Thanks-giving

I am taking a brief time-out from a self-induced, self-made frenzy of creating to regain some perspective. You may or not be an I Love Lucy fan (I am) but there is an episode where Lucy and Ethel are working in a chocolate candy factory on an assembly line to earn extra money. They love chocolate. I love art. At first the job seems easy, dipping and wrapping chocolate at a nice, doable pace. Their supervisor thinks they are doing a superb job and speeds up the momentum. What once appeared fun and easy becomes...well..a stressful job. And when it is your product and your business, your dream, the challenges appear greater... or FEEL greater. There is more on the assembly line: ego, emotions, money goals.

I actually do love making and creating art. The holiday season accelerates the process. It also distorts. Along with the pressure of creating comes the fear and doubt of will this work sell? Will I have enough inventory? Getting down to business, it's the financial last hoorah of the year. The pressure is on.

I am stepping back from this self-made pressure cooker (only for a few hours, then resuming production!) to get into the holiday spirit, and.............
THANK EVERYONE -artists, bloggers, Alyson Stanfield @ArtBizCoach.com,
friends, coworkers,family,and retailers who have shown and given such spectacular support, technical tutelage, inspiration, kindness, appreciation and generosity to me and my creations. You have made my decision to create a rewarding one.

HAVE A WONDERFUL AND FEAST-IVE THANKSGIVING!

:)Marilyn

If you are in Chicago this weekend, November 28 & 29, stop by the Bucktown Holiday Bazaar, Holstein Fieldhouse, 2200 N. Oakley between 11-5 both days. Save this date too: Sunday December 13-Architectural Artifacts.

Humor Me Please

I am starting? to stress out about the holiday season... especially as it relates to producing art in between my day job. I should be experienced and wise enough to say what will be will be, just do the best you can. But I am not. I am starting to panic. Left brain, please tell the right brain to hush.

I have also just returned from a small get together that one of my former yoga instructors hosted. It was there that someone shared an hysterical youtube video that I must share. Am I punchy..ah YES!! But what a wonderful antidote. We laughed so hard that all my worries seemed to dissolve, or at least, served as a most welcome distraction. Goes well with a touch of wine- white or red. I chose white.

It is these small pleasures and treasures that remind me not to take things so seriously. I would hate to lose the ability to laugh. This video may truly be a case where you had to be there to appreciate, but for me, to laugh through the stress was the best. You may or may not find this funny.

BTW, upcoming blogs will include pix of me and my new work, profiling some of my personal artist heroes, and other sources of inspiration. I am working on that behind the scenes.

Until then, humor me please.

Say What?

I am not sure which is better ....to write something when I really don't have anything to say to oblige my blog responsibility, or wait until an idea or inspiration comes along. I try to write at least once a week or the very latest, every two weeks. I am running out of time, even with the time change. I presently have no ideas and I am coming up on creative past due. I'm even stuck for a decent tweet on Twitter and that's only 140 characters! To my credit, I have been working on new painted pieces and coming up with new ideas (trying to!)for some upcoming shows. I am feeling creatively overextended.

As soon as something comes along, I guarantee it will appear in this white space. In the meantime, here is a minimum creative payment. Please accept my written apology. That's the least I could do. Right?? Write??