the Creative Thursday blog

thank you!

Thank you to everyone who came out for our opening on Saturday!

In between shows, I forget just how much effort goes into an opening night. From painting to curating to hanging to marketing {& more marketing} to creating a warm environment where everyone feels inspired and welcome. A joyful and uncomfortable process all rolled into one. All with no guarantees of number in attendance or art sales.

No matter how many times you share your work and ~ stretch ~ as an artist, you never get used to it. This is why support in all forms is always so appreciated, especially in person.

Think about someone who could use your support right now and pass it on. You can never underestimate how much it means when you show up for someone else.

The painting featured: "What did the Dinosaur say to Everyone?" also titled "all of me" as this is one of my largest pieces to date.

Fools Gold Art Opening Saturday, April 1st

L.A. friends! We invite you to join us at our 3rd art opening! "Fool's Gold" featuring new paintings by Outi Harma and Marisa Cummings @ the pArty! 5522 W. Pico Blvd today {no prank, no joke!} April Fool's Day, April 1 from 6 - 10 pm. 

Look forward to seeing you Saturday!

Empty Walls Just Aren't Right! join us this Saturday!

Ok friends! Here we go!

This morning we realized that pulling together a new space and a group show featuring almost twenty artists in 3 weeks might be a bit ambitious ;) But we're excited!!! And the momentum is going!  We also invited lovely, "on it" artist friends for this first show who are talented, efficient and {thankfully} move as fast we do. 

An Eclectic and Awesome group show featuring Outi Harma  Jenean Morrison Cathy Nichols, Melissa Moss, Matt Adrian, Kim Bagwill, Jaime Derringer, Lori Portka, Amadea Bailey, Gus Harper, Christine Mason Miller, Sarah Stevenson, Matt Hanover, Liz Kalloch, Isabelle Bryer, Sarah Stone and Brad Davis and me!

If you'd like to share this opening with your Los Angeles friends you can invite them here via Facebook. And now we're all official with a website, so you can keep up with us there too!

Can't wait!

See you Saturday! @ the pArty 5522 W. Pico Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90019

quilt market inspiration - spring 2013

Went to Quilt Market last weekend- came back with a bad cold and somewhere beneath the cold a lot of inspiration is percolating.

Certainly because of so many things I saw at market and also because I've been thinking a lot about saturation. 

When is too much, too much? And how do we as designers continually stand out in a world that is becoming inundated with design - which = awesome + overwhelm. Do our consumers know how to tell the difference between your average 'pretty design' and something that someone crafted with a unique point of view. Are we still designing with a unique point of view or are our creative visions getting watered down by seeing so much other design? Are we consciously or unconciously just mimicking what works over and over again, or remembering to blaze our own trail?

Bunch of questions, no answers yet - your thoughts?

What I do know is that I want to continue to know myself better. And from that space I want to create quality work that I'm proud of. This is always where I want to start and from there I'm sorting it out as I go. Because as soon as I think I've figured at least some of this out, the world in which I am creating changes again. I'm telling you, every time I attend market - I think this is my 4th time since 2011, the quilting fabric industry has changed again. And that's just one of the industries my work is a part of.

I keep reminding myself that this is all just a normal part of being an artist in business, especially in 2013. Keeps me on my toes for sure, challenged and still excited about my work and where it's headed. In a world that thrives on what's new and on trend, how do we continue to set ourselves apart?

Some snapshots of what inspired me this market.

 

from top to bottom

1. leah duncan's booth. her designs are contemporary yet hand drawn. she's also got an etsy shop, you should check it out
2. mo bedell's booth. my first time getting to know mo better, she's a fellow andover designer - as lovely as her fabric
3. penguin + fish cutest guinea pig embroidery maybe ever
4. rashida coleman hale's new fabric with cloud9 - a favorite design of mine 'its a plus'
5. oliver + s - always love liesl's style and especially enjoyed her booth floor that her husband hand painted
6. a hand made melody skirt {which her new line btw, i was so enamored i forgot to take a photo of it or the seven islands booth for that matter} and an alexia bag from her new book liberty love 
7. heather bailey hand embroidered this huge bird, oh yes she did
8. since i'm obsessed with patchwork, i loved this dress featured at the art gallery fabric booth
9. and this painting at our hotel - could not stop staring at it, so great against the red walls
10. didn't get out to see much of portland this time but i did make it to this restaurant - which was probably one of the best meals i've had
11. missed a photo, but the little bird is also a new favorite Portland hangout

it still isn't easy

No matter how many years I put myself and my art out there it still feels awkward to stand in front of it at an event. I love it, I feel proud, and then I also feel completely vulnerable in a way that the online world has {mostly} sheltered me from. At this point I'm probably so used to sharing and selling online, that I almost have to relearn how to be  in person with my art.

I'm sure I have said it before {most likely after my last Renegade}, I much prefer when a customer can just purchase what they love, on their own time, and I know about it once they've made that decision. Truthfully I think I prefer to be a customer in the same way.

Most of the creatives I know, we just don't like 'selling' our art. I mean we LOVE selling it, just not selling it, you know the difference?  While this event was more of a celebration than a show, I still felt especially vulnerable. 

