resulted in a wedding gown, complete with corseted bodice. I had enough ‘material’ left over to create a coordinating tuxedo, vest and bow tie, all made with condom packets and gold fabric. The pieces appeared one time only, at the annual Halloween Party for the art school which I attended. As we descended the grand staircase to meet each other and exchange rings in a mock wedding ceremony, John Travolta’s famed ‘strut’ music played in the background. As we embraced, friends threw condom packets (unopened, mind you!) from the upper level balcony down to the crowd below. That night we were declared “Best Couple” and won $250, a fortune for two poor art students. The dress and the tux went into retirement and I moved on with my life. It was just a fun play exercise for me, really. And though it was fun while it lasted, the obsessive repetition it required was too monotonous for me to repeat again. I learned a great deal about my own natural artistic working process and made my contribution to safe sex education in the process. Sometimes your material will find you and, if you allow it to, it can steer you in unexpected directions. At the least, this is an exercise all artists should challenge themselves on now and again… trying something out of the realm of expectation - challenging yourself with an out of character whim. So, you’ve mastered the art of working on a series of work, a body of pieces that link to one another and represent your skills and interested? Why not take a little time to play in the studio now and then? Why not give yourself one day per month or a few hours per week where you turn everything upside down and dive into the unexpected? Wouldn’t you like to take the pressure off and just play in the studio now and then?

Monday Muse - Fraser Smith

2005-04-04T05:31:00.000-07:00

When I was growing up, I remember my step-mother investing in quilting hoops, batting, special fabric scissors, chalk and blue markers, and every size and sort of ruler you can imagine. Oh, and did I forget to mention the fabric? Yard after yard of tan, taupe, and chocolate-hued calicos, her palette of choice. These are the tools of a quilter; the implements today's quilter needs. Fraser Smith subscribes to a different quilting theory. His tools are those of the woodworker. When I look at a Fraser Smith “quilt”, I see generations of craft traditions, from the symmetry in Amish quilts to the symbolism in the rare, remaining slave quilts carried through the Underground Railroad. When I look again, I see thousands of years of painting innovation, from Brunelleschi-inspired perspective to timelessly popular trompe l’oeil. Perhaps I’m biased, but the depth and richness that wood grain and a rainbow of stains can offer is far more miraculous than oils. When you look closely at an oil painting, you see brush strokes and the hand of the artist. When you look closely at one of Smith’s pieces, you see reflected light and color. It isn’t forced or applied as a gimmick to remind you that you're looking at "art". After all, where are you standing? Often, a gallery. Instead the artist’s hand is naturally implied. I feel fortunate to have seen Fraser Smith’s quilts in person several times over the years. First, at a SOFA show. Then, several more times at other, smaller gallery exhibits. I’m blown away each and every time. And I defy you to spend time with Smith’s work and not also walk away shaking your head. Fortunately, your next big chance to feel the exciting Fraser Smith experience is when his newest piece is unveiled (or, is the term “hung out on the line” more appropriate here?) at SOFA New York this June.

Important Studio Warning!

2005-04-02T17:41:00.000-08:00

Today I write with an important art studio warning. If you are not sitting down right now (What? You're actually standing at your computer?!), please do so now. Read ahead with caution. I highly advise you put a mini refridgerator in your studio if you do not currently have one. A highlight of my Saturday (today)? Plugging in the mini fridge and standing back, tapping my toe, peeking in every few minutes to see if it was cold yet. At the first sign of a slight chill I zipped out of the studio, locked the door, and sped over to the convenience store. My purchases? Something practical - H2O. Something impractical - Ice cream! Flashing lights and hazard signs were all over but I was on a chilly, electric Cloud Nine. Do not... repeat... DO NOT do as I do. Please, do as I am s a y i n g. My fellow creatives: Avoid Ben & Jerry's in the studio at all costs! Damn. Why did I have to buy the model with a little freezer compartment? I'm doomed for sure.

Weekend Links - Painting, New and Old

2005-04-01T08:01:00.000-08:00

In honor of my studio mate, who has been painting still life scenes endlessly since moving into our new space, I give you this weekend’s web links… A Painting A Day - Duane Keiser is a talented painter. Don’t just take my word for it. Look at his daily progress. Alice Neel – She was one in a long line of female artistic pioneers, who just happened to be recognized during her lifetime for the body of work she prolifically continued producing, even as she became an aging grandmother. We all should pray for half as much consistency and persistence. Jane Voorhees - I feel that after thousands of years of painting, the medium has proven one thing… Simple processes can still continue to break boundaries and awaken our senses in new ways. Jane’s work shakes you with the simplicity of a simple, haunting image. Oh, and she lives in my home state – Kansas. Mark Barone - Mark was kind enough to allow me to interview him for an upcoming article that makes mention of his phenomenal work to build Paducah, Kentucky back up from a declining town to a thriving community with strong support systems for working artists. That's my super brief description. Mark also is a painter and the images I could find are intriguing. Thanks, Mark! The Venerable Anna Conti - The painting above is by Anna, whose weblog I follow religiously and whose paintings defy my acrylic observations. Anna’s acrylics offer proof that all stereotypes are intended to be broken, including mine.

My Secret's Out

2005-03-30T06:40:00.000-08:00

Ok, ok, ok. I’ve received a slew of emails in the last few weeks asking where I have been. Hmm… well, it’s confession time. I’ve been having an affair. Eeee…. I get giddy and excited just *thinking* about it! Who am I having the affair with? Well, it’s not a “who”, exactly. It’s STUDIO 110. Yep. I signed the dotted line on a new studio space just before leaving for North Carolina. A HUGE studio space. Four big windows. Heat and air conditioning. A working sink (Ahh.. little miracles!) Tall ceilings. A mailbox. My name hanging next to the door. Oh, and a blank room, full of possibility and promise. I can’t forget that. So, most of my waking free moments in the past two weeks have been invested in a new series of work, as I get to know my new studio space and it gets to ‘know’ me. Thanks for having patience. Thank you to those who have helped keep my secret… until I was ready to let it out. And, stay tuned for when I move this blog to it’s next step… a web site featuring a few peeks into my studio life as an artist. I’ve marked June as my goal for an open studio event to coincide with my ‘web opening’. AHA! I bet some of you are still scratching your heads! You had NO CLUE I made MY OWN work, now did you? Yep. I definitely like to talk the talk. But, I also enjoy walking it now and then. ;)

Monday Muse - Christina Bothwell

2005-03-28T06:14:00.000-08:00

I am so happy to be living in an internet age, filled with T1 lines and WiFi zones. All this technology is a curator’s dream. What better way to reach dozens or even hundreds of artists then email? What easier method of narrowing a selection of pieces down then to view an online artist web catalogue? This is how I met Christina Bothwell. Through a series of strange circumstances I found myself parked one night on Bothwell’s web site. Something kept me browsing from page to page, until I absorbed every piece posted online. At the time, it was hard to put my finger on what exactly intrigued me, but I emailed her before heading off to bed. And then something special happened. She emailed me back. Immediately. Ahh, the wonders of instant email communication! The next day I emailed the exhibition prospectus to her and the following week a priority mail package was at my door. I still had other artists to collect slides from and an exhaustive museum curatorial review process to bite my nails through, but Bothwell’s work was a phenomenal start and it pushed me forward. Eventually I heard from the overseas curators and her work was accepted for the exhibit. She was thrilled. I was thrilled. Then, it came time to ship the piece to the museum in Asia. And, again, something surprising occurred. Each of the other artists packaged and mailed insured boxes of their work to me for a final redirected shipment to the overseas freight warehouse in New York. Christina Bothwell carefully packaged her piece and then, like sending a child off to Kindergarten for the first time, drove from Pennsylvania to New York to personally deliver the piece to the warehouse and inspect the safety of their shipping container. This was a first for me and it spoke volumes about her connection to each piece. I will never forget that. During the time the exhibit was installed and open to the public I learned more about Bothwell’s career, her husband the children’s book illustrator, and her goals with her next series of pieces. We shared a rare appreciation for Philadelphia’s Mutter Museum, where many of her pieces bore inspiration. We talked about visiting the American Visionary Museum when she was next in Baltimore. Then, life happened. Her piece was returned safely to her studio after the exhibit and we simply lost touch. Just over a year later, her work had a prominent appearance in AmericanStyle magazine (Issue 36, April 2004), which is produced by the company I work. In fact, it was shear coincidence, but the publicized piece was the very same work which appeared in that overseas exhibit! A handful of weeks passed and soon her work was seen more and more prominently. She received rave reviews (such as in American Craft magazine, Oct/Nov 2003) of her newest work which, as one would expect from her perseverance, pushed harder and dug deeper into what we consider to be "precious" and how we view the thin line between birth and death. Christina Bothwell creates haunting sculpture that incorporates clay, cast glass, wire, and even occasional taxidermy. Her otherworldly imagery comes from the special relationship that twins have and the strange creatures that only dreams and fairy tales can conjure, just to name a few examples and whet your appetite. What touches me about the work is how chance plays such a strong role during the process of conception and birth. It is rare to have twins. It is rarer to find love. Combining these themes, consider too that the raku and pate de verre processes she uses depend upon chance. Some would call it 'calculated luck'. There is more, much more, which can be said about Bothwell's work. But, really, when you see the images and you think of her gently wrapping a sculpture and driving to New York… doesn’t that just give you insight into her motivation as an artist? Doesn’t that just make you want to sit back, like me, and watch her go, go, go across the art scene? Continued best wishes, Christina! Your craft is seamless and your art is unstoppable.

Fear of Flying

2005-03-14T07:06:00.000-08:00

As the sun tucked behind the North Carolina mountains last night, I flew back to Baltimore. In the West was a brilliant sunset. In the East were storm clouds. Having just ended a weekend arts business workshop at Haywood Community College, I was hopeful and content. The young woman sitting next to me was not; it was her first flight. Seated on the left side of the plane, I had perfect view of the two large thunderheads to the East. Lighting up the sky, I could hardly decide on which cloud to focus my attention. As I watched one cloud, the second would light up and I would miss the lightening bolt. As the cloud darkened and I waited for more, the first would now spark with light and my eyes would dart back to catch the display. Unable to just patiently focus on one cloud, I wasn't guaranteed a full view of either. I was only ensured to ping-pong my eyes back and forth and catch the afterglow of both. While I frustratingly enjoyed what I could see, the woman next to me bit her nails in terror. I fly so frequently without incident. It hadn't occurred to me that lightening directly outside our window was a dangerous event. I found it an awesome, spontaneous display! As the young woman, Sara, introduced herself and chattered her way through fear, I fell on an idea. So many artists I met this weekend were filled with a similar fear to Sara's. In a weekend filled with pricing strategies, networking opportunities, and talk of galleries and art shows, there were a number of 'deer-in-the-headlight' looks. Were there people who attended the lectures, took dutiful notes, and still missed the 'beautiful storm clouds' --- the big picture changes filled with an equal mixture of excitement and adventure that, when tackled, will help move their craft ahead? Yes. They initially signed up for the workshop with all the right reasons and, upon learning all the hard work ahead, let fear seep in. Instead of embracing change and hard work, they'll take more cautious steps forward. These are the people who left the workshop in a daze... like Sara and her first flight. Meanwhile, so many others on the plane (or at the workshop) did see the performance out the window. They may have missed a few details, but they felt the excitement. They saw at least a flicker. These are the people already anxious to jump back into their studio and get to work. They aren't sure where to begin because there are so many areas they want to work in at the same time. For awhile they'll ping-pong back and forth, as my eyes did out the window. Good luck to all those who did see the spark. You have a few moments ahead where your notes will overwhelm you, your goals will seem unreachable, and the flicker will die down a bit, but -- persevere. Don't let fear of growth or change hold you back, because the journey you're on is incredible even if there is a little risk. Thanks for listening and learning and letting me be a part of your growth.

