Thinking stuff over...

Here I am facing the last quarter of the year...assessing my goals and monitoring my body's responses to the change in the season.

I went back to look at my goals for 2013 here.   Where I need to gain strength is completion of quilts, especially the ones for series.  Also, I need to have more defined limits about experimenting...when to start and stop.  The dyeing, marbling, breakdown printing, took over much of the summer months.  It was a journey to get back to quilting which the Mojo series (my paper quilts) was the boat that carried me. 

After going through the Artist2Market program (1 more session left), I am affirmed that wholesaling is not for me!  It doesn't fit into my already given responsibilities or ambitions and dreams.  Being in the co-op  this year has been good for selling my small pieces.  Seeing my larger pieces hanging has helped me identify technical areas I need to address.  I put a lot of time into the Sunflower quilt and because I didn't have a large enough table to properly square it up, it hangs badly.  Also, I'm going to consider metal bars for hanging instead of the plexi-glass or wood slats.

In answering the question of my idea of a successful artist, I think, I'm not an un-successful artist.  I put the time in, the time is about process, other than what I referenced above, it is all good.  Joining the co-op gives my art a place to be when it is complete and that was a goal.  Where I need improvement is submitting to other juried exhibits across the country.  My ultimate is to have a piece in Quilt National or Quilt Visions, but I'm not focused enough yet and am not ready to force that focus. Summing up my idea of a successful artist it would be, "Create, Hang, Submit".

I love love love it when my pieces are purchased and commented on by art lovers...it sends my spirit flying.  Art lovers who purchase and comment get me through the periods of  "why bother".  But I don't have them that often and they have been short lived because I turn my ear back to the first part of the mantra in "Create, Hang, Submit" and that is my healing balm.

2013 has been filled with adjusting to the co-op gallery and being an office holder in the 501(c)3 organization formed by the tenants and artists at Mellwood called AiMave (Artists' Initiative of Mellwood Avenue).  The goal of this group is to pull together our resources for positive marketing, ideas, and events.  The leasing agent and owner are often associated with negative publicity which makes our tasks necessary as we are all there for the same reason, affordability.  I didn't foresee this at the beginning of the year and I think it will be my last year as secretary.  The goal is to write grants to support the artists and involve us in community outreach. 

When I look at the full circle of my life and what I'm responsible for on a daily basis, being a professional artist isn't in the cards for me.  I'm serious about what I do and how often but I think the lack of appeal to embrace my art as a business that I want to depend on to bring in an x amount of $ each month brings that feeling of a size 20 trying to fit into a size 8 dress.  Creating, whether writing or visual has always been about inhabiting a spiritual realm where I can listen to myself feel and think, where I can honor God's presence in my life. 

Twerking in the studio

You know, twerking was a word I had never heard until it made the news with Billy Ray Cyrus' daughter doing the dance on tv some weeks ago. The topic was coming up on so many news feeds that I you-tubed it. I was traumatized. On soooo many levels it was horrid. I hope the child gets help.

 

But enough, I am doing an emotional twerk in the studio. I was here yesterday and did NOTHING. Today, I am quilting.

 

This is Double-minded.

New Growth

We really had a fabulous time over the weekend.   Wish we had more weekends like this 3-4 times every year.  The crowd was great for the September Art Fair and Kore Art Gallery did a trial run in the expanded space.   We are growing from our 4 members to eventually 15 or 16.  It is both scary and exciting and one of those take the leap and learn to fly on your way down moments. 

By us being a new gallery we are looking for members who can offer commitment, enthusiasm for challenges and who are willing to do grass roots marketing and decision-making as a part of a team.  So far the new members have been guests artists prior to joining and who have dedicated studio practice.  If you're interested or know someone who might be, they can email koregallery at gmail dot com or read info at the website, www.koreartgallery.com .

David Wolff, JiSun Mudd, Me

Wall of fabrics

This is what you'll see if you walk by my studio window. Fabrics waiting to get it on with other fabrics and threads.

When I arrived, a local morning news show was here interviewing artists who will be set up at the art fair here this weekend. Justin and Nathan, owners of Baz and Bea boutique were among the artists. Their place is inside Mellwood but they will also have a booth.  They also work with dyes and love to experiment and we can get going on some real talk (my love for slang is showing up) about dyes.

September Art Fair at Mellwood

Looking back over August.

The exhibits at our state fair do rock!  I know Dennis Shaffner and the troupe of volunteers deserve much kudos for putting it together year in and year out!  Thanks Dennis!

Here are some of the pieces that struck my fancy...

3 cakes

tie quilt made by the daughter of the man who hired Peter at his company 20 years ago.  The man is now retired and these were his ties.

vintage dress

 

altered phone in the floral arrangement exhibit

 

children's art

 

sorry for the poor photo, but his is a batik print by LAFTA member Judy Banks!

 

 what do you do with your garbage? 

 

this is a fountain made from dishes and a sink! 

 

another piece by Judy Banks that is also an award winner!

 

high school sculpture from cardboard!

 

ghostly elegant art!

 

this might have been a high school student art. the layering is beautiful as well as the urban feel and calm of the human figure

I'm still sketching America Shannon. 

 

and the prayer wheels have received blue...

I really love this picture of Anaya and I.  Thinking about putting it on a canvas frame via a photo service.