Distractions

My senior has requested this dress for prom. It's from Taylor Swift's music video of Love Story, and I think it's on the cover of the album. So, I've been busy designing, beading and sewing. Prom is in two weeks, and I have a long way to go. It's fun and creative, but sure distracting me from painting and art goals. I'm also substitute teaching quite a bit and I'm doing the ELDA testing for our school's ELL program for the fourth year now. I took a short break tonight to catch up on some blogs and was excited to see the post on EmptyEasel.com about Google Analytics. I am all signed up, and anxious to see how many readers I actually have. Hopefully this will help me improve my posts, see some art sales, and make some interesting contacts...that's the plan! Let's keep on board with all this technology...thanks to Google for making it all free and easy. I feel so capable, but then can't figure out how to get our old desktop to connect to the wireless network...always more to learn! Happy persevering!

Web Hosting

This week I almost jumped into a webhosting site to get myself going with a real website. I've been looking at inmotionhosting.com, and artspan.com. I emailed a techie friend for his opinion and he's suggested being part of some education and rural business grants that would provide free technological assistance, free server, domain and hosting for a year. Of course he wrote the grants and needs participants! I am trying to decide whether I'm ready to go ahead on my own, or wait for all the red tape and get the FREE assistance. It would probably mean at least a year wait while students are trained, participants screened, and paperwork completed. In a lot of areas, I'm currently more technology savvy than the students who would be helping me! But, my participation would help out the students, too.

Meanwhile, my weekly blogposting has fallen behind due to a big weekend trip to Kearney/Lincoln and a pretty nasty virus that has me dripping and moving slowly. I spent 3 hours in Lincoln's Hobby Lobby and got some really great frames in their 80% off clearance aisle. I worked on 2 miniature collages while in the hotel, watching PBS's birthday tribute to Ella Fitzgerald. They are not done, but showing potential...one is shown here (4"x 6"). My mother did the scherenschnitte for some Christmas packaging several years ago!

Free Notecards...Happy Valentine's Day

The morning has been spent reading several art blogs and being inspired by other artists. I've followed EmptyEasel.com for several months and enjoyed the interview with editor Dan Duhrkoop found in a link there. Yesterday's EE post mentioned an Austrailian artist who has some really great, intelligent discussions of art. I recommend his February 2nd post with pictures showing his portraiture method: http://paulwruiz.wordpress.com From all this information, I am encouraged to keep going (persevere) and to expand my online presence. As a part of that effort, I will send 3 blank notecards/envelopes printed with my artwork to anyone who comments on this blog post, then emails me with their snail-mail address (if your are sure I know your slow address, a comment is good enough!) . That's free!...no shipping and handling! Have a happy, happy Valentine's Day!

PERSEVERANCE- scary step toward goals

Nearly a month ago, I talked about writing down goals. Now, after lots of procrastination and lack-of-commitment issues, I am ready to take the scary step of stating my art related goals here, and thus being held accountable to whomever reads this post (and to myself). So, with a nod to Christine Kane, I state my theme word for the year: PERSEVERANCE--the act of persevering; continued, patient effort. Last summer I found Therese May in Alyson Stanfield's Get Organized class. Therese writes a daily blog with quilt images and inspirations based on single words. Her post on perseverance states, "I never give up! I love being an artist and doing art, making things and sharing them with others. I work at marketing my art by asking for shows, applying for grants. I sell my art. I exhibit the work....I keep on keeping on."

And now for goals towards this theme:
1) Post on this blog at least once a week.
2) Add 15 followers to blog.
3) Add 100 to mailing list.
4) Enter and get accepted to National Collage Society Show.
5) Sell $2000 of art--will need to MAKE MORE ART!, find venues, explore PayPal.
6) Renew website and make it an official .com thing.
7) get tax number, instead of sharing husband's.
8) Submit for NE Arts Council Governor's Mansion Show.
9) connect with other artists at least 5 days/week through Internet, guilds, classes.
10) Give back to community without compromising sense of self-worth (limit donations of art, time, expertise or teaching to 4 worthy causes.)

There. I'm committed. Please encourage me to persevere!

Art on Safari

My husband took me to Reno, NV last week for the Safari Club International Convention. Hey, I take my vacations when I can get them! I took a day of mineral bath/massage/margaritas with a couple of other wives while he and his buddies explored all the guns and hunt vendors. I did spend one day at the huge SCI expo and was pleased to find lots of art at this convention--jewelry, bronze sculptures, African animal art. Of course, there were lots of animal realism artists, but two of the less realistic SCI artists especially inspired me: Laurel Barbieri, and Kobus Moller. The photo in this post shows the large, booth of Kobus Moller. The display walls were held with an interesting grid of interlocking 2x6 boards and included great lighting. Mr. Moller was very congenial, and talked about his emotional/spiritual struggle between the passion and the pride in his work as it relates to his Christian beliefs on creativity and his gift as a painter.

Artist's Co-op Gallery Reception

Here's my wonderful kids with me and another wonderful kid at the emerging artists reception yesterday. We had a really amazing time in Omaha. There was a great crowd for the gallery event, even in the cold weather. The middle photo shows a small view of the bright open gallery with one of my paintings (Evolving Promises) on the left. Thanks to all the members of the Artist's Co-op Gallery who made this emerging artists show possible. Megan Sanders was in charge of the event. The bottom photo shows Megan introducing me to the crowd in front of the hanging panel where one highlighted work from each of the eight emerging artists is featured. I met some wonderful people and came away with lots of ideas and motivation for making art. It is such and honor to be a part of this selected group of artists. The show is up until January 25th, with opportunity to vote for the winning emerging artist until then. GO VOTE!

New Year

Are you setting goals for 2009? Alyson Stanfield at www.artbizblog.com is encouraging followers to set goals. I also get newsletters from Christine Kane, who is telling me to chose a theme word for the year. I've already found that it is important to write these things down. I thought about them 2 weeks ago, and now can't remember what they were! That's my goal for the next week: to set specific accomplishments and choose a theme and WRITE them down. The year is starting off well. I have my first gallery showing of the year in Omaha NOW! I won a medal at the miniature show in the North Platte Art & Gift Gallery. Both gallery shows have receptions this weekend that I will attend with my children. They are so proud and supportive. I also have 3 commissions to get going on. Meet me in Omaha on Sunday at the Artists Cooperative Gallery!