"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it." -- Pablo Picasso
The time is now for me to make the changes I've been planning. I'm both excited and scared witless. The workload
to prepare is not for the faint of heart. While out with a friend this weekend, I found this necklace and knew it was to be
my talisman as I navigate new waters.
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I don't mind getting older. I can handle the aches and pains, the streaks of grey in my hair, but I miss family. I miss my elders. I still find myself picking up the phone 13 years later to call my Gam with a baking question. I can't watch Downton Abbey without thinking of Mom. I want to share with them those small moments that make life so rich. Sometimes the missing turns to tears, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm lucky to have been blessed with their presence and hear their love and advice ring on in my ears.
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"I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive." -- Gilda Radner
Last month our beloved Jack passed away. He was sitting at my friend's feet begging for a corn chip when his little heart stopped. He shuddered and then fell to his side. By the time we got him to the vet's office, he was already gone. He was a patient pooch, putting up with the shenanigans of Josie who loved to grab him by the tail and yank him around the room. Neighborhood children learned to be respectful and only a few privledged did he allow to pick him up. Jack was the man of the house - all 10 lbs of him.
Josie went into severe mourning. Though she never liked me leaving the house, she now howled and cried when I did. Her newest nickname became Glue Dog as she was always by my side. The first week she'd run in the backyard looking for Jack, pawing at the garage door to see if he was in there. Once she accepted he wasn't returning, she moped around the house with little energy for anything.
Enter Tooney. After a month of moping, I couldn't take it anymore. Josie needed a 4 legged buddy. Every evening I combed through Petfinder.com looking for an adult female, preferably a schnauzer or papillon, that we could adopt. Two weeks ago I spotted Tooney and that was that. My daughter and I adopted her from the South Suburban Humane Society where she had been left as her previous parent was sick and could no longer care for her. Josie was all excited until Tooney chewed through every single one of her toys in under two hours. She became even less thrilled when Tooney stole her rawhide chews. But after two weeks, she's decided Tooney is pretty cool. We now are a house of papillons. Beware of small dogs!
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"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist
once we grow up." - Pablo Picasso
Happy Fall! So many new projects are in the works. I am excited to share with you that I am a new blog contributor over at Illustration Friday. If you haven't swung by this website, you must. Every week a new prompt is given and artists from around the globe send in their finished ideas based on that prompt. It's full of oodles of inspiration as there are no limitations on medium, so you could see the same prompt illustrated in graphite, watercolor, collage or even mixed media. The sky is the limit. There are also artist interviews, book releases and a new kids section. Started by Penelope Dullaghan, the website was a way to meet others in the field and further develop her portfolio. Little did she expect it to become the powerhouse it is today.
Twenty years of teaching art to children is being brought to you in the form of projects on a twice weekly basis. I am having a blast covering techniques I haven't explored in years. Check out my first two posts and sign up over at IF to get blog updates sent direct to your mailbox.
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"Why not go out on a limb? Isn't that where the fruit is?" -- Frank Scully
I took a break from the studio for a little mother and daugther time. Sweet Pea and I went to see The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. A sweet film set in a gorgeous locale. Much of the film revolves around the idea of embracing change, accepting it as a bonus rather than a negative. How do you embrace change? Do you accept it or let it run right over you?
I used to be fearless. I would buy a plane ticket to Europe that morning and be gone that evening, not to return for 7 months. I jumped head first into business, walking the streets of Manhattan selling my designs door-to-door. I cold called galleries. I was fierce, fearless and loved the rush that came from the unknown. I embraced change.
Where did that woman go?!
I'm older these days, but not necessarily wiser. Yes, caution is a good thing, but it can strangle one. I am set to go on vacation in a bit and I'm having the hardest time planning my itinerary. I mean seriously, does a vacation really need this much planning? I'm driving so I may have the freedom to wander at will, but I can't go without having rooms secured. My younger self slept in empty train cars if need be.
A few years back a friend sold her house and put everything she owned into storage. She was rolling the dice to join the Peace Corps. At 50+ years old she took off on the adventure of a life time. These days she lives in Thailand teaching elementary school. I admire her courage. She kept thinking she was crazy, but once she was accepted and stationed, everything clicked into place for her. In a sense, she's home as her heart is where it needs to be.
I'm not saying I'm unhappy, but yes, I'm a bit restless. As my daughter matures and settles into her own life, I finally have time to focus on myself. Let me tell you, it's a very scary prospect indeed. Do I return to remnants of my younger self or is there a new role for me to play?
