guides

Forging ahead on my commission

I am loving the e-course by Marisa at Creative Thursday because it's giving me a lot to think about. This past week she talked a lot about being authentic on your blog, which I feel I have achieved, so what really stood out to me was her asking us what we were committed to. As I feel that I am a bit all over the place with my art, I had to just sit and meditate on what part of my art it is that I am just totally jazzed about and what part I am not totally on board with. I felt pretty good all day Saturday about my decisions on what direction to take, but Sunday I kinda lost my enthusiasm and was waning, wondering if I should just throw in the towel as I have a lot of responsibilities at home and maybe just go back into accounting and make some good money again (yes, for a while I did fulfill my father's dream for me to be in accounting!) Then at my daughters soccer game, at the beginning of the second half (the other team was down by 3 points) a young girl out of no where, out of shear determination took the ball all the way down the field and scored for her team. That little "teacher" sent me a huge message about not giving up, even when the odds were against them to win. Our team ended up winning the game that hot Sunday morning but that little girl from the other team inspired me beyond words! Who are your unexpected teachers?

empowered

This 8x10 drawing, in progress, will be donated to the California Wildlife Center in Malibu. This is the third year that I have been working with this hard working, dedicate group for their annual fundraiser: The Wild Brunch. I always draw one of the rehabilitated animals from their facility, and this year is no exception.

Could not sleep well Saturday so I put on Lazaris's tape: Deeper Rapport with Our Future Self...woke up feeling a bit dazed. My parents were never, ever supportive of me being an artist, I was to go to college and study accounting like my father and older siblings. If I wouldn't do that then I was to be a nurse. Did my father not see my grades in math! Or know that my weak stomach could not take an ounce of gore? My ex-husband was an incredible support system for me as an artist...he was an artist himself, a brilliant woodworker. And my ex-boyfriend was another huge supporter of my art. I terribly miss that, but with him gone I had to start emotionally supporting myself and really, that's how it should be, isn't it? Before, with not knowing what I really wanted, I was just giving my power away in hopes that someone else would design a future for me, which separated me from my own power. So, here I am, getting clarity lately about what it is I really want to do with my art...what is right for me at this point. I love, love, LOVE creating but the part that eludes me is the business end of it, so that's what I will be focusing on this summer, figuring out what feels right to me in this area. Is it art fairs, galleries, on-line presence, all the above??? Now that I am on my own I have the ability to design out my own future, and that makes me feel very empowered! And that's a great place to be!

Who or what have you given your power away to?

new book

I abandoned this book, How to Survive and Prosper as an Artist by Caroll Michels as it was published in 1983 and is soooo outdated and embraced a new book, The Artist's Guide: How to Make a Living Doing What You Love by Jackie Battenfield. I can hardly wait to dive into it, as it got a great review on Myartspace blog.

I'll let you know.

at the moment

Here's the progression of my graffiti crow along with two of my sidekicks at my feet!

There is no single thing you can do to "make it" in the art world. A successful career is the result of years of labor-both in and out of the studio. It is the sum of hundreds and thousands of actions, regardless of how small the actions seem at the moment.

Alyson Stanfield

Just opened up my new Etsy.com shop that will feature all the above (and way...waayyyy more) ATC's and collages for sale, along with easels and frames. I'm constantly creating so please keep checking back as there will always be new and exciting creations on there!

saturday morning walk in the rain

"If someone is not treating you with love and respect, it is a gift if they walk away, you will surely endure many years of suffering with him or her. Walking away may hurt for a while, but your heart will eventually heal. Then you can choose what you really want. You will find that you don't need to trust others as much as you need to trust yourself to make the right choices."

~Don Miguel Ruiz The Four Agreements

Exciting stuff happening all over the place!
I signed up for two e-course. One started last night by Marisa Haedike called In the Fishbowl:Life as an Artist On-Line. Yesterdays podcast was basically an introduction with a few questions thrown in to make us ponder about what we love about our own personal art. It was serendipitous to find the other course~Alisa Burke's Recycling Remix and I'm extreeemmmeelly excited because she does these incredible graffiti pieces on canvas...right up my creative alley!!

Stick with me this summer as I dive deep into the business end of my art. I'll be sharing along the way, all the pertinent things I am learning about the left side of this business. Here are a few of the things I am doing:
e-course: Marisa Haedike
blogs:The Boss of You, Modish Biz Tips and Art Biz Blog
classes: SCORE Los Angeles
books: I'd Rather Be In The Studio! The Artist's NO-excuse to Self-promotion by Alyson Stanfield and How to Survive and Prosper as an Artist by Caroll Michels

That should get me started!