TRUTH in Advertising

2005-03-03T07:15:00.000-08:00

A little bit of Nancy Drew lives in me, I think. For the past several years I have enjoyed Art Business News (ABN) for their unusual mix of articles geared toward framers, legitimate art galleries, and artists. (To be fair, ArtForum and Art in America are publications that I have found to be filled with an equally odd mix of message vs. readership, but they also are targetted toward a higher-brow art audience.) With ABN, I've even acknowledged what I saw in recent months in a few of my blog postings. However, today, I stumbled on the smoking gun. One of the rear advertising pages for ABN's February 2005 issue includes a full page ad for [SOLO]. The ad says "Be Discovered. Don't miss the opportunity to break into the art 'big leagues'. The SOLO Pavilion, sponsored by ebay, is a unique setting within Artexpo New York. Designed to showcase artists who are not yet represented by galeries, SOLO booth space is attractively priced to prominently position you among the 40,000 trade and consumer attendees to the world's largest arts marketplace - Artexpo New York - at the Jacob K. Javits Center, March 3-6, 2005." Now, allow me to translate. Artexpo is a show in NY that allows you or your gallery to set up a booth, show your work, and sell to collectors, frame shop owners, other galleries -- you name it. I know artists who have done the show with raving success. I know artists who have done the show and bombed. "40,000 attendees"? Well, this is a stretch. Like all trade show companies, they mean physical bodies and this very well could include smoothie salesmen inside the hall, buyers assistants, or even unqualified people who drop in off the street. Numbers that large and round can't possibly mean they were looking for quality art buyers. Having said that, I have personally attended this show three times before. I don't recall anywhere near 40,000 people during the weekend. They do have a large attending audience, but my repeating their ad here does not mean I'm putting the stamp on their 40,000 estimate. The really slick thing you might have missed? Artexpo has a new exhibition space for artists who represent themselves and don't have gallery representation yet. This space is sponsored by ebay. Artexpo is owned by the same company that owns Art Business News. Dun Dun Dunnnnn.... Therefore, all the bizarre positive editorial coverage in ABN recently about how GREAT ebay is as a 'vehicle for art sales'? Yes, it appears this editorial space was up for sale. It's sad, yet not terribly shocking. I just hope artists and craftspeople DON'T begin flocking to ebay because ABN put their stamp of approval on their sales auctions. I still maintain that ebay is not an appropriate sales avenue for MOST artists and craftspeople. You have to show and sell your work in an atmosphere that is befitting of your work and it's intended audience if you hope to be taken seriously. I'm unaware of serious art collectors that actually surf ebay for their next great painting, photo, or blown glass vase. I challenge you to prove me wrong.

Making the Brand, Part Two

2005-02-24T07:35:00.000-08:00

Ok, I've rambled about why I think branding is important... no, scratch that... ESSENTIAL for artists and craftspeople. Now, it's time for me to back that up by showing you WHAT I mean. You've got art brands. Then, there are craft brands. I suppose in most respects it is easier for craftspeople to brand themselves, particularly practical craftspeople like jewelers, potters, or weavers. Their medium goes hand-in-hand with traditional marks of entrepreneurship: business cards, signage, web sites, and letterhead. But as you can see below, even artists like recently revived media mavens Christo and Jeanne-Claude need a professional image. Galleries can do this for artists. Reps and consultants can as well. However, most artists don't have this luxury. And appearing professional means trying to look like you know what you are doing or have been in the creative world for longer than you actually have. Looking at these names, you can see that a simple logo, choice of script, OR font can create this lasting impression.

When you really think about it, it's just plain irresponsible to be a working artist today without the benefit of a branded identity. We know first impressions matter and art is a business filled with thousands of first impressions. To be successful you must make every first impression count.

Look at how these well-known creative minds have moved their name from a simple series of letters to a B R A N D statement that says, "Remember me. I'm not going anywhere."

Eric Fischl :: the late Richard Avedon :: painter and graphic artist Alex Katz So, what kind of impression are you creating? Do you try to build your brand with consistency and clarity? Or do you just simply stick with trying to make good work and hope the rest of your career will magically fall into place?

Monday Muse - Ellen Kochansky

2005-02-23T16:17:00.000-08:00

Making the Brand, Part One

2005-02-23T08:13:00.000-08:00

This past week I met a lotttt of new creative forces in the world: emerging artists who needed direction and guidance. On a technical level, the work was all over the map. There were great talents and not-so-great talents. (Eeee! Hey, I'm not naming names!!) Among all the portfolios, what was the one thing I consistently saw that needed work? B R A N D I N G Artists and craftspeople need to make good work, create relationships with collectors, and define an identity that is recognizable, memorable, and reflective of the artist and their work. Did I lose you there? Essentially, I am saying... If you want to sell your work one day, you must take time today to create an identity and stick with it. I'm not demanding a logo. I'm not asking for you to have a tag line. I simply want you to pick a company name, your artist name, or some 'design/studio' name and stick with it. Better yet, make a deliberate move to use a particular font. Then too, stick with that. Image making is equal parts branding and consistency. If you ever wonder why some of the links on the right-hand panel of my blog are directed to product packaging, brand marketing, or business support sites, this is the very reason. I believe it is crucially important for artists to acknowledge this responsibility to mold an image and then take part in actively creating one.

A Quick Note

2005-02-16T13:10:00.000-08:00

It’s been weeks since you last heard from me here. I want to assure you I have been working, thinking, reading, writing, and critiquing my heart out. Reviewing over 50 portfolios last weekend alone, suffice it to say I have “been a bit busy”. I will be back next week with stories to tell, inspirational ideas for your studio, and more Monday Muses. …’Til then!

Monday Muse - Olga de Amaral

2005-02-14T06:16:00.000-08:00

When I was a little girl I remember going fishing with my dad, and sometimes my brother. I think it was the ritualistic part of fishing that made it fun then, and now makes it fascinating... Heading out early in the morning. Tackle box, bucket and net in hand. Casting the line out into silvery water. Then, sitting back and waiting patiently for a bite. Hauling the fish in, feeling the weight and power of the struggling animal. It was equal parts entertainment and fright, then and now. I am reminded of this when I look at Olga de Amaral’s work. A rainbow effect of light across a wall, like waves of water or fringe made of fish scales. Each piece is made of canvas or silk, or sometimes weightier materials, then covered in gold or silver leaf. The result is stunning. Her pieces contain light, water, and fire. They are alive because they hold the same power that sears money or a piece of jewelry with a sense of value. To me, Olga de Amaral’s work is about more than raw monetary or celebrity power though. It’s also tightly woven with memory. A piece that might seem to remind some of sequined gowns, instead sings to me about the same strong and simple power I found when my father took me fishing. Think about it: often our memories don’t carry color or take up a three dimensional space. Instead memory is more frequently filled with ideas, feelings, and a sense of light or space or time. Like her pieces, memory is perceivable but intangible. They avoid literal translation. Because Olga de Amaral’s work is formulaic, I think some would assume it to be more craft than art. I wonder what your opinion is. If you create objects of beauty based on a system, is this considered art, craft, design, or just decoration?

Monday Muse - Fox Talbot

2005-01-31T05:23:00.000-08:00

Something few people know about me... I have a GIGANTIC camera collection: little ones, big ones, Polaroids, tiny two-inch toys. You name it, I have it. What I don't have is an ability to truly stick with the medium of photography. It requires precision and patience, which I don't particularly posess. Maybe this is why I find the tool photographers use so interesting. I believe that inside every photographer lies the heart of a surgeon. So, you can understand why I have such high regard for great photography and the camera itself. William Henry Fox Talbot has more books written about him than I could hope to list. Known widely as Fox Talbot, his images are haunting. The reason why is very simple. He was one of the forefathers of the medium. Adapting his own process to print a photograph on paper, his images were truly ephemeral, fading over time. In addition, his subject matter, while widely ranging, often focused on fragile, fraile, or timely images: the haphazard pattern of milkweed seeds, the veins in leaves, the symmetry of palm fronds, the changing morning sun along a paneled wall, or above, the delicacy of handmade lace. I recognize the artistic merit in Talbot's work. But, I also seet the craft inherent in his process. Adapting equipment to suit his needs, he was a craftsman. Serving practical functionality, his images act as documentary footage from the 1800's. This, too, is a craftsman. And, like many officially acknowledged craftspeople who elevated the design found in simple forms like ceramic bowls, fine wood furniture, or even architecture, Talbot seared basic objects onto paper and time. Perhaps today, where nearly everyone owns a digital camera, we forget how incredible that is. Objects in his photos speak to us because, like Egyptian mummies, they were formed only with a great deal of time, intention, and persistence. (With all due respect, Kodak, you just can compete with that!) My final proof that his work has blurred the lines between art and craft is actually from his own mouth, "I do not profess to have perfected an art but to have commenced one, the limits of which it is not possible at present exactly to ascertain. I only claim to have based this art on a secure foundation." How interesting, that the very foundation of our contemporary craft movement is pulled from the elements of craft traditions past. I call Talbot an artist and a craftsman. What would you refer to him as?

Monday Muse - Lino Tagliapietra

2005-01-24T07:45:00.000-08:00

Well, it's about time I start our Monday's with someone other than an American. (Thanks to Sarah for this nudge.) So, today I give you... Lino Tagliapietra. I can't think of a better beginning to open up the world wide gray matter between art and craft. I have admired Lino's work since the 80's, when he first started focusing his time and talent on studio production pieces, away from commissions and 'product lines'. However, I first truly understood the breadth of his contributions to the contemporary collector's market this past summer, when I found myself amidst a sea of faxes and phone calls to secure tours of his and several other Murano glass masters' studios. You know the value of an artist's work when scheduling a meeting with them becomes like trying to smuggle freedom behind the iron curtain. All this effort for one artist? I had to investigate further. My discovery is, I'm sure, old news to glass artists who follow this blog. But, I will share it nonetheless. Lino is part of an Italian tradition that effectually defines the word craft. The small island of Murano (where he was born, raised, and trained) has passed glass from hand to hand for centuries. Murano doesn' casually look on glass, they respect it as a way of life. It is what wine is to the French. Having understood that, you can imagine how challenging it must have been to take a respected craft, bring it to the world, and successfuly engage people in considering it to be a fresh art form. Of course, glass is always fresh because it's always changing. Colors change by sunlight. Fragility is tested hourly by happenstance, construction, and gravity. Maleable on the end of a torch, there is no cookie cutter allowance for making the same thing the same way, on each attempt. Working with glass is really an exercise in taming fire. But these physical changes don't mean the majority of the artworld looked on the medium as a material of possibility. Remember? In the 80's video and experimental materials ruled the art reviews. Lino truly had a headstart in getting to world to see the possibilities in glass. He began studying the medium at age 11. Perhaps this alone made him stretch the boundaries. But, at a certain point he had to do more than build his resume and his name. And, in my estimation, he has pushed that envelope. Glass is a respected artform today, rather than just a skilled craft. This is by virtue of more hands than just Dale Chihuly's or the thousands of smaller studio glass artists around the world. Lino is undoubtedly one of the fathers who fueled that growth. So, follow the links above. And, please, enjoy your Monday!

Networking Under Your Nose

2005-01-20T19:28:00.000-08:00

This morning I attended a press conference marking the opening of a statewide arts event titled Tour De Clay. It truly is a tour de force exhibition schedule, featuring clay in almost every conceivable shape, size, firing outcome, and glaze style. The sheer size amazes me, never mind the phenomenal feat of organizing and executing such an expansive plan! What impressed me about the event this afternoon though, was one very simple thing. I arrived early. Too early, actually. I milled around, chatting with strangers for about a half hour. Listening to the high school band. Looking at their new facility. Watching ceramists work in the corner at their stations. Laughing at the bodyguard who was typing in his Blackberry. Wondering who eats cake at 10am, even if it is a celebration. Huddling near the warmth of the coffee and hot water carafes, filling cups for two men who co-curated an exhibit in another part of the state. Did you catch the important part there? It may have slipped by you. This event was easy to get into. It was well planned, well announced, well executed. Camera crews were in tow. The Mayor was in attendance. All of the top curators and executive directors in the area were present. I looked around the room and read off the credentials in my head. So, where were the artists? Community involvement is crucial for networking. It’s often the least expensive route available, and it will provide you with the most payback. Maybe attending an event like today’s press conference won’t be an immediate sale or instant exhibition opportunity. But, you can’t build rapport without first shaking hands… or, sometimes, pouring a cup of coffee or two.

