Sunday, January 31, 2010

Quote Me: Worth the Risk

"Always be willing to give up what you are for who you can be. "
Mark Twain

No sooner do I write about about risk taking and I'm tested. The instigators: a quote, a 15 minute rule, and a supplemental job opportunity.

Some background info:
Things have slowed a bit these past couple months at my steadily fluctuating paycheck job, along with art sales. I love having the flexibility that this job affords me and it helps to be surrounded by art, art curators, and interesting people. I do have some commissioned orders due in the Spring. However, this increasingly reversal trend of my income is unsettling. So I started looking and applying for additional part-time work that will still provide the flexibility to create and market my art.

A hiring opportunity presented itself last week which I was excited about until I heard my hours were all Fri-Mon PM hours. I am an AM working person and AM/PM creative. I love painting at night. Combine those hours with my already existing schedule and that would leave me with little time to create, DO EVERYTHING I need to do to grow, or even have a modicum of a social life. But it is $$-not much but it's still welcome $$.

Something just doesn't feel right. I can continue doing MORE of WHAT I am doing, which I don't want to, or REALLY REALLY RISK WHO I CAN BE, which is a seriously committed and successful artist. With a third job, I would be procrastinating my goals even further. What it really boils down to is money and playing it safe or going for it with more faith and conviction. There is ABSOLUTELY no right or wrong. Just gut and intuitive instinct.

Enter the Risk I
nstigators:

A small section of my "as yet to be titled" acrylic painting

Instigator #1: One of my co-workers is a fantastic jewelry artist, who like me, is reinventing her professional direction. She is weaning her artistic talent to study and pursue her new passion in urban planning as I delve more into art. We talk and share. Neither one of us is doing exactly WHAT we want full time but it works and we are grateful to have it. She is responsible for igniting the first phase of this particular risk thought process. She sent the Mark Twain quote that appears at the top of this post. Yeah Robin!!

Instigator #2 : Alyson Stanfield's Art Marketing Action newsletter/blog discussed devoting at least 15 minutes a day to stay connected to your art in some way. "If you don't, you are telling yourself and everyone in your life that making art is your lowest priority." Oh no. That is what I am saying, doing and feeling and that isn't right. To fully appreciate and put in context, please click on this link to read the wonderful blog in its entirety.

I didn't want my bluff to be called. I took the risk test. I summoned my left brain.
I evaluated and re-evaluated EVERYTHING. I declined the third job. The hours of the third job made me realize HOW much I really want to create art and NEED IT. I even thanked the prospective employer for that.

The result: I feel more motivated, excited, and determined.

Balance
4"x4" Yin/Yang acrylic painting


I am BALANCED. I passed. Definitely worth the risk.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

WHY Risk It

"Try to remember an artist-any artist-from more than 20 years ago who didn't take risks. The ones who didn't have all been forgotten. "
- artist Hazel Dooney on Twitter

Yes, I want to be a remembered artist. I admit it. I have my risk work cut out for me- personally, professionally, financially and artistically speaking- to positively and successfully achieve that. I know and can confidently take the WHY risk. It's the HOW, WHEN, and WHERE risks that continue to test and challenge me. They are not stopping me. They're just very uncomfortable, questionable and sometimes most inconvenient. Which is exactly Hazel Dooney's point and WHY her posted tweet got me. As her tweets tend to do quite frequently.

Asian Red Thin Bangle set

Since the new year and decade are still young ( note: I, on the other hand, can not make that claim and it's not worth taking that risk) I officially proclaim and renew my commitment to taking RISKS. I now gently place my bracelets into the proverbial ring, see how they stack up, along with ALL my other creations, possibilities and dreams, and remember WHY. Why not. Care to join me?

Sunday, January 10, 2010

More Randomly Speaking

Time again for Randomly Speaking. Random collections of eclectic things I've read, heard, and seen in the present HOPE of opening up and unblocking my creativity:

Eclectic 4- Purple Passion Bangle Set
  • "Creative art demands that the artist should know life, either by experience or by inspiration, and this knowledge of life must develop a profound sympathy with humanity. The technical method of expression may be whatever the ARTIST WISHES*, whatever seems the simplest process. There is not a variety of creative arts; there is IMAGINATION* and IMPULSE TO CREATE* and a variety of methods." - Giles Edgarton
  • "Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed* is more important than any other one thing. " - Abraham Lincoln
  • "For one who has conquered the mind*, the mind is the best of friends*. But for one who has failed to do so, his/her mind will be his/her greatest enemy." - Bhagavad-Gita
  • The work of art is above all a process of creation, it is never experienced as a mere product.* - Paul Klee
  • Go see the movie "Nine." See creative blocks in action except lose the cigarettes.
  • Do a handstand*.
*My subliminal attempt to help unblock. I actually think this might be blatantly effective. I'll see. What do you think?

There is nothing Randomly Speaking about this:

We are the
artists that create our own lives..

Especially
with creative blockage.

Monday, January 4, 2010

Personal Artist Hero: Anne Leuck Feldhaus

In celebration of this new year, new decade and one year blog anniversary, I am excited to introduce a new blog feature: Personal Artist Heroes, highlighting artists who I have met, admired, observed at shows over the years, and/or read about that help inspire, enlighten, challenge and aspire me to persevere and excel.

In my VERY first blog entry, I mentioned meeting, listening and talking to many talented artists from around the country
while participating in the 2008 One of a Kind Show Chicago. There was no sugar coating the life of an artist in their conversations. Just passion, raw honesty, candid horror and loads of inspiration. I called these artists my artist heroes. It is with pleasure that my first blog entry of 2010 shifts some attention away from the I, me, myself to highlight one of my personal and high ranking artist heroes. And I didn't have to look very far- she's local:

Anne is an incredibly accomplished, talented and unselfish artist. She is a personal artist hero to me because of the" feel good" quality and cause to her work, her marketing savvy, the diversity and crossover of her product line, and the demonstrated generosity of her time and space. She is gracious sharing resources, experience and the art of gabbing.


Her art is self-described contemporary folk and urban pop art. She paints with passion, color, humor and for her pet causes - the adoption and support of animal welfare organizations and other projects. Her work has appeared on expressway billboards, neighborhood banners, t-shirts, magnets, and in art fairs, galleries, Starbucks and cornfields. She has embraced and utilizes all technology to promote her art. She plays and experiments with new mediums. Last year she recently opened her own studio/shop/gallery/in Roscoe Village. To see more (and better shots) of her studio, visit this link to her blog.

What I take away and am reminded from all of this is that
this did not happen overnight. She makes it look easy. It took some years to get where she is, live her dream, grow her business and she is DOING IT! A terrific role model. Can you see why she is an artist hero?

Another chance to visit Anne's website and blog.

This is the first year anniversary of my blog. Happy 1st Blogyear! In one year, I have grown from techniphobe to blogging aficionado. I've come a long way, baby, if I do say so myself. But this is only a beginning. I hope and look forward to having a lot more to show and share in 2010.