new work available and such

So, in the last few days things have gotten busy...it is always like that isn't it? all or nothing....

I have a few events this weekend...

Friday night i will be at Mcfadden's in Addison.  I have been struggling to figure out what to take. It is a thriftstore themed show...so, I pulled out my trusty vintage book and started drawing...I'm a sucker for vintage papers, magazines, books...it's true...

I listed some of my pages in my Etsy shop. So if you can't come out Friday night, please check out the shop! One drawing sold as soon as it was listed!

"The price of anything ..."

"The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it." ~Thoreau

i just wrote a tome about this and how grateful I am to be home today with my youngest as she is coughing and running fever...there was a time when this would have been impossible...I am grateful for my husband who feels as strongly as I do about being home with our kids...being there for them no matter the cost. I am grateful for the time with my children and to be able to take care of them and be there for them.

I especially think about this on days like today, almost a week after a dear, thoughtful friend sent me info about a job that i would love to have...involving working in an art studio as an assistant...in all honesty, it was a perfect job for me...and my heart lept in reading the job description...and then it fell again...because then reality set in...between the commute, and daycare...i would never see my children or even bring home much pay after the expense of commuting and daycare...i mulled it over for a moment...and the hardest part of saying "no" to the opportunity was the fear of my family suffering financially if i didn't jump for it...but when we weighed the pros and cons...what it comes down to is what you really need in life...and what we need, is each other...

Family is the most important thing...and as long as we are able to survive, together, that is all we need...

I erased the original tome i wrote because..well...it was just exhausting to read... detailing how difficult it was to be home with my child before when i was teaching...and every teacher with kids or any parent for that matter , with no babysitter or friends or family to help you, know what i mean...it sucks...

And with that, days like today make me want to work harder on the things that will actually be of benefit to my family...like teaching yoga...participating in art shows that work with our schedule and budget and working on my Etsy shop.

 I am grateful for the opportunities placed before and the ones on their way. I am grateful for this time with my youngest, especially on days like today when she feels so yucky...I am grateful i get to be here with her to bring her juice, give her medicine, cuddle and watch her favorite cartoons. This is a gift to be here with her. 

Adorably low standards

A couple of weekends ago, I  taught my first large yoga class... 28 people...

I have taught classrooms full of kidlets with 29 students( and sometimes more) before...but that is different...

That was for art...Art is the one thing i know how to do instinctively.




 I can draw.
 I can paint.
I can sculpt.
 I can weave.
 I can print.
I can sew....... etc.
And if i haven't done it before..I have no problem figuring it out.
 I'm a maker...a creator...this is who and what i am...
(You will never hear me say this about anything else...ever...)

Yoga...on the other hand...while i love it....on some level...i have held it at arms length...and the teaching part...i have certainly tried to put it off as long as possible...

why?
Why would i go to school once a month for almost a year to get a certification...and then not jump in with both feet to actually use it?

fear....

Fear of screwing up in class, fear of looking foolish, fear of letting people down....

why? I have no idea...well, that's not really true...part of it is because for me yoga is not only a physical practice but, just like my art, a connection to the spirit....and to be honest, i'm not sure why i think of it on a different level than i do art...because in reality i  hold them to the same esteem...

But, there were also a few other reasons i did not attempt to teach right away...

1.Being a SAHM, with no babysitter, or hope of a babysitter...means i work around the schedule of my family...the stars have to align just perfectly for me to be able to teach classes...the class has to be at a time when my husband can be with the kidlets or the gym has to have childcare...which is what happened...the stars aligned...and yes, i hear angels sing when it happened...
2. but mostly it was sheer terror....just the idea of teaching...after being out of teaching at all for so long or even being around people...yeah..terror...
3. judgement...i'm not exactly of the physique you will find on the cover of a yoga magazine...and i know that when people go to a group work out class or a gym...they expect perfection...that's not happening here...ever...just sayin'...

I was terrified all week before the class. I had gotten out of practice and this forced me to get back into it. I needed that nudge.
I practiced to my music, I watched the clock to make sure I was timing it correctly...I was breaking a sweat..I was waking up tired and sore and feeling very good...Saturday came, and I had to come to terms with my fear...and I decided that this was one of those times when I had to take the attitude that gets me through everything when I feel complete terror...

my goal for this adventure of teaching in public for the first time:

TO NOT DIE

I know...silly huh?

But i have to use this mindset so that i don't go into complete panic attack mode...to reset my mind and be fully present for everyone else.  It is a total self preservation thing...kinda  like being on a crashing airplane...mother's have to put their oxygen mask on first...so they can take care of the kidlets...survival is important...I didn't even tell close friend when i was teaching because i knew this would make me more nervous if they showed up...

I was asked " but how did your students fair?"....well,  no one died...lol.. which is good, right? but seriously, .they were kind. The knew i was terrified, they were helpful with the  music volume, a few told me "thank you", one came and asked me about the school i attended and said she was interested in attending as well, ...no it wasn't the ideal....but for my first time to teach...i feel like surviving was successful...and that next time will be old hat...this is how i have to approach it...