Making progress on my graffiti dog...really liking it!

LOTS of work still needing to be done on this extreme close up...I'm seeing a lot of places that need correcting. Two tricks I always use, is to hold your drawing up to a mirror and taking photos of it...so in an instant you can see all your "mistakes", like I am now!

My sister and niece from WI are here visiting for the next few weeks, so am looking forward to many wonderful times together. I will be getting some art created as I have my commissioned piece to finish up, beyond that we'll see!
Have a great weekend!!

graffiti women

You gotta listen to these 4 women who came together for a very interesting panel discussion on what it's like out there in the male dominated world of street art & graffiti.

Graffiti Women

Lady K Fever

Lady Pink

Toofly

Swoon (my favorite!)

Not much art done this weekend, but got this piece drawn out and started as promised! And I got my new commission piece started as well. It's of a sweet faced Red Maine Coon cat...I never knew they came in an orange color...and he's huge! Such a cool looking cat...it'll be fun to draw him!

Found this smooth little beach stone when I went for a long walk/hike in the rain on Saturday morning with Josie. The rain felt so delicious...so clean, so quiet, so rejuvenating! Listened to Lazaris's tape on self trust...oh man...so enlightening! So I am using this amulet to remind me of that lovely morning. I realize that I am at this fulcrum point in my life where I am between what was and what will be and the possibilities are endless and exciting! I really feel like all the healing, changing and expansion that's taken place in my life in the last 8 months will catapult me forward on my life's journey. I can hardly wait to see! Right now I am in search of potential galleries to show my work in. Since I haven't had my work in a gallery since I lived in Wisconsin I ordered a few books on the subject to get me up to speed: I'd Rather Be In The Studio! The Artist's No-excuse Guide to Self-promotion by Alyson Stanfield and How to Survive and Prosper as an Artist by Caroll Michels

As my daughters and I are recouping from this nasty cold/flu thing going around this week, nothing has been done in the way of art work. To be honest I haven't even put away all the stuff from my art show last weekend...shhh...don't tell anyone tho...that's our little secret! Altho tonight I have to get it done as my youngest is having her birthday party/sleepover on Sat...so it has to get done!

The photo above, of my sweet pup Josie is the inspiration for a new drawing...altho I am taking her out of it and putting in another dog (sorry Jose!) that I think will work better. I'm doing a series, three pieces so far that will feature urban type dogs with a graffiti background. I want to draw them on a slightly larger scale than what I usually do as to give it a bit more punch when you see them in person.

Still have my "love" graffiti piece to finish and close up of a face I never did get done for my show. So hopefully even with another very full weekend ahead I'll have something to show you on Monday! Until then I leave you with some funny graffiti I found...enjoy!!

thevoyager

yak jake

a day at the fair

my little helper...Emi

still setting up

more setting up

finally...ready to go!

My brother John looking through my prints

Cold, cloudy and windy on Saturday...a little fearful after last years disaster with my tent tipping over from the wind, but my weights held her in place.(look at those gorgeous jacaranda trees!)

Much nicer on Sunday, until a chill came in late afternoon.

I wasn't happy they let this vendor in...it's an expensive juried show, so how did export/import merchandise from Africa get through? Was told by the sponsor that they will not be back next year...hmmm...we'll see!

Had a marvelous time this past weekend at the Montrose Arts& Crafts Fair. So many friends & family stopped by to support me, had fun seeing and talking with my neighboring artists, they are such incredible people always so open and giving of advice, it was just an all around fun time!!

This is what I learned: a) that I love doing these shows and interacting with people/customers (I got a lot of incredible feed back regarding my new line of work), b) I realized that this particular show is really not the best venue for my work, that I need to go specifically to art fairs or higher end arts & craft fairs, maybe closer to the beach area. c) I learned more about the general ins & outs of transporting and setting up my tent & work. d) and lastly I learned more about selling...not my greatest strength.

I want to give a HUGE shout out to my friends: Cynthia for loaning me her van (loved it!), Dan for helping me load it and treating Emi & me to dinner Sunday night, my brother John who unexpectedly helped me out with closing up Saturday night (it was a challenge getting the side panels up) and taking down on Sunday, to the makers of advil (for helping me cope with my sciatica all weekend) and the inventors of caffeine!! AND, last but certainly not least my wonderful, beautiful daughter Emily...could never have done this without all her help and enthusiasm!! Thanks so much from the bottom of my heart!! I am beyond blessed!!