The pic is of my friend Kate and me in our last year of high school. I look at thw face of my younger self and see the mischief. Maybe a vacation will help me dig through the layers and find my courage to once again jump off the high dive and embrace change.
Maybe.
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"Joy is the feeling of grinning inside." -- Melba Colgrove
Where have I been this last week? Buried in my studio. Well, okay, only part of the time as I had meetings to attend, final exams to give, and of course Mother's Day and Sweet Pea's birthday to celebrate, but yes, by and large I've been in the studio cutting bits of paper.
I am in love with Dresden scrap papers, many of which are vintage or inspired by the Victorian era. They remind me of Gam and Mom who had their own stash. They remind me of an era that seems simpler though I know it wasn't. In my studio I can forget about jury duty, NATO summits, layoffs and all the other negativity that swirls in the air.
This combination is from the lid of a box I am finishing up. I love the contrast of the gold against that strawberry red!
Nothing escapes a bit of decoration. Some leftover matt boards from another project made a perfect blank slate for collaging. The photo is of me at 24 with Sweet Pea at 3. Hard to believe that she is now the same age as me in the photo. Good grief, where does the time go?!
Of course if one is scrapping, one must make a card... or two or three....
It seemed only natural that I should have a butterfly version after having painted a 3 foot fiberglass butterfly for the exhibition Magic Garden.
I used a true glass glitter with a silver content that will tarnish slightly over time. I learned that glass glitter is just that - glass. I was scooting excess off of my table with the side of my hand and scratched it badly. I now use a large jelly roll tray with a paper lining. The paper can then be rolled into a funnel to pour the glitter back into the jar. No more torn up palms!
I've also fallen in love with glue dots. They are ingenious! Press one onto the paper, place a sequin - no muss, no fuss! This is certainly faster than stitching them one by one into place as I am prone to do with my art.
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"Sleep tight! Don't let the bedbugs bit! And if they do, squish them!"
-- me and Sweet Pea
Every night my daughter and I followed this ritual when she was young - the bubbliest of bubble baths, followed by story time with a cup of herbal tea and then a singsong about the bedbugs. Of course, we added the squish 'em bit along the way. Even now with my daughter older, she will shout it from her bedroom before turning out her light.
I've been thinking about these rituals as I've swung from night owl to barely making it to 9pm. Is my body adjusting to spring? Is it caving to the battle with allergies and shutting me down whether I like it or not? My ritual includes the same as above with the addition of a journal entry. I like to write a few lines about what has been positive about my day. The world provides a daily avalanche of negativity, so I don't bother with focusing upon it. Of course, there are days when it is a challenge to find even one sentence to write that remains hopeful or lighthearted. As Grandma would say, those are the crapolla days of life, just wipe off you shoes and keep walking. Thanks, Grandma!
This week's treasury has a bedtime theme. Sweet dreams!
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Attend the Creative Chicago Expo. March 24th is the date for artists. It is free with lots of great workshops. Topics range from setting up a business to copyright law in a digital age.
Attend the Expo prepared with business cards. You can get some made on the cheap with Vistaprint. I prefer Lady Printing myself as it is a woman-owned business with excellent customer service. The owner even sends you a hand written thank you note. Moo cards are cool too. Anway, you need the cards as you want to be able to give them out as you network and meet people.
I am reading a great book on personal branding. Get it or another similar book. It will help you enormously with networking, developing your brand image, how you present yourself to the public, etc.
Next, join the Chicago Craft Mafia website and mailing list. We offer (yes, I'm a member) free quarterly presentations pertaining to craft entrepreneurship. It's also a great time to network and get advice from others. Our next one is in April. While you are at it, sign up for the DIY Trunk Show email list. In June we will be sending out application information for our annual fall craft show.
Start looking up business webinars. There are many that are free and they are a great way to keep you motivated, learn new skills, and brush up on ones that are rusty.
This week there is an inexpensive workshop being given by the director for Lawyers for the Creative Arts. (Many towns in the US have such organizations. Check with your local arts council.)
Read through the business section of Chicago Artists Resource. There is so much information that it can be a bit overwhelming. Take your time reading through it. (Note to those not in Chicago, the website has many national and international links.)
Join HARO - Help a Reporter. Three times a day you will receive queries from reporters all over the US - blog, print and tv. Write back to those that are relevant. You may be quoted in their articles which means free publicity!