Play it Again, Sam

2005-01-19T18:33:00.000-08:00

Eight months ago my letter to editors at Art Business News was published, complimenting them on a surprisingly balanced publication, covering art and the business of selling art. Two months later their staff roster changed and operations were shifted to another state, under new ownership. Then, just a few weeks ago I commented on the Editor's Note, touting the success "eBay artists" find when selling their work through their online auction pages. (I still scoff at this one, by the way.) But today the January issue finally crossed my desk. Ok, so they have renewed my interest. How surprised do you think I was to see that their lead story mirrors this very blog? However, I once again hang my head to address ABN editors and writer Debbie Hagan: While I genuinely applaud the article and your touching the hot potato topic, I have some real concerns. Why address museum name changes that are dated by two or more years? Where was your coverage in 2002, when this issue made every front page? What new ideas or attitudes are you really bringing to the discussion, this far after the fact? I would have hoped to hear what traffic increases or decreases have occured in years since the American Craft Museum was re-dubbed the American Museum of Arts & Design Why discuss the touchy definitions surrounding “craft” and “art”, but then end the article with a distinct tone of (I’m paraphrasing here.)… “Oh, well. It’s just a semantics game. If Michael Monroe says ‘craft vs. art’ is now a non-issue, then that’s newsworthy and it, in fact, IS a non-issue.” And, most importantly, did you have a straight face or were you holding your ribs and brushing the tears away, when you penned sentence after sentence on the ‘hearty banter’ exchanged over the plural of “art” and “arts”, or “craft” and “crafts?” Maybe I’m the only lost reader. Please, guide me.

Monday Muse - Christian Burchard

2005-01-17T18:36:00.000-08:00

I have moonlighted in just about every medium at this point: ceramics, photography, video, painting, printmaking, surface design... you name it. What is the one medium that continues to elude me? Wood. In woodshop I quickly learned that my straight-edges were never quite straight enough. My use of the equipment confused the whole mess. Similarly dismal, my inability to adhere things properly meant glue was always peeking through, nails often made a surprise appearance, and dovetail joints? Well... I just never quite got that far. Wood and I were not friends. Christian Burchard and wood are one. I am fully convinced he curls up at night, cuddling a log. I imagine he dreams about the insides of trees, slowly shaving off each growth ring at his lathe, one by one, until he reaches the core. Then his dream rewinds and he starts again with another fresh log, peeling away layer after layer, undoing what nature took years to develop. I also have a fascination with vessels. They serve practical purpose. They also serve spiritual purpose. Even empty, a well-made vessel carries weight. I feel this in Christian Burchard's work. I imagine them filled with feathers, water, rice, dreams and poetry. Paper thin, I can only guess how many failed baskets he has set aside over time, tossing them out and moving forward with the next attempt. I wonder if someday Christian's pieces will appear in museums for modern art, like they truly deserve to be. The Renwick, the Mint Museum... these are all fine institutions to house his work. I applaud them for wisely acquiring his pieces. But, surely foresight tells us that one day his craft will be recognized as a defining art that brought classical forms, basic materials, and elegant precision back our cultural consciousness?

Oooh, glass... Pretty...

2005-01-14T07:15:00.000-08:00

The cold is coming. What do you say we end this week on a HOT note? Nothing can do this better than glass: Zellique Little River Hot Glass My first big craft splurge - buying all Little River Hot Glass ornaments for my Christmas tree. Wow! I felt so "mature" writing that check. Strini Art Glass Glass - made in Maui, of all places. Art of Fire Still going strong here in Maryland (where I reside) after over 30 years! Rosetree Glass Incredible work, a phenomenal revitalized theater space to work out of, the excitement of New Orleans... This is the life.

Monday Muse - Elizabeth Whyte Schulze

2005-01-10T06:21:00.000-08:00

I must tell you, I love artwork that tells a story. I love when a piece tells you about the person that made it, the work that went into creating it, and the position the maker held in life. Then, I further gush and fall in love all over again when I find out I was wrong. I was duped! Every clue pointed down a different path. It’s like reading a great novel, with a huge surprise ending. I feel this sense of surprise from Elizabeth Whyte Schulze. Is she Native American? Are these the markings of her ancestors? Did her grandfather teacher traditional basketry techniques? Are her dyes and the pigments in her surface paints obtained through natural methods on her farm in Wyoming? Well, of course, I conjured all this. Elizabeth does not live in Wyoming. She pulls markings from many different cultures (not just one), then embellishes with symbols of her own design. She tells stories in the method professional storytellers have for centuries. She weaves her way around a topic, bobbing in and out with the physical materials of her craft. To learn more about Elizabeth's rich body of work, visit Thirteen Moons Gallery's website. And, once you've learned more about her work and flooded your head with the images... You tell me: Is it art or craft?

Weekend Links - Artful Jewelry

2005-01-07T07:12:00.000-08:00

And, this Friday, I give you the first of many "Weekend Links". The intention here is to provide great links to art or craftwork which may be a good Friday diversion for you, or something to pass the time on a slow and sleepy weekend morning. I begin the year with clever jewelry designs, because goodness knows there are far too many strung beads in the world as it is. Silversmiths and bench jewelers need all the support (and purchases) they can get! Enjoy... and guess which artist's work I will be buying this month: Baharal-Gnida, who I understand just recently wrapped up a residency at the SCC in Pittsburgh. Pio - A few not-so-pratical ring designs you could poke your eye out with, but overall she offers a simple and attractive collection in a cohesive style. Photo Jewels to hold your dearest memories. Small Things Designs - Good things do come in small packages!

Ebay Art

2005-01-05T18:47:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure if you noticed, but I'm pretty opinionated. I usually like to save my opinions for people that ask. But... then, sometimes I just get the itch to stir things up. Like an unruly kid, I feel the urge to say something unexpected, then sit back, and watch the fireworks fly. So, here I go... Do not sell your "artwork" or "craftwork" on eBay! Do not. It's a dumb idea. It does nothing to increase the perceived value of your work. It does nothing to further your creative career goals. It will give back nothing in the form of collector interaction, growth of your designs, or boosting your name into the art or craft world. On the idea of auction houses like Sotheby's partnering with eBay to sell work? They should wake up and smell Year 2005 with a new outlook. Forget the eBay partnership. Invest more than ever in the technology to host their own online auctions and boost physical traffic at their actual auction locations, where the pressure of the excitement and the gavel will drive up the frenzy. In 2002, the eBay/Sotheby's partnership was struck. Enough. Fly from the nest already! Now, that I've made that perfectly, utterly, entirely CLEAR... Someone please tell me why Susanne Casgar, Editorial Director for Arts Business News, chose to begin the editorial note in a recent issue on how great eBay is for marketing and selling artwork . Huh?!?

Monday Muse - Rebecca Medel

2005-01-03T05:37:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! (How many times have you heard that already? Haha...) As promised, I begin our year of Monday Muse's with an artist whose work crosses the line and calls us to question, "Is it art or craft?" I have admired Rebecca Medel’s work for over a decade, but became particularly fascinated when in 1999 she was awarded a prestigious Pell Fellowship. Her work was highly publicized along the east coast during this time. By this point she had already received several NEA grants and participated in a number of European tapestry exhibits. So, clearly her background derives from traditional craft practices. How, then, does her work today so successfully transcend craft? Creating layer upon layer of knotted linen (as here, above), she constructs complex geometric structures that appear both sturdy and fragile. Her work conjures Josef Albers, construction rebar, dreams, an infinite layering of stars in the sky… What do you think? What do you appreciate about her work and what does it inspire in you? The piece above was last publicly exhibited at the 2003 SOFA Chicago show, where it was ultimately sold. It was constructed that year from fiber optic thread, linen, silver leaf liquid paint, and likely hundreds or thousands of knots. I chose this piece because this was my most memorable ‘moment’ with Rebecca’s work, at an earlier SOFA event where, overwhelmed with visual stimulus, I nearly jumped out of my skin on turning around and being confronted by her work. It was this mixture of my surprise and the weighty presence of her work that made that trip so wonderful. Among all the work I saw, Rebecca’s are the pieces I remember feeling. I urge you to email me or post your comments here on Rebecca's work. While I realize I am posing simple questions that could easily be dismissed, I feel there also is a great deal of relevance in asking where we classify a piece or an artist’s entire life's work. After all, as much as we're going outside of this constraining box, there are many instances where relegating an artist as a craftsperson has resulted in their work gaining less critical recognition. What are your thoughts on this?

New Year's Epiphany's

2004-12-29T18:50:00.000-08:00

I am a confessed (you heard it here) book addict. I walk into a library or book store and I wander from aisle to aisle, never bored for a moment. My favorite book on my shelves? A tiny 75 page wonder: Anni Albers', Selected Writings on Design. My God, how it's pages sing! While most passages were penned in the 1940's, I find it as relevant today as it likely was then, when she taught at Black Mountain College and bred life back into the design and craft movement in the United States. Reading over (and over) two particular chapters tonight, I had a 'lightbulb moment'... Not a New Year's resolution, but more of a New Year's "Epiphany!" Somewhere amidst Anni's definitions of "art" and "craft" (which in 1940 she felt were already merging more and more), it occurred to me that I have a problem. Why did I originally name this blog "Art of Craft"? Why not "Art or Craft"? So, in the new year there will be new changes:

First, a new title and look to reflect a clearer sense of direction.

Second, a new 'Monday Muse'... A changing weekly image of a work that could be considered "art" or "craft". You tell me. Is the line blurry? Does the piece clearly fall to one side or the other? What if I show you an image of a functional piece and you declare it "art"? So, send me images of your work or the work of other artists/craftspeople and let's get the ball rolling. Let's really challenge our own definitions. Shall we?

Finally, I will post 'Weekend Links' each week. Perhaps I will link to your site, or another blog of interest, or maybe even a gallery. I promise to mix it up a bit to keep things interesting. This saves my fingers from weekend typing and gives you a few fun links to browse around.

These ideas are based on the incredible amount of feedback I have received this week and last. I hope you'll stick with me through this building process. It should be fun!

Trust in "The Professionals"

2004-12-26T08:51:00.000-08:00

Last week an artist-friend asked my opinion on hiring a professional to draft and circulate a press release in support of her recently completed commission. Her instinct had merit. If you are too busy to tackle the administrative side of your business, why not hire a contractor to manage this work for you? Generally I advocate against this. An artist or craftsperson will fill their press release with passion and mail it with drive. They know what makes their newest piece so exciting and it’s hard for a hired professional to recapture this enthusiasm. I also find that we tend to run from what we don’t know. Artists are rarely confident writers, marketers, or pricing gurus. So, of course the first instinct would be to hand it off to someone else. But, how can you hire a professional to do work you have never completed yourself? How would you know if the release was structured appropriately or mailed to the right people? If you have no meter against which to prove the professional did a superior job, then how can you be assured you are paying for a worthwhile service? Consider that many people hire doctors and don’t question their diagnosis or ask for additional testing. They assume their particular medial professional 'got it right the first time'. Consider that many entrepreneurs hire lawyers without setting limit or questioning what was delivered during the attorney’s billable hours. The very idea of questioning a lawyers work is terrifying and brings up an image of an angry Perry Mason peering down on you. Consider that human nature instinctively nudges us toward a professional whom we will pay a lot, but not necessary demand a lot. This being said, there are absolutely times to use a professional marketer or press agent. If you have the budget, you have outlined your expectations, and you intend to focus on deliverables, you are right to be in shopping the market. Marketing and promotion are not small jobs to be forgetten. If you aren't performing these jobs, someone should! Here are a few of my recommendations to get started in your search: Heather Rothnie with Your Arts Copilot - emailto:heather@yourartcopilot.com Alex Beitler with Yellow Sky – emailto:yellowsky@verizon.net Do you have a great PR or marketing professional you have contracted work out to? Email me and forward your recommendation.

Visible Skill

2004-12-23T14:04:00.000-08:00

I consider myself a rare breed in the art world. When reviewing someone’s work, I give honest critique and rarely color my comments with personal opinion. Politeness and personal aesthetic has little role, if any, in molding artistic development. In honestly appraising an artist’s career development, only one roadblock has ever popped up: explaining to an artist that their “visual skill level” is not nearly as high as they imagine it to be. More plainly said… The artist sees their work in one way. I see something entirely different that isn’t necessarily ready to be sold or promoted on a broad scale. The work needs more development. Why am I pointing this out? All artists and craftspeople have one thing in common, no matter their medium or approach. They are selling their visible skill. If you are a glass blower, you likely began by taking classes or (if you were lucky) apprenticing with an artist. Your first year probably produced dozens of paperweights and a few obnoxiously heavy vessels. Learning to throw on the wheel usually has the same first year result. Slowly you realized you weren’t cut out for your chosen medium or you stubbornly pressed on, determined to achieve success. Even if glass wasn’t the medium you trained in, there was a point where you were at the crossroads and had to make that decision. Should I continue on? Do I stop now and try something else? Can I really make anything of this? So, what happens when you chose to continue on with the medium? You hit a comfortable stride. This is the point where things truly get murky. Your head is in the studio. You are focused. You may even receive compliments on your work (especially from prior paperweight recipients!). Then you sit down with someone like me for critique and advice. You feel ready to do this full time. And, sitting across from you (or via email), I say, “Your visible skill could use further development.” What I (or anyone who has told you this about your work) mean is that you need more time. You should keep at it. You should continue to look for honest critique. You should ask me specifically what ‘gives you away’ as a new artist in the medium. In working on these areas you should also make a point to come back and ask for more critique on your newest pieces. Press on. Don’t get discouraged. Don’t focus on your timeline. Focus on your final goal. After all, if I didn’t see any skill at all in your work, my critique would have began with, “Sooooooo, do you have a day job?”