I have taught three classes since i started this post...yeah it takes me a while to finish sometimes...but each time i finish a class i feel more and more free...and i think of three or four poses I wish I had attempted in that class, and will do so next time...notes are being made...and i am excited now and not scared...I see potential of eventually being able to teach more classes in various venues more often...I am excited and breaking through my fears...

inhale, exhale- this is our day today

trusty eucalyptus oil simmering on the stove....

 checking my home remedy list twice....

and lots of hot chocolate.....

oh yeah...i'm having a sale...

So, today I'm having a sale in my Etsy Shop.

Use the code BONUS and receive 30% off plus a FREE lotus print.

That's a pretty good deal...a discount and FREE artwork... all of my work is signed,dated and comes with a nice letter to thank you for your purchase.

finding the right venues

I have re-written this post no less than three times...I keep reading my words and wondering if i am really saying what i mean... but, here goes...let's see...

A few weekends ago I participated in a very busy, one-night-only, art event.
 It was a packed house.
Music, Food, People, and amazing art....

I set up at table instead of hanging my larger pieces.
 In hindsight, I should have hung the large pieces and brought prints with me...live and learn...

So, I'm still trying to figure out where my work fits...what is the right venue?
 Where do I fit in?
 Or Stand out?
 (story of my life)

 I did ok...and by "ok" I mean I at least made my booth fee and gas money back. But, no profits.(these things are always a gamble)

The best part though, was that I did get to talk to some of my favorite fellow artists, meet some new patrons, and was invited to a few upcoming events.

Of course, as I reflect on what I learned from this last show...I think I am getting closer to knowing what is the best venue for my work...and what does not.

Hindsight:

1. My days of disco are over! okay, let me clarify....I enjoy music...that's not what i'm saying...but my ability to work near a loud speaker that requires yelling all evening in order to communicate is limited...so, i can cross "shows with loud music" or "club scenes" right off the list...yes...i'm an old lady...and i'm okay with that...

2. There ARE people out there looking for work like mine..(.i just need to find more of them...)...I had two people buy the same print and both THANKED me for it...as in...one guys said, " I can't believe I was able to walk in here and get this print tonight"...and the other person showed me a beautiful tattoo she had on her forearm of Buddha and was very sweet. These are the people I am looking for. The ones that see my work, share their story with me...and i can see in their eyes that they are touched by the work.

3.Peace and calm....  yes Ma'am!  Out-of-Control spirits....let's just say, I saw four drinks come within centimeters of various artists artwork as drinks were dropped right in front of my table...resulting in me removing my portfolio from one spot due to the behavior of others... No interest at all to deal with this type of behavior  again ever..or to begin with..not worth it...hours of work, for all of the artists could have been lost in an instant by people who had no regard for others...and BLESS the poor soul who listened to me voice my concern and realization about my inability to tolerate such behavior at this point in my life...And honestly this is an issue i never really thought about before when I have visited other art events. But, keep this in mind when you go to any venue where people are selling their handmade wares...please be respectful.


When it is all said and done...I think a lot of good did come from participating...

I got to talk to other artists i have been wanting to visit with for some time now.

I met new people.
.
I didn't go in the hole...breaking even is better than nothin'. 

But....I think it is time to look for other types of venues...much more quiet, peaceful, calm venues...like yoga studios...or Earthday festivals, or ,I dunno...how about actual galleries.... that would be nice...live and learn, right?

whatever will be, will be....

mind mapping

At least once a year I make a mind map collage. I have one that is HUGE from over 5 years ago...and I have some that are smaller...I hang them up in places that i have to see them on a daily basis. Usually in my bedroom, or near my desk.

Today i felt the need to create. I was feeling restless and overwhelmed by thought of everything i need to do. I usually collage them onto a canvas...but today, I just randomly, quickly, pulled things out of my two magazines I just got in the mail and haven't even read yet...then organized the words on my desk...snap..digital collage...

I like doing this from time to time...it helps me get my head organized, focused, clear...
I go back and I check in with them to remind myself of what it was I was trying to do or wanted to do and see if I got off track...or better yet...to see what I can mark off as having done...that's a good feeling...

We'll see where this one leads...

in the studio last week

This is was the third week of January! Wow! It  feels  felt like it was just the holiday break last week.... The oldest is back in school and we already have a full spring schedule. Hubs is still the ever vigilant provider. Youngest is still the ever tornadic reminder to live in the moment. We had a spot of snow this last week. Not as much as at Christmas, but enough to cause mayhem on the roads, and Hubs decided to use one of his much earned days off and stay home with me and Mini. The boy still had to go to school. When i dropped him off that morning, all of the students looked so defeated that they still had to go into the building that day...i can't say i blame them.
Good things are always happening...I got a job..teaching yoga...I am very grateful for the bone that was thrown to me by two beautiful spirits. I am now subbing at a local gym. And I have already taught two  three classes. I was completely terrified all week last week...I managed to survive the first class and then another a few days later. My terror is completely self-inflicted...anxiety -based...but, I feel much better after jumping into these two classes. And I am very excited to teach more.
 Then there was Wednesday....the flu bug has been hitting hard all around us...reports of an epidemic have, well, quite honestly, caught me by surprise. Something about being a SAHM with no cable, kinda does it to you...unless I make a point to look up the news or listen to the radio...things slip by...I suppose that isn't the best thing in the world...but, it is what it is...having said that, being out in public in large groups lately,(friday night art show, teaching two large classes of yoga, grocery shopping) well, one comes in contact with germs...oh yeah, i watched "Contagion" this weekend as well...which only brought back all of my training about spreading germs in school and the need to keep sanitizer gel everywhere...but, all that to say...i'm dealing with a respiratory bug at the moment...my diet has consisted of the following for the last two days...

