C4ward Blogathon March. Day 15

Reflections

• What have you learned about yourself?
• What connections have you made with other artists?
• Did you find a rhythm and style to express yourself about your art through blogging?
• Did you discover anything new about your relationship to your art?
• Do you have any better understanding of the role you play as an artist in your community?
• Is blogging a worthwhile activity?
• What do you need to keep you blogging regularly?
• What questions do you have?

This C4 blogathon has completely worn me out. I stay up too late trying to figure out what to write then I am disappointed in what I eventually do put on paper so for this one last blog I am not thinking or staying up late to find photos...I am using some information I copied from a posting I came across. I do not remember what it was or where I read it but some of you might recognize it. If so, just let me know and I will add the necessary credits.

This was a post about having a healthy body, a self-sufficient system and the input we need to have it. Here is what I copied and I believe every word of it...

The one thing this amazingly self-sufficient system needs from you is better input. A host of things constitute better input:

- Whatever makes you happier.

- Being more relaxed and accepting.

- Strong self-esteem, a sense of worth.

- Being of service to others, giving.

- Showing generosity of spirit.

- Loving, nurturing relationships.

- Any activity that makes you feel light in mind and body.

- Taking time to play, and having a playful attitude.

- Not stressing out other people.

- Devoting yourself to projects that have real meaning and purpose.

- Being self-aware.

- Expanding our awareness. Growing and maturing from the inside.

- Being comfortable with your inner world.

- Working through negative emotions like anger, envy, and fear.

- Self-acceptance.

- Reverence for Nature.

- Faith and a belief in a higher power, whatever that may be.

These images are from the year long class I  took called Life Book 2013 from Tammy Laporte at Willowing Arts Ltd

C4ward Blogathon March Day 14

PHOTO FRIDAY! "Artist in Your City"

Me as an artist

  how I get my inspiration

places I go... things I do... what I wear

Concerts in the park

Nature parks

Cemeteries

Window shopping

Always wear a hat

Beaches

More beaches

Art walks

Other interesting artwork

Early morning walks in the neighborhood

Art galleries

More art galleries

Nature walks

More window shopping

and then I relax

C4ward Blogathon March Day 13

Quilts presented to VA hospital

Contemplating Communities

Think about your relationship as an artist or artistic entrepreneur to your neighborhood, city, and region. Then respond to these two questions:
Question 1 (Artists Contributions):

• What does your creative work contribute to your communities?
• In general, what do the arts do for a city?
• What do you do for your city or community?
• What SHOULD you do, if anything, that you don't already do?

Questions 2 (Cities Contributions):

• How should communities develop and support their artists?
• What is your city or community doing, if anything, to help you develop and support you as a creative?
• What areas are creative communities nurtured in your area? Coffee shops? Galleries? Museums? Government spaces? Nonprofit spaces? Corporate spaces? Etc...  

Rainbow quilters after a charity quilt session

I had mostly decided to not write for this blog prompt today because I am not an entrepreneur nor in the business of selling art thus my thinking was that I had nothing much to contribute to the idea of today's prompt 'Contemplating Communities.But after giving it much thought and not wanting to quit now when we are almost finished and it is too cold outside to work on my art I decided to go ahead and give it a go. I have always felt and continue to feel that a person should give back some of their good fortune and I have been one of the most fortunate of all. To be on the giving end and not on the receiving end.

Etta Mae charity dolls for the homeless children at Christmas

Artist Contributions: The answer to the first set of questions... Over the 12 years I have lived here in this area I have spent more than a few years as chairperson of our community outreach program in the quilt group I belonged to. During that time made hundreds of quilts for the homeless, Ronald Mcdonald House, breast cancer quilts to auction, Cruiser quilts for the sheriff's department and the VFW's.  I have taught and facilitated  many charity workshops making  dolls and teddies for the homeless children, children's cancer wards in Shands and Monroe hospitals. Even though most of my contributions have been charitable and not entrepreneurial  I feel I have made a difference in our community.

Teddy bears for the children's ward in hospital

My community is a rural community so we do not have an abundance of art venues to visit so I go to other cities within  driving distance and enjoy them. We are getting more artist related venues and showings happening. There are concerts, farmer's markets, festivals and craft shows...My contribution to the success of all of the happenings taking place is to attend  and support those of interest to me.

My doll club with a few of the dolls we made for the homeless children

One of the 3 quilts we made for the online breast cancer auction

C4ward Blogathon March Day 12

RANT!

