serendipity: business

"Artistic inspiration ignores the law of supply and demand." -- Mason Cooley

How do you find inspiration? Does it come by dream, muse, or lightening bolt?

Last summer the works of Niki de Saint Phalle (see her work above) were on exhibit at the Garfield Park Conservatory. I had seen her work in Paris outside the Pompidou Center, but never so many works in one place. I was dazzled! Intense rich colors reflecting the afternoon sun. If you've read the previous entry, then you can see the effect her work has had on mine.

I'm currently reading Susan Vreeland's book Luncheon of the Boating Party. The storyline is tailor made for me. It is a fictional account of how Auguste Renoir risks everything to follow his dream, to make this one painting. The painting.

I am at that juncture. I need to follow me heart. Today I said no to steady income. I won't be teaching much this fall. It's so strange as I closely identify with my role as an educator. I've been teaching in some capacity for over 20 years. Half my life. (Half my life?!) I'm excited, but it certainly feels like free falling.

So these days, when I think about what inspires me, it's people who have followed their dreams. Niki. Renoir. And all the others. They have soared among the clouds, maybe to crash, but with a smile on their lips.

"Business is thirty percent patience." -- Chinese proverb

I'm starting a new category today which I title "business." This isn't about the marketing forces on Wall Street, though that holds its own interest for me, it's about the business of art. Students frequently email asking for my opinion and advice. It's flattering, though a bit misguided. I don't know everything. I'm also curious as how they come to think I hold the magic keys to a successful art career, but that's a topic of contemplation for another day. Boys and girls, today's topic is on the necessity of business cards.

Business cards are an essential way to pass along your contact information. Imagine that you are at a gallery opening and after an interesting conversation on the theoretical underpinnings of your fabulous art, a collector asks for your card. What do you do? Ask for some paper and a pen? No. You reach into your wallet and hand her one of your business cards. 10 months later this very same collector gives you a call. It's really that simple. (And yes, this is a real scenario snagged from the life of Lindsay.)

Over the years, I've seen many business card styles. Students seem to think that making their own from recycled cardboard boxes is the way to go. It is if the boxes are slim (not corrugated), neatly cut and stylishly printed with the essentials. One of my favorites was by a fashion design student. The card was neatly printed in black on white card stock which she hand cut and machine stitched a single line in hot pink thread. She had given the card a personal touch while simultaneously underscoring her profession. If the card is clumsy and poorly executed, it screams, "I don't care enough to invest in my career." Business cards need not be expensive to produce. Vista Print will even print cards for free if you agree to have their website information on the back.

My cards have always been perfunctory - name, phone number, email address. Nothing fancy, just simple, clean and to the point. But in preparing for Looptopia I craved a bit more zip. Zip came in the form of Moo mini cards. For just $20 you can have 100 different images printed on 100 cards. I chose only 10 images, but still, the fact that I could have 100 unique images for the same low price was just too cool for this business gal to pass up.