Reinvention of the Wheel

2004-12-21T19:20:00.000-08:00

I watched the Kennedy Center honor John Williams tonight for his music achievement. As the U.S. Marine Corps band performed the themes from Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, Superman, Jaws, E.T., Close Encounters… Whew. Then, it hit me! This man has made a life’s work out of the same set of familiar chords. Different patterns. Differing intensity. A dizzying array of diversity amongst a definitively narrow deck of cards. I’m not demeaning John Williams’ accomplishment. Are you joking? I hear the tune to Star Wars (like nearly everyone of my generation) and I get all giddy and excited. No, I’m praising the man! He invented, then reinvented, then reinvented over and over again… and again… and again. This is a HUGE lesson to me and to you. How can you make your art interesting? How can you keep people interested? How can you build followers? Discover what your passion is. Find a bag of tricks that work. Unearth what skills you have that others don’t all posses. Look at your techniques and see what sensibilities you harbor. Then round it alllllll up, toss it in a bag, shake it up and, “Yahtzee!,” toss out something fresh. Jumble it all up and do it again. And again. When you toss out a dud (because you inevitably will), try again. Maybe your strength is in a particular method of mark-making. Perhaps you have a way of seeing your subject or realizing a sense of depth that is striking. It could be that color is your 'thing'. Whatever it is... When you find something that works, there is a tendency to get bored or feel that you’ve overplayed it or ‘worn it out’. It's important though to remember that balancing the new with repetition is what develops a style. Repeating your style is what can create a legacy. I admit... It’s thin ice to skate on because you have to constantly balance and re-adjust. Even John Williams encountered this dilemma. We all know the theme from Jaws… two notes played over and over, driven to a frenzied pace. Sure, Williams new it was ridiculously simple but as he said then, “I really think that’s all you need.” He took what he knew, applied it, simplified it, and then risked sitting back to hear the reaction. Well, we know now that audiences loved it. It wasn’t the greatest masterpiece every written, but it was a success. And it boosted him to other projects. Simplicity is what audiences appreciated and it's what we still continue to appreciate. Simplicity and clarity is Williams' trick; Identify a phrase and repeating it until it is memorable and it sings on it's own in your head. So, don’t be afraid to re-use your bag of tricks in a fresh way. Don’t worry that everything needs to be complex and over the top. Sometimes what works just works. There is no explaining it. If the pieces just fit, keep marching forward, trying to rearrange them to fit yet again... in another new configuration.

What Not to Wear*

2004-12-20T17:26:00.000-08:00

While at a conference this year I happened across a booth that offered free business start-up advice. I began talking to the woman running the booth and somewhere during our conversation she pulled a book out from under the table and handed it to me. She was Susan Wilson Solovic and the book was her book — The Girls’ Guide to Power and Success. A signed copy! How lovely. Reading it today on a plane home I ran across a very important chapter full of things you should make a point of doing (or not doing) if you expect to make it as a female in today’s business world. This hits home for me personally, in addition to applying to the entrepreneurial aspects of selling your artwork. In all honesty, many of her comments took me back. They addressed solutions to stereotypical views that others hold against women. It all seemed so… well… stodgy. Surely we've moved beyond trying to rebel against June Cleaver? Then I paused to think about one great point. In the book she addresses the fact that image is everything. Well, perhaps not everything, but it is proven that image is the first sizeable percentage of what anyone takes in. Then they move on to secondary considerations like the content of your message, the point you are trying to drive home, or listening to what it is you are trying to sell. Artists and craftspeople can gain a lot by thinking about how they are presenting themselves. How do you dress at a show? Do you get feedback from others? Do you dress ‘artsy’? Do you dress too casual? Or, would you describe your dress as ‘professional’? Having attended A LOT of shows (indoor, outdoor, large, small), I know that there is a sizeable number of artists that flub this basic beginning step to selling. Here is my basic list of ‘packaging perfectors’ (you being the package that needs perfecting): 1) Don’t dress like the crowd that is attending the event. If you are at an outdoor fair, you should be especially careful. Birkenstocks and baseball caps are practical-wear for people walking outside at a festival. They are not, however, a good way for you to project yourself and sell your work. The only exception I have found to this rule are people selling tie-dye (yes, you can wear your Birks) and people selling baseball-themed shirts, bags, or other parephenalia (Ideally though your cap should be something you actually sell). 2) Avoid dressing above your audience, it will intimidate some. While your dressing-up may raise the perceived value of your work, there are very few shows I have seen this to work successfully at. 3) Be practical. Wear shoes that will get you through the day AND look attractive. Ideally, bring several pairs of shoes. Changing them midway through the day has always helped me keep my stamina. A change in elevation also has usually helped me. So I bring a few pairs of varying heights. 4) Also bring a change of clothing, if feasible. At a recent outdoor show, I wasn’t entirely sure what the weather would be. I also wanted to ensure that the crisp, white shirt I brought wouldn’t accidentally get something spilled on it. (Practicality should always come first.) Think like a Boy Scout! 5) On the subject of dressing ‘artsy’. I hesitate to wade too deep into this. Suffice it to say that people who buy art often wish they could live the lifestyle they believe artists live. It’s a romantic idea. They also need the artist they buy from to be accessible and approachable though. There is nothing wrong with oddly colored hair or black and white stockings or whatever other colorful way you wish to present yourself. Just, please, be open to toning it down if you see that your audience is entering the booth of your more approachable neighbors. Do you intend to sell your work or do you intend to be a poor poster child for not selling out? It is possible to strike a happy medium? * Not to be confused by the television program on TLC or the BBC.

Fresh Starts

2004-12-17T17:53:00.000-08:00

How do you find the will within yourself to get up and restart something you let fall behind? You just do it. You don’t whine. You don’t complain. You don't stress over how long you let the dust settle. You don't look around to see what everyone else is doing or to compare how much farther ahead of you they have climbed. You don’t even stop long enough to think about all the other things you should be tackling at that very moment. Excuses can't pop up if you don't give them the space to pop up into. So, today I begin again. I’m back. Are you? If you've appreciated any tiny part of this blog in previous months, email me today. Encouragement sounds pretty appealing at the moment.

Collecting Animation?

2004-11-09T18:15:00.000-08:00

If you haven’t yet taken a peek at Andrew Taylor’s blog, today is your day. This morning Andrew drew an unusual connection to the arts without really stating the obvious: How long before digital art weaves it’s way into areas of our culture market beyond just movies and video games? An interesting question, yet to me the answer it obvious. My 'SO' (significant other) just so happens to be one of these “exceptional artists” Andrew refers to. He is a great painter, without entirely understanding how to deal with his talent. I won’t bore you with my psychological analysis of this. My point… he also does incredible things in his day job with a large video game producer. Watching him balance these two worlds is like watching a strange modern dance. Simultaneously, I already know the outcome, yet I don’t want to blink and find I've missed something. As a painter, his eyes are as active as his hands and heart. His senses are alive and fully engaged in the process. The physical and mental process of making art is a workout. As a computer animator, his hands and mind are still busy but there is a lack of fluidity. Actions become less about intuition and more about practice, preparation, and planning. Andrew: If you want to see non-commercial arenas where digital art has changed and been enveloped by our cultural map, just visit Siggraph next year. Look into the demonstration rooms. View the film shorts. See what artists are doing to pull the medium into their work. But, please, let's all agree that unless the medium changes and becomes more tactile, there can be no easy placement of animated art next to painting, sculpture, or fine craft. Music appreciators will always want to feel a good live concert. Art appreciators will similarly always want to feel a great piece of art. Digital artists have a long, uphill road ahead if they wish to create that experience rather than just mimic it. Until there is a clearer line of acknowledgement to this problem, digital art will remain on computer screens, CD-ROM’s and student exhibitions. Herein, lies the problem, Andrew. Acknowledging the medium has a problem is really about noting that the collecting audience is still befuddled. You must first be attentive to their needs if you really wish to bring any new medium to the surface. Video is still trying to achieve this. Photography just got it right. Why ask what a great artist would do with this technology? Why not ask what an art collector will do with a digital masterpiece once they have bought it?

Early and Often

2004-11-01T06:46:00.000-08:00

Unless you live under a rock in Siberia, you know that tomorrow is Presidential voting day in the US. Now, if you have an arts business, I have a radical new way for you to approach election day. Go vote for your Presidential candidate. Then, why not place a vote for yourself? Normally when we set a goal, we look ahead and attempt to forecast our future. We usually reach for something accessible. Afterall, who wants to fail? However, imagine if you set a goal to, once every four years, place a vote on your art career. How can you vote for yourself? Take a portion of November second to vote 'YES' on your creative career by: - planning a vacation to take place in the next four years - choose a class or skillset that will boost your creativity - turn your promotional plan upside down and budget to hire a professional My point here is simple. Every four years Americans get a strong dose of 'what if'. We (most of us) take time to consider 'what if' we had a new President and Vice President. 'What if' the course of the country were to have an entirely new approach or lead in a new direction. Even re-elected incumbent Presidents make adjustments in their second year. So, tomorrow... why not vote for art career and set a goal to change something, turn it upside down, flip it inside out in the next four years. One goal. One vote. Make it count.

Hope Alone

2004-10-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

I met a girl today who went on and on and on about her work. She's traveled to other countries to 'study' painting. She has dabbled in nearly every medium. Intermittently, she dropped reference to a "solo show" she was building a body of work for. "Enough already", I thought. "Where is your W O R K?" And there it was. From her bag she produced an envelope of slides, about 60 in total. None were marked and, as she held one sheet at a time to the light, she twisted and turned the sheet because they weren't inserted in any organized fashion. One look. They were awful. And I mean horrendous. My suggestion? Hope, alone, cannot create an art career. The same can be said of talent. If you are filled with talent but have no drive or assertivness to reach your goal, you might as well have nothing. In the end, I suggested the hopeful artist take more classes, find anyone and everyone who was willing to critique her work, improve her organization and presentation skills, and... not harbor preconceived notions of what her career should look like. Maybe she has a future as an art teacher for young children. Perhaps she will find that a series of notecards and prints is of more interest than they oil painting/fine art gallery route. We are what we allow ourselves to achieve.

Much to Show and Tell

2004-10-26T20:47:00.000-07:00

When I was in grade school, I remember one day gingerly placing my brother’s hermit crab into a Pringles can and, ever so carefully, carrying it down the street to school. It was 'show and tell' day. Today I get the same jittery excitement when I stand at the front of a room and 'show and tell' with artists -- sharing new ways to promote their work, great shows to visit, or what trends are really hot in the arts marketplace. Over the past three weeks there has been an interruption in my posting here. I assure you I have been busy. Mostly I have been traveling with the Arts Business Institute (see earlier posts regarding this) or, once back in town, preparing for my next trip out. ...Lots of travel so I could 'show and tell', you might say. In the coming weeks I will reference work I saw in my travels, artists I met and how they are toughing it out to build their own creative career path, and, of course, what I have learned along the way these last few weeks. Watch out… I have a lot to tell!