Get on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube.
Start a blog! Promote your blog on your social media feed and your business card. The blog should be used to announce new products, upcoming shows etc., but also let it reflect you and your interests and how these tie into your art.
This next peice of advice comes from a friend - start a business journal. Write down your success, failures, joys and frustrations. On those days when business sucks, it helps to be reminded of your successes. And when you think you can sail free and clear, it's good to have a notebook of memories that keep you in check.
Make your product uniquely your own. Keep it true to you. Both products you mentioned are market saturated, so what twist can you give them? I hand knit hats for the holiday markets. Nothing elaborate, but I have many repeat customers because I knit with quality in mind and have a quirky sense of color. I love the whimsical and that shows up in my work. The same level of quality and professionalism is true of the art I show and sell through galleries.
Good luck! Have fun! And yes, as my mom would say, a person who started and operated a catering business for 25 years, there will be days you will swear you were drunk when you decided self employment was a good idea. Those days pass, just like a bad hangover. (Yes, my mother actually said this to me, just about everytime I called her when I'd be losing my nerve.)
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"I can no other answer make, but, thanks, and thanks." -- William Shakespeare
I've been awarded The Versatile Blogger award by Ansie. Given that her blog sol y sombra has been a source of inspiration for several years, it is especially gratifying to receive this award from her.
There are several rules to accepting this award and they are:
A brief childhoold hobby was taxidermy. It probably led to my vegetariansim, especially after stuffing a baby possum (roadkill) that stretched. Eeeewww!
I've traveled around three continents (North America, Europe, Australia) and lived on two (North America and Europe).
I love to read travel journals. They temporarily satiate my wanderlust given that I'm now fairly rooted. I'd love to pack the bag and hike across the British Lake District or eat my way across India.
My entire name consists of family last names.
I pass along The Versatile Blogger award to these great bloggers:
I've only posted eleven, primarily as my computer has crashed twice as I've been writing, so I think it's telling me to go to my studio. Please check out these bloggers. I am sure you will be as wowed by what they say and do as I am.
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"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference. "
-- Robert Frost
I've been absent from Serendipity these last few weeks due to a cold. Well, actually it was more like laryngitis that turned into nasty bronchitis before seguing into a mild form of pneumonia. After two rounds of antibiotics, bottles of cough syrup and oodles of naps, I'm finally feeling like myself. While sequestered to my bed, I could hear Mom's voice telling me to slow down. She had been extolling such words long before she passed away. She knew I have this tendancy to bury myself in my work. When one loves what one does, it's difficult to take a break. After all, work doesn't feel like work when you enjoy it. Right?! But when one has been sick three times in a year, it's time to listen.
It's moments like now that I wish I could ring her up to chat. I valued her opinion and sure would love it now. Whenever I felt a bit wobbly about career decisions she would recite Robert Frost's poem The Road Not Taken with extra emphasis on the last few lines (see above). This year has been amazing. My work has been featured in exhibits across the country and as far as London, all the while receiving numerous reviews. I was a featured artist during Chicago Artists Month and my community work The Red Thread Project® was performed three times, involving well over 1,000 knitters and crocheters of all ages. Truly, it's been an amazing road to travel, but racing down it at full speed has taken its toll.
So what to do, what to do....
I've decided to pull back on my exhibition schedule. There I said it! I need time to pursue my career as a proect designer. I fully plan to continue making and exhibiting art, but I won't take every opportunity given me. I'll be choosy. Fewer shows means more time to reflect upon new work and really give it polish. Less emphasis on finding, securing, shipping and installing exhibits means more time in the studio to experiment. This experimentation will in turn fuel the work I do as a project designer for craft companies. Being choosy means pushing my career toward solo exhibitions in smaller, regional museums. I've missed showing in acadmenic galleries and museums and have it on my list to pursue more of these venues. I also want to show more internationally which is going to require some research.
I put this out there because I must stay to the path I've delineated and not be sidetracked which is incredibly difficult for me to do. These are my New Year's resolutions - to stay focused on new business plan, take more breaks, go on a vacation and spend more time with family and friends. I also have pledged to not end up in the doctor's office again, let alone the ER! It's an apple a day for me!
The image above is of an Etsy treasury I recently curated. Take a look. The work is beautiful. I especially love the chunky cable slip cover for a chair. It makes me want to curl up with a good book which is exactly what I'm going to do right now.
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