combinations of the following....ANY COMBINTATION of the following:

orange juice
lemon
lime juice
cinnamon
cayenne
garlic
honey
cough drops
mint tea
ginger
fennel
soup
mucinex
ibuprophen
acetaminaphen
cough drops

yoga

yes, i'm still doing my yoga....it makes me feel better...that's all i can say about that...rest is great...but at some point, you gotta stretch...and it helps me a lot...

But, back to the studio...since i have been feeling under the weather,i haven't felt like pushing myself...that's not true. my brain really wants to make stuff...my physical body just doesn't seem to want to cooperate as much...So, instead, i made a compromise...to work small, and be happy with that...and it seems to have worked out well...

i worked on envelopes, post it notes, scraps of paper, and did a little bit of detailing on a small canvas (10x10)....i have found that as an artist, there are just days that i won't get to work like i want...but there are ways to work...

prepping for shows:1

I have only started going to art sales again in the last few months....so, to say, I'm still figuring this stuff out is an understatement....and by "figuring it out" i mean all of the following: what people want, how to price work, what to make, what to pack, how to make a living, how to survive.


But, there are a few things I have figured out, some from the last two months, and some from past work experience. Here is what I have for prepping for art sales.


1. Indoor is better than outdoor: I say this as a person who has worked both..(from the state's biggest flea market to the most intimate of venues)...when weather is good, outdoor is great! when weather is bad...i would rather just stay home...the effort and physical toll it takes on me is not worth it....not to mention what it does to your artwork... Don't get me wrong...i LOVE GOING TO OUTDOOR EVENTS....i just don't enjoy working them...yeah, that's probably a bad attitude...eh, it is what it is...having said that, i  look at those who do work outdoor events all the time with great respect. It is hard work.

2. Pack the night before: staying up late to work on last minute artwork is just a waste of time and energy. ( i say this...but i totally still do this...) But i find that if i just go ahead and pack the night before...no matter what time the event is the next day, i am such a better person for it. And it shows in my energy level the next day.

3. Be organized: Make a list of what you want to take and stick to that list...i have a tendency to get overwhelmed by all of the minutia of possible things i might need...if i make a list and stick to it...it tends to be ok.

4. Be prepared but not OVER PREPARED: what i mean is, there should be a limit to what you take to a sale. You can actually pack TOO MUCH STUFF...when that happens, you can't find any of the great things you might actually need. So be prepared, but don't be the next  story on HOARDERS!

5. Streamline: have a system for packing, and transporting you stuff. Make it as efficient as possible. You want what you are selling to be as easy to handle as possible. 1. because if it is cumbersome, no one else will want it either, and 2. if you have to lug it around, no one else will want to help you load it up at the end of the show. 3. you don't want to depend on other people at an art show to help you. They have their own stuff to deal with.

6. Have several price points: it is great that you have big artwork for display. Most people can't afford that. BUT, if they like it...they might buy a small print of it for 5 bucks....see what i mean? Some people just want some little "something"...make sure you have it...if you don't someone else will..

7. Have business cards: Yeah, i know, maybe business cards are becoming dated...maybe not...people still want them...especially from artists...sometimes people just need to "think about it" and actually do go and look up your work...and that is pretty sweet! Some people may want to include you in their next show. Sometimes people just want to connect with you and keep up with you.

8. KARMA: There really is a good karma network out there. Remember that as you are prepping...There are good people out there that want to help each other out. Think about it, if there are shows you know about, tell other artists about them as well. One good turn usually results in another. I can't tell you how many really cool artists i have met and keep in touch with. I have been truly inspired by how thoughtful and inclusive people have been, letting me know about shows and opportunities to show my work. Awe inspiring really. In fact, 3 of the four shows I am in this weekend are all due to other artists letting me know about them. How cool is that?  So keep that in mind. How can you help other people? Even if i don't know of a show, right away, as soon as i hear of one that fits another artist, i send them a message...it's part of the karma network in my book.

9. have change: This part may be the hardest, especially when you are starting out....it is for me anyway...half the time i don't have the money to get change...but, it is a necessary evil...also, when you price your work, try to price it so you don't have to make much change, if possible...that seems to help...a little bit...sometimes a fellow artist can help you make change, but don't depend on it...they are working just like you...

10.Display: You need to have a display that is clean, easy to set up, doesn't take away from your work, and makes people want to buy...I'm still working on this part...But, it seems to be getting better with each show...hopefully soon i will have my act together...<3 br="br" nbsp="nbsp"> So, hopefully, if you are trying to schlep you wares like i am, this helps a little bit...more to come as i prep for more shows this weekend..