The Two Worst Art Mediums

2004-10-07T06:50:00.000-07:00

When I attended art college I remember unofficially switching my major three times. Even later, when I officially announced I would major in fiber, I had trouble with my allegiance. I spend more time in the ceramics, video, and sculpture areas then I did in my own department. I needed variety. I didn't want to hear the same conversations over and over. It was important to have outside influences and to escape the bubble of safe conversation available in the fiber department. All of this contributed to my work and after some formidable floundering, by my senior year, I felt like I had finally gotten it right. I had found a system that *clicked*. Now, working with artists and craftspeople, I find that most of the time an artist's choice of medium is far more arbitrary than my quasi-formulaic reach for diversity. Many artists, it seems, choose a medium due to family heritage (skills that are passed down), chance (their high school art classes only had clay classes, for example), or mainstream romanticism (wanting to be a painter because of Monet, ugh). Then, in walks (to this conversation) what I regard as probably the two worst mediums today: Acrylic painting and jewelry. Why am I picking on acrylic painting? Acrylics are so readily available (from art stores like Utrecht to crafty stores like Michael's) and so inexpensive that you can likely find classes in your area with students of every age group sitting around fruit & veggie still lifes with pre-stretched canvases. Acrylics are washable and pretty. The colors are saturated and intense. Thanks to Bob Ross, the popularity of acrylics have skyrocketed since the 80's. Unfortunately the downside of popularity means A LOT of bad acrylic paintings. Lots of garage sale art. Lots of ebay flowers, landscapes, and cutesy things. Have I mentioned that most of these bad painters and ebay artists view their work as art, rather than hobby? Yes, popularity also means that the line between hobbiest and artist becomes blurred, muddy, and sometimes messy. Why am I picking on jewelry? Like acrylic painting, jewelry is so widely accessible that it almost ceases to be regarded as a skilled trade in our mass market culture. The artistry behind enamel work, mokume gane, and intricate beadwork are lost between seas of weekend hobbiests with plastic design trays and 'how-to' books. If you are an acrylic painter or a jeweler and you take offense to this, I apologize. I don't term these as the worst mediums because I haven't seen great work that overshadows the junk. Of course I have. But the fact remains that they are the hardest to succeed in, the most challenging to rise to the cream of the crop within, and the most tainted with unsuccessful attempts. Let's face it: If you're an emerging jeweler or a painter, you have a long uphill battle ahead. Make sure you have serious rock climbing equipment with you.

Drop-In Art Sales

2004-10-06T07:27:00.000-07:00

I recently had lunch with several gallery owners and, usually able to contain my question, I couldn't help but ask... "What do you really think of artists who travel to your gallery, plop their portfolio on your desk, and ask you to review their work?" It's such a common practice, one would assume that this a real place to start: Look up galleries you like, prepare your portfolio, walk into the gallery, breathe deep, ask politely if they like your work, and (don't forget) ask if they will represent you. How did the gallery owners respond? Two agreed that they have bought work from artists who entered the gallery in this fashion. They also agreed that some of these purchases worked out so well that they still carry the artist's work. On the other hand most did not work out. The third gallery owner disagreed entirely. This is when the nicey-nice gloves came off and the brutally blunt gloves came on. Entering a gallery and asking for their time in this way is strikingly similar to your receiving a flurry of bothersome telemarketing calls during dinner. Sure, you could listen to the sales schpeal. But what do most of us do when our space is invaded? We shut down and tune out. We don't even take time to consider the message or what it might hold. The same is true for gallery owners whose businesses are magnets for 'art salesman', all wanting 'a moment' of their time. When it came down to it, all three gallery directors prefered to find work on their own terms, whether at a show, on the internet, through the mail, or via word-of-mouth. They would even consider a postcard they found on the bulletin board in a local healthfood store! What does this mean for artists that 'drop in' for consideration? Overall they held more respect for artists that respected their time and expertise by emailing or calling to set-up an appointment in advance. One gallery owner pointed out that sometimes setting up this appointment may only result in a 10 minute meeting, but at least they were left with a strong impression of the artist and their professional demeanor. Their time was respected and this meant a lot. In a few instances meetings like this even resulted in building a relationship with the artist where they eventually ordered. So, if you plan to 'drop in' on a gallery or two this season, please call first and ask for their time. The gallery will appreciate it. You be expected and likely feel welcomed. Oh, and in addition to receiving some candid feedback, you may just make a sale!

It's That Time Again!

2004-10-05T07:01:00.000-07:00

I woke this morning with a frosty nose and the sound of geese out my window. This is a time of year I can't help but relish in... The beginning of Fall and the exit of Summer. It's a great time to turn on the heat, clean, re-organize, set a schedule, and raise the bar. The single best thing you can do for yourself AND for you art career at this time of year? Time to make a list!! Here's my quick 'how to' to propel you into action:

Grab a pen and paper and cut out other distractions. Turn off the radio. Turn off CNN. Don't you dare answer that phone!
Start by drawing three, vertical columns on the paper.
In the far left-hand column, begin listing your accomplishments over the last year. Include things you intended to do alongside successes you didn't plan for, but achieved nonetheless.
In the right-hand column make a list of what you hope to accomplish in the future. Don't just list what you think will be reasonable within the next year. Include a few outlandish 'pie in the sky' goals. Where do you want to be in 5 years or 10? Who do you want to have sold art to? How do you want people to talk about your work?
Now, you have a remaining center column that is empty. Look to the left. Here you have where you have been. To your right? Where you want to go. Weigh them both and begin listing in the center what you actually hope to accomplish by this time next Fall. Some of these items may already be on your list at right. Or perhaps you note a scaled down accomplishment that will set you up to get closer to one of your 'pie in the sky' goals.

The point of all this? You can't decide how much you want to sell and then set out to sell it, if you haven't first taken stock of what you have already sold. Setting goals is not just an exercise for kids, it's a real part of feeling a sense of accomplishment and reaching higher throughout life. And yes, artists need to set goals too. Decide how much work you want to produce, what skills you want to gain, how many pieces you want to sell. It's the perfect season for it now. Fall is the time to dig in deep.

A Quote to Get in Gear

2004-10-04T19:59:00.000-07:00

I took some time this evening to brush up on my pricing basics and ran across a great set of materials from a lecture I attended 4 years ago. I wonder if Thomas Mann is still presenting these lectures? He had such great information to share and a solid understanding of business that he continually adds to in keeping his studio and gallery up and running daily. Anyhow, take this Thomas Mann quote from the lecture and tape it to your studio door, computer monitor, or refrigerator:

If you are an
ARTIST
you are by definition an
ENTREPRENEUR and all entrepreneurs must have a
PLAN

Selling Art or Selling Out

2004-10-01T06:59:00.000-07:00

The very process of making art or craftwork, is a lot like falling in love. Often you initially begin work with an idea in mind, a task at hand. Soon you find a rhythm. You stop watching the clock. You forget the radio is even on. The feeling of euphoria on great studio days are stored in a special place in the back of your memory next to the first person you held hands with or kissed in public. So, it's no wonder then that most artists see pricing and sales as an afront to their creativity. "Who are you to tell me that my work is overpriced?" Take this a step further and ask an artist to make something more affordable, portable, or trendy and... well... you're likely to have a fight on your hands. Despite this, an artist must make a living. Several years ago I saw a CBS Sunday Morning segment on a young NYC painter, Taliah Lempert, who was serious about making a living. The segment was focused on the incredible power of the internet to drive sales. The reporter followed Taliah to her studio where she uploaded images to her website, then followed her again as she headed around the city on her bike to deliver a painting to a buyer. (Internet art collectors... who would have imagined it two decades ago?) Since watching that segment (around 2001, I think) I've 'checked in' every so often to see how Taliah's career has progressed. Her website continues to offer a window to her studio, even showing the regular progress of what's on her easel. Rather than reading Taliah's blog, I go online toread her paintings. A lot has changed over the years. At first I began seeing prints for $30, $200, and $300. Then there came postcards, notecards, t-shirts, and even a coloring book! Now, you tell me... is this selling out or selling art? I hold my own opinion, of course. I believe that Taliah has managed to find a cost-effective alternative to her original paintings that also resolves her practical need to profit more reliably from her work. She isn't making work that swerves too far from her original passion, yet she is able to build her name around something other than the limited number of paintings she can produce each year. Really, she is expertly building her brand. Now, does this mean we aren't likely to see Taliah's work featured within Art in America or ArtForum anytime soon? Because she broke the unspoken code of fine art ethics by allowing her work to be placed on t-shirts and in coloring books? Because she chose to represent her own work, rather than depend only on galleries? I believe the rules for making and marketing artwork have changed. Like falling in love, artmaking is a very personal journey where we are free to write the ground rules any old (or new) way we like. So, what rules have you set for yourself?

Deck the Walls

2004-09-30T19:25:00.000-07:00

Just prior to my current position, I coordinated the Mid-Atlantic artist’s registry, housed at Maryland Art Place. My office was lined with hefty file cabinets, overflowing with slides and artist statements. There was a large light table that was usually cluttered with slides, a flatbed scanner for placing work online, my computer, and several fat, well labeled notebooks with four slides each from the over 4,000+ artists in the registry. While my job entailed working largely with artists, curators, and gallery owners in other states, there was one thing anyone who visited the office commented on: “Where is the art?” In fact, aside from a bulletin board, my walls were bare! One day, flipping through one of the notebooks, inspiration struck. Why not email all of the painters in the registry and invite them to hang a piece or two in the office? I would fill my wall space. Visitors would appreciate the work and possibly even inquire about the artist. Also, the artist would be able to ‘store’ one or two paintings in a location that just might generate sales. Recently I visited several Washington law firms, each of which also had wonderful art collections decorating their space. In both cases, they likely worked with an art consultant who mixed contemporary craft with fine art. Why not take a moment to consider if your work would be a nice match for a local law firm, PR agency, or doctors office? Perhaps a simple win-win situation would be to loan several of your wall hangings, photographs, or paintings to a local company for a period of 4 months. Be sure to take responsibility for hanging the work, place a label near the work that includes a price, draft the loan paperwork, and deliver/pick-up the work. Call two or three weeks before you come to pick-up the work. In certain instances, replacing the work with a new piece might be in order. Or, if the company didn’t have rapport with you, move on and try another business. In this arrangement, no one is out anything but a little time and energy. The mere possibility of a winning partnership like this is at least worth that, right?

Ideal Careers and Bad Days

2004-09-29T20:17:00.000-07:00

I had a bad day today. I won't bore you with the details (Actually, I won't bore myself with the details!), but it wasn't one to write home about. On my drive home it occured to me that I was being ridiculous. Childish, really. For goodness sakes, I spoke to an artist yesterday whose studio was ruined by hurricane-induced flooding. They have nothing left! Ideas of the 'starving artist' aside, today there remains to be a glamorous appeal in living life as an artist or craftsperson. People assume your day is spent in a large studio flooded with light, fresh flowers, great music, and endless inspiration. Any negative reactions to your career choice are truly more likely out of jealousy than any other emotion. If making art is your day job, surely you have noticed these stereotypes. And, if this is your full-time career, I ask you... is your life "glamorous"? Would you call it "romantic"? Would you say it's an "easy way to make a living"? No. I didn't think so. These aren't words that would spring to mind. So, here I sit. My bad day is behind me. A new day is in front. Meanwhile, as I dwell on myself, there is more than just one artist who had an equally dismal time in their studio today. More than one artist made work they weren't happy with and stormed out in frustration. More than a handful of craftspeople received calls from retailers who cancelled orders or needed another 14 days credit. Sadder still is the very real fact that today unknown numbers of creative careerpeople were unable to visit their studios, make new work, call customers, or ship out work due to a long string of damaging hurricanes. It's not just a tv news headline. It's real. Please consider donating to The Red Cross or The Craft Emergency Relief Fund today. Your $10, $30, or even $200 donation will go towards helping someone else (And, in CERF's case, certainly a craftsperson) who is guaranteed to have had a worse day than you.

Where is Worth?

2004-09-28T18:21:00.000-07:00

If you know me personally, you know I grew up in the midwest. Kansas, to be specific. And while at this point I have mostly transformed (sometimes against my will) into an East Coaster, there are some unreachable parts of my heart that just want to hop on a plane and high tail it out of here. There is, however, one specific thing that the East Coast has over the midwest. No, I'm not thinking of ivy league schools. No, great museums and superior architecture aren't springing to my mind. Without a doubt, the East is THE place to sell your art or craftwork. More specifically... it is THE place where you can expect to receive what your work is worth. Now, think about this very carefully. I'm not theorizing. I travel frequently to arts events across the country and have seen this in practice. Do you live in a midwestern state and have trouble selling your work at local galleries, fairs, or festivals? Do you feel you have strong work and a reasonable pricing method? If you answer 'yes' to both of these, take time to seriously consider how you can get your work to the East Coast at least once a year. Sure, LA may be the newly crowned center of the contemporary fine art arena. But, LA cannot compete with the combined population density of the New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and DC areas. The I-95 corridor is a hot spot for showing in galleries, selling at trade shows, advertising in high quality publications, and courting art or craft collectors. Many astute art appreciators live in this area, most of the major art and decor magazines are produced here, trade shows and galleries are open for business and (mostly) continue to thrive here, and the East Coast climate is more accepting of work that fits outside the traditional academic system. Kansas? It was a great place to grow up. It would be a great place to move back to some day. It would be a beautiful place to have a studio and make art. However, it is not the ideal location to making a reliable living through selling artwork. To live in the midwest and be a working artist would require thinking big, looking outside the area, and building a network well beyond reach of the back door.

