Archive for the ‘Art’ Category
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Walking the Tightrope
14 Feb 2014When you work on your own, it’s easy to get into an unproductive rut. The demands of everyday life can pull you off track. Soon, you find, you’re taxiing kids, doing the laundry or waiting for repair people. Did you get into the studio? Nope. Take care of that upcoming marketing piece for your […]
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Habits
07 Feb 2014Nuns wear habits. The Monastery of the Angels, a website of Dominican Cloistered Nuns, explains it this way: “A “habit” tells who the nuns are. Nuns are women of prayer who have dedicated themselves to a life of prayer, penance and sacrifice. They do not keep to themselves the fruit of their contemplation, but share […]
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The Problem with Shoulding Yourself
31 Jan 2014I’ve been shoulding on myself. It’s a nasty, stinky, embarrassing business. It took me well into adulthood to break this filthy habit, and I thought I was finished with the whole, ugly mess. But, no. “Comparison is the thief of joy,” said Theodore Roosevelt. He was wise in so many ways. Life Hacker explores it […]
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Priming the Pump
23 Jan 2014It can take a while to prime the pump. Inspiration flows, but not as reliably as the city water district. We can’t count on it to make our artistic endeavors more palatable. Other times creativity flows as if a dam burst. We don’t have a big enough bucket to capture it all and some of […]
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Old Friends
17 Jan 2014Last weekend my public studio space was open for our local city art event. Lots of interesting people pass through…all great admirers of art…or at least admirers of the cheese, crackers and, let’s face it, probably the wine. A quiet, young woman came through with her significant other. She silently viewed the studio. She saw […]
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Endings and Beginnings
20 Dec 2013(Note: This may be the least humorous, most content rich post I’ve ever written. I’ve provided links to previous posts as resources for you. I hope it helps you create a blueprint for making your dreams come true in 2014…should you choose to create one! Please, as you link to the other posts, feel free […]
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Rearranging the Room in Your Head
06 Dec 2013When I call this a “Confessional Blog” I’m not fooling around. This week I’ll share a recent experience and give you a tour inside my head; some insight into how my brain works. You. Should. Brace. Yourself. Sometimes I free up space in my head and go all conceptual, philosophical ninja on my defenseless self […]
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Play Grounded
08 Nov 2013Lately, I’ve been a bit wonky. Does that ever happen to you? I know I’m off kilter because I get stressed by things that wouldn’t typically bother me, feel rushed, overcommitted and generally out of balance. It’s about life balance. Life is like a teeter totter, it’s fun when everything is working, but if the […]
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Command the Brand
01 Nov 2013Creatives have their plates full. I know you hear people say they wish they could hang out and (fill in the blank)________(write, draw, paint, sculpt, play music) all day, but they don’t know what you REALLY do. Unless you’re a successful, established, uber lucky artist, chances are you’re doing some of your own branding, marketing […]
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Make a Statement – Writing the Artist’s Statement
25 Oct 2013Disclaimer: No babies were eaten by sharks in the writing of this blogpost. Does the thought of writing an artist’s statement make you run for high ground? Sometimes, visual geniuses, like you, will not take swimmingly to the “fodder of word water.” For some, they find it cold and uninviting. Artist’s statements are short statements […]
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The Nick of Time – Time Management Tips for Creatives
11 Oct 2013(This article was originally published in April, but with recent conversations, I think it may be a good time to reiterate the benefits of managing your time well. ~ Enjoy) “I could move mountains if it weren’t for “distractions.” (Click to Tweet) I mean, really, the shiny things get in the way, catch my eye and I’m gone. […]
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Open Studio? Do Some Work to Make it Work!
27 Sep 2013Voyeur and art enthusiast that I am, I’ve always enjoyed open studio tours. This past weekend, I hosted my first one and, of course, I wanted it to be a success. I tried to keep an open mind when planning the event and think of some creative ways to produce good results. Since I’m a […]
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The Chains of Change
20 Sep 2013I’m a big fan of summer. Summer offers light, and blooms, and fruit, and warmth and joy. Summer feeds my soul and I am its most avid supporter, but summer’s taking flight. Have you noticed? Mornings are a little chilly, leaves are twisting off trees and riding light autumn breezes. This is terrifying for me. (click […]
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Bowl ‘Em Over
06 Sep 2013Be easy…when you’re selling your work, don’t hassle your nice collectors. Make it a fabulous experience for them! Recently, a wonderful artist in my city completed a news worthy project, “1000 Bowls to Feed the Hungry.” This artist, Chris Thompson, threw over 1,000 pottery bowls and invited the art community to help glaze them. Lots […]
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The Sweet Spot
30 Aug 2013There’s that thing you do. I don’t know what your “thing” is, but you know. It’s the work you are passionate about, that drives you, that makes you excited your eyes pop open in the morning. You know that thing? Maybe it’s painting or writing or coaching or golf or parenting…you get the idea. Your […]