As an artist or creative entrepreneur, explore your relationship to money in a rant.
What do you want to proclaim about your art and its financial role in your life?
Aspects of money to consider:

• Pricing and selling your art
• Purchasing tools, supplies, and space for your art making
• Paying for promoting your art
• Negotiating financial matters involving your work
• Supporting yourself from your art

What is a rant?
In case you didn’t already know, a rant is some or all of the following:

• An impassioned form of expression
• Statements of strong (primarily negative) feelings
• Complaints
• A litany of disparaging remarks
• A list of short direct sentences
• Exaggerations often creating humorous or comic results
• energized stirred up exuberance

EXTRAS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION: Once you’ve written your rant, record yourself reading it and post on your blog! Reflect on what you discovered about yourself in relation to money as you ranted. Will you adjust any of your art-financial behaviors?

Artemis

I am not a creative  entrepreneur but I am an artist...I don't sell my art, I don't have a business but I do have a major beef about the market for art or crafts. 

I once had a friend, I say once because we have had a parting of the ways, and she and I would go to festivals and art/craft shows and she spent the entire time picking something up and looking it over, showing me the price and saying, "We can make that."  Once in a blue moon she would purchase a small ticket item to take it home and copy it...She was not poor and could have afforded to buy many things but she chose to steal another artist's ideas. 

Cheshire cat

I have another acquaintance who is a doll maker, has a thriving internet business...but she continually steals other artist work and changes it a tad and calls it her own. She gives no consideration to the fact that the person she is stealing from is like her...a doll maker trying to make a go of her business.

6 inch fairy chair

The first thing out of a person's mouth when you meet them and they learn you can sew is; "Will you make this for me or will you alter this for me etc..." Don't they think your time or skill is of any value? Do they ever offer anything in return. No! It is just an opportunity to get something for nothing. 

Homeless

If you do not know how to do something you probably have no idea of the cost of materials and the skill and the time that is involved in making it.  

The best sign I ever saw was on a booth of a crafter and it said; "But will you?"...

Now if someone ask me to make or sew or do any other skill I have, I smile and say, "No, but I am happy to teach you how to do it." Works like a charm. All of a sudden it is not important to them.

Mother's shrine

Another beef I have is pricing. Why will a person go to Walmart or any retail store USA and pay a healthy price for a piece of junk from china or a third world country and brag about the good deal they got but ask them to pay an artist a fair price for the skill, talent and cost of what they create and you hear them say, "You want how much for that?"...Then they tell you that because of it being hand made/home made it should be cheaper. After all they can go down the street and get a similar piece, made by some underpaid exploited person in a country they do not even know the location of for same or less...no matter it is junk and will not last and the labor has been exploited...look what a great deal...And they have put another dollar in a 'fat cat's pocket or helped fund another golden umbrella for a crook. Maybe they should walk a mile in the shoes of the person who made it...no matter if it is the artist or the exploited laborer...They will get a taste of the 'real' cost. 

So I will continue to make my art, sew what I feel like sewing and enjoy it because there is no pressure to sell or make any one but myself happy. 

I am finished ranting now...felt good to put it into words instead of just thinking it...I don't have a recording but will leave you with this photo of a cute lizard who made his home in our clay bird house. You can see him peeking out.Not at all shy.

C4ward Blogathon March Day 11

Masai Dancer (all cloth standing on a piece of driftwood)

Tools, Resources, People

What knowledge gaps do you have?

What classes are you dying to take? Creative, professional, technical, etc...

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently - or in a different order?

What resources do you feel are essential to the growth of your creative or entrepreneurial practice?

If you had a super power, what would it be?

If you could work with anyone, who would it be?

Elliot Breakbone  (Humpty's brother)

What knowledge gaps do I have...Well, let me think...I would imagine there are many but the most prevalent that keeps hitting me in the face is lack of formal education. Especially in the arts.... all of them...

What Classes am I dying to take...Any art or sewing class with a teacher that knows her stuff...not necessarily a professional but one that can teach...and one that teaches me new techniques...

What would I do differently or in a different order...My life has worked our pretty nice and about the only change I would make,  and I would really have to think hard on this, is to be able to learn more before settling down with a family...Of course if I change that my karma will be different and my life may not have turned out as well so think I will have to say nothing..I am in this life for a reason....I will just keep it the way it is and next time around hope my karma has been on the plus side and my life will be different.