To Artists and Craftspeople

2004-09-27T07:19:00.000-07:00

Why do I insist on addressing artists and craftspeople, two seemingly separate groups of people who make things with their hands? In all honesty, I have struggled with this since beginning this blog. I first began with both audiences in mind because I have always been connected with both communities, either through public speaking, instruction, visiting craft shows, or curating art exhibits. Even when in art school, when I was working to perfect my craft, I organized exhibits and mounted an educational lecture series. Everything was one for me. It was all connected. If *I* have always straddled both lines and had no difficulty seeing the similarities, it seemed fair to assume others felt the same way. The circle of people I surround myself with grasp this connection and it flows like a consistent undercurrent throughout all of our conversations. There is a constant respect for the connectedness of all makers (whether of craft, art, or something in between). In the blogosphere though, I have become acquainted with people outside my chosen circle. Some are even making art or craftwork in other countries. And, not so surprisingly this wider group of people has a much narrower view of the creative community. In fact, many don't view the art and craft worlds as connected at all. They see a large, invisible wall between the 'fine arts' and the 'applied arts'. So, it seems that I have been on a new crusade without even realizing it! Fully cognizant of this divide, I now seek to demonstrate the connectedness of art, craft, and even hobbiest dabblings, because there is a richness in my world that dictates that creative careers cannot be obtained in a bubble. You must look outside your traditional network, learn from the lessons of others, and absorb new ways of thinking and working. Thinking outside the box in the creative world means traditional fine art heirarchies, haughty craft circles, and learn-as-you go approaches to business need to be thrown out the window. You must begin again.

Stereotypical Art Buyers

2004-09-24T06:18:00.000-07:00

People that buy art and craft are often the same people that stay in nice hotels, order room service, and hail cabs because their feet hurt. Yes, I am generalizing here. But, what is the common theme with each of these three things? People that buy art don't just like to be pampered, they feel they deserve to be pampered! Typical art buyers have a manicure now and then. Regular art buyers often subscribe to more magazines than they really have time to read and don’t mind the frivolous expense. I didn’t write the stereo type, I’m just reporting on it. Knowing this is the target group all art and craft makers have in common allows us to learn more about this group and exploit their accessibility. (Within reason.) Have you ever considered selling your paintings, prints, photos, or wall art to a high-end hotel or spa? Have you ever considered advertising you art or artistic services in a higher end publication for people who own, decorate, and/or remodel larger homes? Have you ever considered having an art open house at your studio to pamper your top collectors or those whom your galleries recommend as strong potential buyers? Have you ever considered working with a city limo company to advertise on the back of their business cards, plan a cooperative mailing, or provide them with a small number of pieces as gifts to their top clients around the holidays? Have you ever considered contacting a symphony, opera house, or theatre company to pay to send a brochure or postcard to their mailing list of culture vultures? The questions above are meant to open your mind to larger possibilities that could help you reach more exclusive clients who can afford, appreciate, and understand the value of strong artwork. Not all will apply to your work, but they are each worth consideration.

Fate is an Interesting Circle

2004-09-23T22:46:00.000-07:00

I went about my evening making dinner, eating, paying some bills, a load of laundry... and then it hit me. I had to log on to share my latest news. Just one day ago I wrote about my experience walking a craft show filled with booths of Native American artwork, manned by artists with erratic pricing and little success to show for their dedication to their craft. Then, today, a light at the end of my one-day-old tunnel. Marilyn Ulen, executive director of the Arts Business Institute (ABI), called this afternoon with a proposal. She invited me to speak to tribal artists on a reservation in Arizona! Is this kismet, fate, coincidence? Who knows. But I remind you to visit the Arts Business Institute web site NOW to learn more about ABI programming, make contact with Marilyn, or find an Institute traveling to your area. ABI is now permanently linked on the right-hand panel of this blog so that you have no excuse to forget and place the business side of your art/craft on the back shelf. I also remind you to follow what you are passionate about. It will lead you in interesting directions that, without clear explanation, are quite simply meant to be. I go to sleep tonight with hope in my mind and another puzzle piece in place.

More Words, Less Art

2004-09-23T18:19:00.000-07:00

Why does terminology matter so much to me? Why do I keep hammering away at awful terms artists should avoid or how to articulately describe your work to someone else? Words often determine how confidently you talk about your work. It makes the difference between someone liking your work and buying, or liking your work and walking away. You should feel comfortable talking about your low and high-end pieces because this type of stair-stepping gives customers access to the work that is within their range. No one wants to fall in love with a piece that is out of their price range. If you understand the importance of filling both your low and high-end, you will understand the crucial need of catering to both your low and high-end customers. Both groups will help put food on your table and money in your bank. Both groups matter.

Indian Art Lessons

2004-09-22T19:33:00.001-07:00

You know, I had a perfectly good post prepared for today but then I had to go and have a fabulous day in DC where I jotted down three pages of notes about artists and their varied approaches to business. Why was I in DC? For the opening festivities of the new National Museum of the American Indian, which is a gorgeous new space in which the Smithsonian plans to highlight native culture. Outside was a festival atmosphere with music on the mall, lots of people waiting to enter the museum, and some absolutely fantastic native artwork. After leaving the festival area we continued to a small hotel show featuring more native artwork of even higher caliber (and higher price). Overall, I walked away with joy and sadness. Joy came like it does anytime I'm surrounded by great things to look at, touch, and learn about. Sweet grass baskets, scrimshaw work, leather coats, silver inlay, bone and gourd carving, jewelry made from 2mm wide shells... How could you not be swayed by this? Sadness came when I spoke to an appaling number of artists who were struggling to make ends meet, refusing to give up old conventions that an artist's life is about stuggling, and resistant to considering working models that other artists use that not only help them grow a business but thrive. One artist asked me how they could ever sell wholesale to galleries if they barely make money now at retail. Several more openly said they couldn't sell their work between January and April. More artists than I could count didn't bother to display prices on their work. Oi vey! I was overwhelmed with the desire to stand up on a rock and scream, "What in the world are you all saying? Who taught you to run your businesses like garage sales? Wake up and use the resources around you. You have beautiful work but you're killing yourselves!" For the record... If you aren't making money at retail, the problem can only be with one of two things: your pricing or your work. If you can't sell between January and April, the problem lies in three possible things: in your line, in your method of marketing, or in your head. And, if you didn't have prices on your work today you failed to make an easy sale. I was in a buying mood and you put a wall in front of my being able to quickly buy and fly. In the coming months I will address many of the questions artists asked me today. I can't give you an arts business blueprint because there is no such thing. So, if you see the book on the shelf—don't buy it! Trust me. There are no cookie cutter plans. I will, however, try to lay things out in the clearest terms I possibly can... adding a dose of inspiration every now and then.

Home, Home on the Range

2004-09-21T06:30:00.000-07:00

What is your price range? This is the first (or, sometimes second) question I ask an artist whose work I am sitting down to review. You open your portfolio to slides, sometimes photos, or color prints. Then, I ask you what your price range is and you stare back blankly with, “Um… well… do you mean you want to see my price sheet?” This is a typical portfolio review. (If this was not you, I humbly apologize and kneel to thank you for knowing your price range and being able to articulately speak about it. Being the exception and not the rule, I award you today the gift of not having to read my blog. Please click on one of the ‘Links I Like’ on the right of this entry and have a beautiful, price-range-free, day.) Your price range is, in simple terms, the low and high end of your line. If you make wooden jewelry boxes and your retail prices are roughly $35, $85, and $165 – your price range is “between $35 and $165.” That was the simple explanation. Most artists, however, have erratic prices that don’t fit into those simple boxes. Let’s imagine that you make a small, attractive pins and your prices are $17, $25, and $28. Your price range is, yes, technically speaking “between $12 and $32.” But this is not the ideal way for you to discuss your line. Instead you need to step outside your studio and into the shoes of the consumer. If you were going to buy a gift for a friend and you intended to spend about $15, what amount would you pay at the cash register and still feel like you weren’t short-changing your friend? $12? With sales tax you are pretty close to $15, right? Now, what if you saw something and fell in love with it and it was $19? Wouldn’t you did into your pocket for a few more dollars for your friend? Wouldn’t you consider this to still be a purchase around $15? Now, let’s begin again with our simple wooden jewelry boxes that sell for $35, $85, and $165. Technically they range “between $35 and $165.” This is an acceptable way to speak about the work. Ideally, you would say though that they “sell in a $30 and $200 retail range.” The small pins that sell for $17, $25, and $28? This is all within a $20 price point or price range. The three prices are reasonably accessible to the person looking to spend $20. Why bother talking about your prices in terms of range? Whether you make $12,000 paintings or $12 pins, exact often sounds ficticious. Think about it. Doesn't a range of prices sound more professional and, for lack of a better term, solid? Expanding beyond the exact price listings also pads your prices to appeal to a wider range of people. Knowing your price range doesn’t just make a difference in how you talk about your work to others, it comes in handy when you are seeking to increase your prices. If you are already selling an item for $18, the jump to $19 or $20 really isn’t that great (unless, of course, you have a regular client base that will notice and be alarmed by now having to pay $2 more). Understand the range people find to be a reasonable price for your work and you will begin to understand how to use the range to your advantage.

Is it High or Low?

2004-09-20T20:11:00.000-07:00

An interesting phenomenon in blogging… Many people I never intended to read this are happening across it and… well… enjoying it (Imagine that!). And, instead of commenting in the public comment area, they are shyly sending me personal emails with their comments and questions enclosed. One recent email I received asked me if I could look at the sender’s web site and determine if her work was ‘high end’ or ‘low end’. A day later I received a similar request. So, by need and popular demand… here is the difference between high-end and low-end artwork. Within your own studio you likely already have a high and low-end line of work. The majority of production craftspeople have low-end work that ranges between $25 and $65. Opposing this is high-end work that may be situated anywhere between $300 and $3,000. In obvious terms, the low-end is your lower price range and your high-end is your highest prices group of items. If you are a painter, sculptor, or other ‘fine artist’ with limited-production, one-of-a-kind pieces, you also have a low and high-end. This being said, your low-end can’t be insulting and your high-end has to be realistically priced. An example of what I mean by this? I once met a man near my hometown who was selling his prints for ridiculously high prices. They were color photographs and they were beautifully framed, but he was trying to sell his work to suburban Kansas art lovers! This was not a man who would have taken my ‘reflections’ on his pricing kindly but the fact remained, he saw little business at the show because his prices were arbitrary and out of the ball park. They weren’t even in the same league as most of the other photographers at the show! Now, maybe he didn’t really want to part with these pieces and he intentionally priced them high, but left them in the booth to draw people in and catch attention. The way they really affected people though was quite the opposite. Because his high-end work was so outrageously priced, no one stood around to flip through his bins or look at the mini-prints and photo notecards. People came in to see the large prints in the back of the booth, looked at the prices, and promptly backed out (carefully) from the booth, cautious not to ‘break and buy’ anything. Don’t get to stuck on extremes like this photographer… The majority of work in art OR craft booths sells in the median range. Psychologically most consumers do not want to buy the cheapest thing. The masses are also often not bold enough to jump at large, costly pieces. Most people buy in the middle. And building the middle is where you will build your business. Having solid ‘bookends’ of low and high end work will allow you to focus your energy on strengthening the accessible mid-range alternatives you offer to customers--the work they can afford, desire, and will end up buying.

Gifting is Good

2004-09-17T16:52:00.000-07:00

On DAY 1 of the music festival we visited the ‘Art Fair’ section of the park. On DAY 2, we went back and bought things. I came away with a lovely handmade purse with a satin lining and fun banana-motif exterior. There are several things I loved about this woman’s work but most noteable was something she may or may not have even designed! Standing outside the booth, I saw no less than four women wearing her purses. This was important because…

I was flip-flopping on buying and seeing other people model her purses reminded me how great I would look with one.
It wasn’t really that expensive. Sure, I could make one at home but it isn’t quite the same as buying it from someone who really cares about the craftsmanship. These other people had her purses so it was proof that they weren’t outrageously priced and I was just making excuses.

Now, I noticed after I made away with my new purse purchase that two of the women I saw were actually her booth assistants. One brought her a drink and another stood next to her chitchatting.

Did they buy her work or did she ‘gift’ it? Hard to say. But it reminds you and me that gifting is, in fact, good. It’s not just a nice gesture. It is also about advertising!

The right gift to the right people at the right time will be the best placed advertising you may possibly be able to affordably get away with.

