vitaminCreativity

Clearing again

There comes a time for all of us, I'm sure, when we must put away our toys and clean up our mess before starting the next game. That's where I am in my creative process this weekend. I'm wrapping up two classes - one oils, the other acrylics - and I have two different painting "kits" filled with all the various supplies that go with me to classes. Time now to unpack, clean up, review my inventory, and prepare for the next project.

I used to look at this as a waste of creative time, but now I'm seeing it as part of the creative process. It's an opportunity to think creatively about reorganizing my space; about re-using some leftover materials; and about that wonderful space (literally and psychologically) that is ready to be filled with something wonderful.

It's also a good time to review the business plan, including attention to framing and preparing for fall exhibits. 

If you have any clearing rituals between projects, I'd love to hear about them.

300 Plates

Tomorrow is the opening of the annual fundraiser for Art Access, a local gallery affiliated with VSA Arts, which provides opportunities for emerging artists, artists with disabilities, as well as a lot of the top artists in Utah. Though they've held this fundraiser for many years, this will be my first experience attending the opening. Today I paid my registration fee ($35 because I registered late), and I studied the display of more than 300 pieces of art created on metal printing plates. About 93 of the top Utah artists painted three or more plates and donated them for the event. There are at least 295 that I'd love to own.

Here's how it will work tomorrow night: Art collectors will arrive in droves at about 6 p.m. and will receive a red ticket to put into a hat for a drawing. Organizers will draw 10 tickets at a time and let those 10 people go into the gallery to make their selections of paintings. Here's the excitement and advantage about getting in early: the paintings are priced starting at about $65 and increasing in $1 increments through the lot of more than 300 paintings. So painting #271 is $271, and painting #68 is just $68. Though there are some higher numbered/priced paintings I'd love, my budget loves those numbered 100 or less. 

Whether I'm in the first group of 10 buyers or the last group is a game of chance. Whether there will be anything left that I can afford by the time my turn comes around is also a matter of chance. Whether I come out empty handed or the proud owner of new piece of art, I'm sure I'll have a good time. I'm in this for the adventure as much as anything. The $35 I've already spent will get me a glass (or two) of wine, some good nibbles, and great fun. And besides that, I'm supporting a good cause at a time when the arts need all the support they can get.

I'll let you know how it turns out. Meanwhile, I'm posting an image of my latest abstract, "To sleep, per chance to dream."

Procrastination

I admit that I'm writing today's blog to avoid for just a while longer the inevitable task of organizing my taxes. I'm one of those "shoe box" kind of entrepreneurs; receipts are somewhat organized chronologically in a file folder until I can no longer put off entering the data in my Quick Books program. It won't be such a horrible job; the anticipation is always worse than the reality, especially when there are other things I'd rather be doing (painting, writing, cleaning my bathroom, to name just a few). That's right, entering financial data falls lower on my list of preferred activities than cleaning toilets.

To get myself in the right frame of mind for the inevitable, I try visualization. I recall how fabulous it felt to have that job behind me last year; to gather all the statements, print my notes, and place them all in an envelope and deliver it to my accountant. Ah, my shoulders feel lighter already! 

Next, I look around at my cluttered desk and before the rhetorical question (How can I possibly organize taxes in this mess?) even reaches my conscious mind, I am on to a creative solution - I'll take over the dining room table for the next 24-48 hours.

This tactic has double benefits. Not only does it give me a clean place to work, it also gives me access to the only working television in the house - entertainment while I work!

Do you see what creative thinking can do? I've overcome my own physical and mental barriers and planned a reward for myself, not to mention calling upon a vivid vision of the relief I will feel when I deliver the package to my accountant.

With no further excuses or distractions, here I go!

Opportunities to show and sell

This morning I attended a monthly business networking meeting of the Vest Pocket Business Coalition here in Salt Lake City. It was a small group this month, but two encounters made it worth my time, the gas, and $10 for breakfast. One new member who introduced himself to the group is Scott Waters, owner of Artistic Framing in Sugarhouse (801-486-4893). In addition to providing framing services, Scott devotes portions of his shop to a rotating gallery for local artists. He does this at no cost (not even commission) to the artist! Plus, when an artist brings in his/her own work, he'll give a 20% discount on framing. In exchange for such a generous offer to artists, I offered him some tips on networking in the local arts community. 

I'm beginning to be aware of other businesses - even less related to the arts than framing - who invite artists to display in their place of business. These include cafes, jewelers, consultants, and architects. That got me thinking about all the other potential places to exhibit. As I sat in my doctor's waiting room recently, looking at all the nicely framed, but boring, prints on the walls, I thought how easy it would be for them to remove those pieces and hang my originals in their places. I could easily substitute pieces of similar size so that no change in the hanging hardware or height would be needed. 

The other encounter I made this morning was my old friend, Mike Perlman, of Valley Journals, a monthly community newspaper with different neighborhood editions. He announced a new advertising opportunity for Vest Pocket members - just $75/month for a six-month advertising commitment. Plus, he repeated an offer I'd heard before but had forgotten - free online business and event listings on their web site. 

All of this makes me realize the low-cost or free resources we artists can take advantage of as we seek exposure for our work and opportunities to sell. Maybe these examples will trigger some ideas for you. And, contrary to popular fears, people are still buying art!

Here's another pic from my Legacy series in "Daily Art."