Etta Mae

Etta Mae

If I had a super power what would it be...I think it would be nice if we could transport our physical bodies where our heart wants to go just by thinking it. I love traveling and I miss so many people who are far away..So if  I could travel where ever and see who ever my heart desired...that would be my super power.

If I could work with any one who would it be...That list would be too long for this blog...Going to skip that question, publish this early then go to bed......

C4ward BLOGATHON March,Day 10

Appropriate Risks

"A freelancer is someone who gets paid for working...An entrepreneur gets paid while they sleep."

 What are some of your greatest successes that have arisen out of risks you've taken? What are some appropriate risks for you? Today, think about what are creative risks you might take in your creative practice. What risks can you take in your business? Are there risks you've taken that have led to positive change? Any that have not panned out they way you thought? If you are very risk averse, what is holding you back from making that leap? What support system(s) would you need to have in place in order to leap into that new creative or entrepreneurial space?
Artists, today is a great day to read and add your voice, feedback, support, and encouragement to one another. Treat each other with the respect you all deserve for delving into the deeper topics of your creative practice and entrepreneurial spirit.

A very long time ago I opened my own plaster and ceramic shop. This was way back in the mid to late 70's and compared to today's rules and regulations and banking practices it was very easy to do. I knew next to nothing about running a business but it was before computers when banks were on a first name basis with it's customers. I went to the bank manager at the little branch where we did our banking and showed him my plan and figures and talked to him one on one shortly I got a loan for the business and a few months later it was up and running. It was quite a successful endeavor as far as retailing goes but in doing it I learned that the money to be made was in the wholesale so after a few months of trying to do both I decided to close the  retail part and keep just the wholesale..less work and more money...Not too many years later we retired and moved out of state. Since then it has been just me and my art...

Since I do not do 'freelance' work nor am I an entrepreneur nor do I sell my work I have no back ground to write this blog. I have had offers and once I did sell a piece I did but it was like wrenching my heart out.  I love money and what it can do but I guess I just do not have enough of the desire to make money...

Mostly I just give my work away to someone I feel really likes and wants it and will appreciate it. I have also learned over the years to be selective in who I give my art to. Before I learned this some of my art went out and I wish profoundly to be able to get it back but know that will not happen. Now I am careful and selective.

I enjoy making my art and enjoy when someone says it is good but the biggest success so far as I can think now is when my grand son-in-law looked at a piece I had done in the Michael Demeng style and said.  "That is freakin awesome!"   It came straight from the heart and I loved it. This is the piece I am talking about...It is made 100% (but for paint) from recycled found 'stuff."




I have been ask to do different pieces of art on commission but have always said "no."  It just seems like too much pressure to get it exactly the way the client wants.Too much pressure and interference with the creative side of art.  I feel the same way about sewing on commission...To me art is intuitive and pressure takes that away.

I have also learned that at my age it is really hard to commit to anything long term. I guess I don't fit any of the criteria of this blog...I am not a free lance artist or an entrepreneur. I am just an artist who works at having fun!

Here are some photos of a favorite art doll assemblage I did in 2011

Here is her front with corner of box cut out to give room for her  her heart which is a little whizzy wag my grandson brought to me.Her body is a cigar box, legs and feet are salt and metal pepper shakers and arms are attached with a very long screw with wing nuts on both ends.

When you open the box you will see her spine made of a spiral from an old notebook, Her family and great grandparents photos depicting her roots and the little steampunk doll which is her essence.

A close up of her essence which is probably my favorite part of the assemblage.Her head and hands are airdry clay and her body is made of leather scraps. She is held together with nuts and bolts...

This is her back side showing my grandparents ...more of her roots

Last but not least is her face and head showing the Yin and Yang of her being. It is cloth drawn and painted and glazed with a spray gloss. Her hair is folded cloth with stick pins used to attach it..








This is why I enjoy making art...Not to sell, not to promote.  Just to have fun doing what I want when I want.

C4 ward BLOGATHON March, Day 9

Sunday Haiku

Composing a Haiku (HI-coo) about your creative experience

I love haiku...took a class in it years ago but have not written any poetry for many years so I am going to use several old haikus from back then...they sort of speak of my art and creative experience

onto the floor 

my chowder spills 

welcome mat 

***

rusty chains 

of human bondage

freedom 

***

daylight hides 

in a lake 

of molten sun 

***

she sips her coffee 

as the whippoorwill calls 

sunrise 

***

music by the bay 

at the foot of a mountain 

we dance 

***

into her shirt 

a grasshopper crawls 

new clothes