Art Show Essentials

2004-09-16T18:37:00.000-07:00

Today I write to you from Austin, Texas: the bat capitol of America, the live music capitol of the World, or the capitol of Texas. You choose which you want to consider it. For me, it is the ‘live music capitol’ through the weekend, as I’m here to attend a music festival.* Only on DAY 1, I have already made a mental list of all the great things festival planners are doing right. Especially of note is the accessibility of: Water Bathrooms Information – Help The Bands Food Good Weather A festival is successful if the people attending have easy access to all of the above. If even one area is lacking, you feel deprived or, minimally, annoyed by the poor planning. If you are selling your artwork in an indoor OR outdoor environment there are, similarly, several crucial things you should always cross-check for accessibility. If you don’t have one of the items on this specific list… you are failing to prepare. And, if you can’t give the selling experience 100%, you are essentially gambling your money away. Again, these are in no order of importance. They are, however, all equally important to selling at an indoor or outdoor art show. You, as the artist and salesperson, should ensure the accessibility of: Your most affordably priced work Prices for everything saleable in your booth A clear booth entrance A clear booth exit The back of your booth Legible signage with your name, company name, or logo You – The artist or craftsperson I will write more about these specific needs in the coming weeks. I will also address the difference between high-end and low-end, a question that has been personally emailed to me several times now. Please feel free to share any other crucial items you would put on your personal booth list in the comment section at the end of this post. *To learn more about the event I am here to sweat my way through in 96+ degree weather, visit the Austin City Limits festival web site.

Two Words I Hate

2004-09-13T19:34:00.000-07:00

I hesitate to even say them now... Two simple words that are so overused, so rarely used well, and so filled with shallow meaning. The words? UNIQUE and WHIMSICAL (I cringe just typing the last one.) If you use either word in your company name, tag line, advertisements, or promotional materials, make a change today! Remove these words from your life. Find an alternative way to express what you really intend to say. If you find yourself saying 'whimsical', instead try substituting a more descriptive word that relates to a tangible aspect of the work. Is it colorful? Is it light-hearted? Is it childlike? Is it youthful? Is it humorous? Is it cheery? If you find yourself gravitating toward 'unique', remember that all handmade art or craftwork should be unique. If your work is not unique, then one can only assume you are copying someone else's idea. Instead eliminate this word all together and move on to talking about what specifically sets your work apart and makes it different from others working in your medium. Don't linger on the fact that you're different. Dwell in what details make you different. Good luck as you step away from the old and into the new.

On THE Day

2004-09-11T07:14:00.000-07:00

On September 11th I went to work, like most people. When a co-worker came in late and mentioned that the radio had just announced that a plane went down in NYC, I didn't think much of it. A few minutes passed and someone logged onto CNN's web site and her mouth dropped open at the photograph. We all gathered around her desk. An unmistakable image. Everything changed from that moment on. On my way home I drove in a bit of a fog. Only a few hours had passed. I looked at the cars around me and wondered who knew what. Then my cell phone rang. It was such a bizarre moment that I even recall the intersection I was at when I reached for my phone. It was a call from Taiwan. I was in the middle of planning the American and Canadian pavilion of a traveling glass exhibition and the work was being displayed in the host museum on that very day. The exhibit would open in less than two weeks. The Taiwanese curator, Michael Hsu, had questions on how to assemble one of the pieces. I don't even recall the questions he asked me. But halfway through the conversation I paused, then stumbled and told Michael I would have to call him back at another time. He asked if everything was alright. In Taiwan, the news clearly was spreading slower than at home. I told him what I knew and he was silent. I thought maybe it was the language barrier or that he just didn't know what to say. Then he said something further about setting up the exhibit and that he would call me the following day. I ended the conversation but was angry. At the time I didn't know what we know now about the planes hitting the towers, but I certainly did know that this was an epic event. He wanted to talk tomorrow about the art exhibit? Didn't he understand what an enormous crisis this was? Didn't he understand that for all we knew Baltimore could be hit next with a plane? Or maybe other cities, like Taipei, would become targets? After months had passed and my personal fog had lifted I came to the realization that while Americans had changed, much of the rest of the world was just reacting to a news headline in their daily papers. Our stock market closed but business went on (largely) 'as usual' around the globe. Of course he would call me the following day about the exhibit. There would still be people coming to view the work. There would still be collectors present who wanted to acquire pieces for their summer homes. There would still be listings in the paper and a caterer arriving to place drinks and canapes in people's hands. Life always presses on. And in my mind, art is often what helps people press on. Art can allow people to connect with a deeper, more spiritual part of themselves that doesn't require words.

Do You Have the Time?

2004-09-10T19:29:00.000-07:00

If you consider yourself a part-time artist or craftsperson with a full-time day job, you are probably worn out by the time you get home in the evening. When I was fresh out of art school I had a similar experience. My days were exhausting, yet I looked forward to getting home and making something. Some days my fingers literally tingled with excitement. But, walking in the door each evening, all I wanted to do was flop on the couch and be waited on! Sound familiar? Believe it or not, this is the same thing you have in common with the full-time artist who doesn't have a grueling day job. The job, it turns out, is often not what's keeping you from having more time for your work. Often, the problem is you! (Bare with me here.) Tonight I changed my clothes, put on my tennis shoes, and stood in front of the exercise bike, staring it down. I didn't 'have time for it' last night or the night before. In truth, I haven't 'had time for exercise' in weeks. The same can be said of people who 'don't have time' to make things or be in the studio. If you want to achieve it, you have to set it as a priority. It doesn't have to be your top priority every hour of every day. But, if it is important enough it must register on your priority meter at some point of every day. So, the next time you walk in the door and wonder where the time went... remember you aren't in control of how quickly the time flies by, but you are in control of how you manage it. Create a schedule, include studio time, and then stick to it. You will feel better about yourself in the end. I promise.

Begin TODAY

2004-09-09T06:57:00.000-07:00

One week ago I wrote about an artist with a VERY news worthy client whom she was commissioned by to create a surprise birthday gift. As the work has concluded, the piece has been shipped, and the birthday is imminent... I take it upon myself to once again nudge this friend a bit and remind her that now, now, NOW, is the time to send that press release. Art is art. But an arts business requires promotion and marketing just like any other type of business if you have expectations of reaching that next level. Yes, I know it's not very fun. Yes, I know the first try at anything is torturous. Yes, I know it's hard to know where exactly to begin. But, you must begin if you expect any publications to bite. So, Luann... could you tell us once again how to write a press release? Oh, you have already blogged on the topic? Hmm... You don't say! I couldn't have written it better myself.

Prison Art and Dedication

2004-09-08T05:10:00.000-07:00

I was searching the blogosphere today and ran across Prison Pete's blog. Really I was on a simple expedition to identify what more popular blogs are doing which I should mirror to bring more attention to my quiet little corner. Prison Pete's blog is hugely popular and yet Pete doesn't even manage his own blog. So I read on to see what all the fuss was about. Whatever my thoughts on Pete or his blog... it did give me pause. When I first started working at the company I am currently with, we received a small string of letters from prisoners that had read my bosses book and had comments or questions. Eventually I became the recipient of these letters. I'm not exactly sure why or how this happened, but it did. As a 'prison letter' was received, the receptionist would place it on my desk with this paranoid look in her eyes, touching the envelope with her index finger and thumb as if it were radioactive. (For the record: she was overly dramatic about everything, not just letters from jail.) I answered enough of these that I wrote a 'help sheet' for these prisoners that I could just print off and include with my brief reply letter. Most of the letters were penned by long-term felons who spent a good deal of time practicing one art/craft form or another. On the 'help sheet' I offered the names of other books and web sites that could help them develop their work more or give them info on where other prisoners have ultimately taken their artwork. One day I received a box from Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. Our receptionist paged me to come to her desk. I arrived to find she and our human resources officer standing over the tiny box, staring at it. I assumed it was a sample from someone, but usually she carried these over with a shake of her wrist as if it were Christmas and she was trying to guess what was in the box. When I saw the return address I rolled my eyes and snatched it up. She was deathly afraid to pick it up and even more sure I shouldn't open it. Did she actually think an inmate would 'craft' a bomb and send it to me as a nice little surprise? Less dramatically, inside was a hand-written letter (they always were hand-written) and a belt buckle that demonstrated the author's amazing skill in metalwork. He explained that he wanted to learn how to improve the work, price it, and sell it. He said that he had sent similar samples to a craft gallery he had read about but that they hadn't returned his samples or subsequent letters. I had to think about this overnight... It hadn't occurred to me that prisoners could sell their art or craftwork! Looking into it I learned that Angola was an unusual penitentiary. It has it's own museum for goodnesss sakes! They also hold rodeos, have a newspaper, and a craft sale just before the holidays. (And, before you get up in arms... No, funds raised do not go directly to any inmates.) Over the course of the year I wrote to this inmate two more times. I never stopped viewing him as an inmate, but I absolutely did take him and his craft seriously. Afterall, he did. This experience... reading Prison Pete's blog... it all draws attention to one thing: DEDICATION. Now it can easily be noted that inmates have nothing but time to write, think, and hone skills. The fact remains that it takes dedication to move from wishing you could own a business and plotting the plan to actually executing the idea and committing to working on it every day. So too, it takes this same brand of dedication to carve intricate layers of metal and place them together to create a seemless buckle-sized landscape with birds, horses, and a rustic fenced-in barn. Many artists (in jail or not) would have long ago given up and thrown the piece across the room! This artwork, the sample I received in the box that day, was not the work of someone who faltered in dedication. When you reach that point in your studio... you're tired, pieces aren't quite fitting together, and you're wondering why you didn't just follow a traditional career path, I ask you to do one thing: Step away and remember you have a choice. You have the opportunity to choose to follow your art/craft or to choose a more traditional life. There are so many talented people in the world who do not have that choice and don't know a life of options or flexibility. Be thankful you have that and allow your dedication to grow out of a point of gratefulness.

Make a Statement

2004-09-03T06:59:00.000-07:00

I have a little folder of awful artist statements here at home. Some were written by friends. A couple were picked up at art exhibits. And, (Shh... don't tell anyone!) a few were written by me at a time when I was suffering from art-school-speak. I am a firm believer that artist statements, while a requirement in some segments of the art world, are a crucial exercise for ALL artists and craftspeople. If you are a painter, you need an artist statement. If you are a goldsmith, you don't NEED an artist statement. You should, however, try to write one. Statements give you practical experience talking about your work, allowing you to step between your studio and a collector's home. While a craft fair or art exhibit will allow you to get direct feedback, only the process of writing about your work (even if you consider yourself a poor writer) will allow you to find the right terms to talk plainly about it. Artist statements should always tell more about your work and your connection to the making process. Some are structured as more of a biography and others dig beneath the surface of the work and give insight into what was informing or motivating the artist in the studio. I have met more than my fair share of craftsmen that talk about their work in technical terminology to rival any IT geek. I have had my fill of fine artists who use glamorous, romantic language that could give Danielle Steel a run for her money. Enough already! Help me reach my goal of ridding the planet of stereotype-generating artsy monologues and visit the following sites for a 'brush up' before drafting your next artist statement: Approach I - More of Approach I Approach II

Originality Stolen

2004-09-02T07:46:00.000-07:00

"Immature artists imitate. Mature artists steal." – Lionel Trilling Imagine you owned a coffee shop that was known for free internet, Thursday B-movie nights, Friday poetry open-mic nights and, oh yea, a damn good cup a joe. What would you do if your coffee clone parked its new shop down the street from you? Would you go over and give them a piece of your mind when they announced free Internet portals? Would the straw break the camels back when they announced their monthly line up of (you guessed it!) Thursday B-movie nights and Friday open-mic poetry jams? Unfortunately… and inevitably… artists all encounter this copycat phenomenon. In art school I remember on more than a dozen occasions looking around the room and seeing no less than three art students doing the exact same work or projecting the exact same ideas. Are there really only so many original ideas in the world? Is it possible that everything we see today as art or craft is just reinvented from generations before? The intellectual questions abound. Yet, the fact remains—If you are an artist or craftsperson and you run across a knock-off of your designs you will need to have a response. You must have a plan of action. Here are your options: A) Outrage. What kind of a jerk would copy my work like this? This is unacceptable and I absolutely plan to do something about it. B) Flattery. Wow! I had no idea my work was succeptible to being copied. How funny that someone would go through such effort just to mirror my techniques. Picasso was knocked off. Chihuly is knocked off. I guess I’ve truly arrived! C) Hand wringing. This is aweful, but will it really hurt my business? Should I do something about it? Or will taking action just mean more time and trouble than it’s worth? If I ignore it, maybe it will go away. D) Blasé. Well, I always knew something like this could happen. I can’t say I’m terribly surprised. But I guess I will just have to hurry up and design new work so I can keep one step ahead of them. Life goes on. Now, I realize I am over simplifying a very serious issue here. But, if you aren’t right in the middle of a knock-off nightmare, the issue needs to be oversimplified so you can see the naivete in some of the possible responses. It’s always easier to take a step back and look at your self when you are OUTSIDE a situation. I’m simply asking you to do this in advance, rather than after the fact where it has no benefit to you. My reactions to the four overreactions above: First – I don’t advise you resort to acting on outrage alone. No one every got anywhere by being a hothead. Cool your jets before you act against a copycat. And certainly, PLEASE, cool your jets before you run into a lawyer’s office. When the clock is ticking, you don’t want to be paying for frivelous conversations when your attorney spent most the time calming you down. Second – Picasso is Picasso. Chihuly is Chihuly. You are you. Please don’t be flattered into submission. You are in the art industry to be in BUSINESS, right? Please don’t forget that. Picasso and Chihuly long ago reached points where business was not nearly as crucial an objective as celebrity. Third – If you don’t know how to act on the situation, there are certainly people that can help. Be smart enough about your own business to know that NOTHING every goes away without a good deal of effort. Pity parties and inaction have no place when you work is being copied. Fourth – Yes, life truly does always march on. You are left behind if you stop marching too long. So, please keep your new designs flowing but do not neglect that protecting your artist name or company name is an integrity issue. It affects galleries who sell your work and collectors who buy your designs. Remember: for every action there is quite possibly an equal and opposite over-reaction. A knock-off affects more than just you, the artist. Adjust your reaction with your business target (your customer’s reaction) clearly in mind.

An Afternoon with Art - Good AND Bad

2004-09-01T06:26:00.000-07:00

I spent last Friday in Washington on business. In between meetings, we stole away to The Corcoran Museum for lunch. I was thrilled. The Corcoran is hands down my favorite gallery in DC. So excited, this slipped out of my mouth as I stood at the security desk having my bag searched. The security guard cocked her head and said, "Why?," as if she were surprised that someone would like the Museum so much. Quite simply I explained, "Because I can come here and see art by people who are still alive!" With a little extra time to spare, we went upstairs to spend a little time with the exhibits. I was excited to see a Norman Rockwell showing, as well as Sally Mann's new work. Oddly enough... they were directly across the hall from one another. Rockwell was a phenomenal illustrator. His painting style is superb. He calculated each brush stroke down to a science. Nothing is wasted. No flick of his wrist was without purpose. The exhibit showcased a series of public service paintings Rockwell was commissioned to paint by the US Government in an effort to sell War Bonds for WWII. It's an interesting idea I cannot imagine taking hold today. Could you imagine people buying their little piece of the War on Terror? No. The concept, the exhibit, and this extraordinary marketing push are all points left in history. A few steps away was the entrance to Sally Mann's latest series of photographs. Mann's portraits have always seemed haunted to me, whether by the look in the subject's eyes or the ghostly silver wash of the prints themselves. Her latest work is truly haunted. The images focus on two subjects: Mann's dead pet greyhound and the photographic evidence of her shadowing a forensic researcher. So much of Mann's earlier acclaimed work is about youth and life. Now, her photos are evidence of a process of death and decay. With these exhibits fresh in my mind, I was reminded of how I used to struggle with my thoughts on art, craft, and the possibilities of making a living through creative entrepreneurship. Looking at Rockwell's work alongside Mann's, this mindset returns to me and I wonder: How can an artist like Sally Mann make a living with large scale photographs of highly controversial subject matter that the mass public has difficulty stomaching? How can she succeed while functional potters fail every day? Is it just a numbers game? While I don't hold the answers for these questions, even now, I do find it important to note that Norman Rockwell was a commissioned artist. His work was sold before he ever created it. He worked on the same model that Frank Lloyd Wright and Leonardo Da Vinci did. Sally Mann does not. The challenge before her is two fold: how to make art without a built-in buyer and how to keep making art even if the public voices objections. Furniture makers, clock makers, quilters, ceramists, glass blowers, jewelers... these are the accessible artists that are made of the same stuff that Norman Rockwell was. Making art for a public that will purchase the work, give art to others, and often develop a dialogue with the craftsperson. It doesn't make their brand of art more or less valid than the Sally Mann variety. But it certainly does make you scratch your head and think... if Sally Mann can continue to thrive on a shaky tightrope with a limited collector base, why can't the successful glass sculptor with affordable work make it? Why can't the weaver with a line of pillows and throws find an audience? How far of a stretch is it to expect one gallery to display the wall hangings of a talented mixed media artist with a concept that can be widely embraced and collected? Maybe we all don't fall in love with Sally Mann's work. Maybe some of us even find it 'grotesque'. But, her form of extremism certainly does assert that hundreds of thousands of craftspeople across the country have more than a fighting chance at making it big.

Hung up on Words

2004-08-31T17:16:00.000-07:00

I subscribe to more listserve’s and discussion forums than I really should. I receive one for art educators, another for ceramists, two for the democratic party, two for republicans, still one more for readers of the arts section of the New York Times… Should I go on? While I can’t read them all, I do have a habit of printing them out and placing them in the passenger seat of my car. I read them at extraordinarily long red lights. I read them when I am lucky enough to be a passenger in my own car on the way to dinner. Yesterday while I waited for the red light at Northern and Falls Road (if you are from Baltimore, you know the light—slowww), I read the arts educator forum posts from last Friday. One particular woman was frustrated by her school administrators who wanted to cut back her program, shave her hours down, and rip away arts education support. Well, if you know me personally, you know I was alarmed. This morning in my response post to this struggling art teacher, I provided her with two links to organizations that help to promote arts education and supporting research: The Arts Education Partnership Americans for the Arts Then, also this morning, someone coincidentally placed a research study in my Inbox at work. (This is particularly strange because my job doesn’t connect to K-12 arts education and it’s odd that we would have such information lying around.) The study is the result of a partnership between the US Department of Education, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Arts Education Partnership and is entitled "Critical Links: Learning in the Arts and Student Academic and Social Development." (Wow, what a mouthful!) Aside from the obvious, what is the one repeated theme throughout the study? There are no superlative arts education studies that have been released that definitively show that art education improves overall education. Why is there no solid research to prove this? Because researchers can’t seem to arrive at one, clear definition of ‘art’ or ‘the arts’! Don’t we all agree that arts education is crucial for children? Don’t we all agree that theater, music, and visual art bring together lessons in history, math, and language classes? Then why can’t we all just agree on a definition of ‘art’ and ‘craft’ and move on with it?

Sometimes We Just Need to Pause

2004-08-30T07:46:00.000-07:00

"Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero!" (Seize the day, put no trust in the morrow!) – Horace (65-8 B.C.) Over the past nine months I have seen craftspeople wage successful wars against cancer and pass away after waving the white flag. I’ve had artist friends die tragic deaths in a sudden moment and seen babies arrive at a show in the arms of their proud parents who, months before, were hoping for such an addition. The last day of a craft show, from a backstage perspective, is always the best day. You are unhappy for artists who did not fare well but, mostly, you feel thrilled that your hard work paid off and your late nights at the office are about to come to an end for a few months. Until you ramp up for the next show, of course. The last day is the morning you wake up, back your bags in a flurry, check out of the hotel with a smile, and head to the show site with a quicker pace because that night you will be sleeping in your own bed. Last February I arrived at our winter show site to learn that an artist had passed away. This was the morning of the last day of the show. I had been so busy at this show with educational programs, portfolio reviews, you name it… I hadn’t had a chance to even see much of the show, let alone see who wasn’t present or question why they were in the hospital. The artist was Clifford Gateless and I immediately walked into our private press office and broke into tears. My second reaction was to call my father (who was already at work) and tell him I loved him. Why would an artist I knew at arm’s length inspire this reaction from me? I met Clifford at our very first Artist Resource Table for the Buyers Market of American Craft. The very first time I attempted to extend my art business education to visitors. The very first time I took a risk and admitted I had something of value to offer arts entrepreneurs. And Clifford was the first person I met that day at my tiny little table. He pulled from his pocket about eight slides, all dark images with a slightly brownish cast to them. I seem to recall the work was also photographed against a wrinkly, casually draped drop cloth. We talked for nearly an hour and subsequently emailed and spoke on the phone several times. I saw him months later at an Arts Business Institute, with improved slides in hand and a notebook and pen in the other. At his first show with us, I arranged for his booth to be second in from the front of the exhibit hall in a special furniture section. He needed all the help he could get as one of two fine furniture artists in the show. I was willing to take the risk in his booth placement because I knew he would do anything to ensure a great booth display. Day one was rocky but I drug him upstairs where he could see his booth from a high vantage point and see how dark it look compared to his neighbors. We nit-picked every little aspect of that display and the next day it looked 80% better with his improved lighting, his adjusted drapery, the addition of a few plants, and relaxed body language. By the end of that day (the second day of the show) he was so thrilled with the results and the galleries that stopped to compliment him that Clifford literally clicked his heels down the hallway after finding my to hug me and report the good news. After searching for the right road, he had found it. His story always reminded me of my father and his struggle to find the right business path. It also reminded me of another couple: Graham and Steph Davidson. They found their road in a very different way. When I met Graham years before she was at an outdoor art fair with her funny, colorful wall scenes. Her exuberance could be heard aisles away and it was infectious. Every artist around her had a smile. Graham handed me her business card and proudly exclaimed, " My name is Graham Scarborough-Davidson, with a hyphen… but I plan to change that soon because it’s too long…. Don’t you think? What do you think? I do like how unique it is though?" Turning around, she started quizzing her neighbors, running all the words together, passing around her business card and amazingly getting these artists (in full BUSINESS MODE) to disarm themselves and take three minutes to consider what she should do about the serious matter of her last name. Steph, her husband, was the perfect counterbalance to her boundless energy. Less than a year ago I received an emailed obituary from a Pennsylvania Guild artist that recounted their tragic drive back from a guild fair, their lives suddenly ended on the highway after having had a fantastic show. Graham and Steph were also expecting their first child. In both of these cases a life and a life’s work was abruptly ended. Stopped cold. Unfortunately these are not my only sad memories from the past year, they are just the two that took the largest personal toll on me. The blogging equivalent of a ‘moment of silence’, I feel, is about writing, reading, and life’s reflection. Today is my day to extend this and ask you to consider how your work, your business, and your artistic goals could change in the blink of an eye. Nothing should ever be taken for granted. And everything, absolutely everything, is a gift.

One Way to Organize a Line

2004-08-27T07:36:00.000-07:00

So, you make art work and feel you have a saleable product. But you don't feel you have a 'line' or a central theme. What do you do? Try the Post-It Plan... Does your work have a theme? Maybe you have pieces with an aquatic theme, other designs that focus on wildlife, and still a third group of designs with leaf motifs. Lay your work out on a table according to these themes first, then according to level of involvement. Place your time-consuming pieces in one grouping, your easiest pieces to make in a second group, and your other pieces in the middle. Now, organize these groups according to color. If you have too many color lines, take some of the pieces off of the table and limit your pallet. When does this plan become a Post-It Plan? Well, take Post-It Notes and place a one Note in front of each thematic group. Name these groups and write bullet points underneath to list the color options and rough price range within each grouping. You now should have the beginnings of at least three 'lines' of work. Each line has a central focus, a common price point, and a differing list of offerings from the other lines the table in front of you. Let me know how the Post-It Plan helped you. Goodness knows, organization certainly can't HURT you.

It's the Spice of Life

2004-08-26T08:08:00.000-07:00

20 fragrances 27 unique sizes 56 different shapes 22 styles of dispensers THAT is variety. But more important than variety, those numbers are representative of a company that has taken a basic idea and pushed it so ridiculously far that you almost wonder if they overshot the mark a bit. (For those who haven't caught on yet, the company is 3M and the product is the Post-It note) How hard do you find it to generate new ideas in the studio sometimes? It’s human nature to revert back to what you have done before, what you are familiar with. Is this your tendency? Or are you who has too many ideas? A tidal wave of creative thoughts—some which are wonderful, some worthless. (This is me, by the way.) The important point here is to ALWAYS generate new ideas in your line. Keep coming up with original designs. Keep reinterpreting old ideas. Keep pushing yourself in new visual directions. Afterall, new ideas fuel new buyers that see your work in a new way. ...Now, stop reading this and get back in the studio already!