And this is why for this night in particular, I am so, so {that's a double so} thankful to my creatives who came! We know. We just know what's it like to put yourself out there. And we show up for one another, not just in words but in person. Most people don't get this, because they simply don't want to or aren't willing to put themselves out there. It takes bravery. It always does, even if you've done it before. Sometimes I think we forget this because so many of us are making it look easy, but everyone I know feels butterflies in their stomach every time they share new work or ask someone to come to their event. No complaints here, just awareness and observation. I chose this life as a creative entrepreneur and I love it, even down to the butterflies.

This doesn't mean that I don't absolutely understand that life is crazy, busy for most, especially at this time of year and that we can't all make it to everyone's events all the time {because we are also more global and not living in the same area}...but if you can, do. It's means so much when people show up in support of one another. Somehow I think I got this in a new way this weekend. It reminded me that I want to support others more, because when you do it's big. Every little bit matters.

I was joking that the thing with writing a book is that by the time you have the event to celebrate, you have no more friends to invite. Because most likely it's been all consuming leaving you without much capacity to socialize let alone be a great friend {or blog...ahem} But everyone understands. We know that life has moments, personally and professionally where you just have to go inward for a while. So to everyone who came on Saturday thank you!!!! It meant a lot that you were there. 

And by the way that dress I'm wearing, it's my fabric and I sewed it myself and I will tell you again the next time I see you {that's for you Anne xo}

 

by the way - you should also know! I'm having a final holiday shopping sale at the shop today only until 11:59 pm PST. 15% off with the coupon HOLIDAYTIME

off to market - schoolhouse + book signing

First! thank you so much for the book congratulations. I'm still taking it all in, especially since last Thursday a copy of the actual book arrived. It's a pretty amazing feeling to see years worth of work compiled so beautifully in one place. I'll be sharing some photos here, with more peeks into the inside of the book, when I return from Quilt Market which is where I'm headed this week.

This weekend I will also be having my first two book events at Quilt Market, with a Schoolhouse Presentation on Friday, October 26 at 11- 11:30  am  in room 372D. On Saturday I will be having a book signing from 3 - 3:30 pm at the F & W Booth. 

Made a new, much larger "Bunnie" with The Red Thread, featured above, and sent him off to spend some time in the Andover Booth. 

So if you are headed to market too, I'll see you there!

my first open studio

*You are Invited*

This Friday, December 16 from 4 - 9 pm. 

9019 Ashcroft Avenue, West Hollywood 90048

Spiced Wine, Holiday Treats and Art!

Please RSVP as parking permits will be provided.

honor you more

 

Truth be told. I participated in my very first craft show at the age of 13. 

{you'd think that I might have this down by now ;)}

I sold $100 of my hand painted ceramics. Such a proud day. 

There's nothing quite like selling your work in this way

And, there's nothing quite like selling your work in this way. Some of the hardest work ever.

And, some of the most rewarding work ever.

On twitter this morning I wrote something like this: to all the artists and entrepreneurs out there who:

create, sell, {travel} set-up and break-down at shows like this regularly. I honor you more.

I think I might be coming back with a podcast on this one, as soon as I get some rest. If only there were 8 days in a week and 36 hours in a day? whaaaaa? am. I. saying. I need a nap.

Thank you to everyone who braved/ignored the Carmageddon warnings and came out to the show this weekend. It was a really great time.

Come visit us in L.A. this weekend! Renegade Craft Fair

Booth #62. That's where we'll be. Me and my booth mate, HannahMade.

there is room for everyone ~ my time at Alt

Well then, I thought it was high time I put my post up about my Alt experience before it becomes a distant memory in the blogosphere.

It will certainly not be a distant memory for me as it was such an eye opening, wonderful experience ~ mostly to be in the company of so many women and a few men who are utterly amazing in what they have accomplished over this last decade.

Not to mention I also fulfilled a long time dream of mine to speak. Ever since I was selected to be a presenter for my advertising competition team in college ~ love at first talk. I LOVE speaking. There I said it. And I want to do more of it. Reason for the photo choice above, I want to remember this.  Much like the idea for teaching finally felt ready, so does speaking. It's time. In my book one needs to accumulate a body of knowledge worth sharing to do either, well.

Even though I was a little nervous, I was surprised at just how much speaking to a room full of people, in person, felt like second nature to me. It's all because of you all! Let's just say the videos I've been doing for you here at the blog and in my e-courses over the last couple of years = a lot of practice. Give me a subject I'm passionate about and it turns out I can prattle on {somewhat intelligently and maybe even mildly entertaining} for a good twenty minutes to an hour, off the cuff with next to no notes.  It helps when you are also supported by your awesome panel members, Ben, EZ and Laura. *love them more*

Speaking of prattling on this is quickly going to turn into one of those super long posts if I don't start sharing my impressions of Alt with you. So here goes in no particular order, what I, an artist visiting a blogger's world, brought back with me from this conference:

• Let's start with the title of this post: "There is room for everyone". And there is. A message I teach and a statement I recite to myself regularly, I never really got it until this conference. Arriving there I was only familiar with a few of my fellow speakers. This means that there were a whole bunch of people who are thriving out there, doing work they love, with their own dedicated following that I had never been aware of until now.
• Which also means I have a lot of new friends to be inspired by
• This means that there is indeed room for you. The internet is vast and wide and if you put great work out there, your people will find you. Now, it may take longer than it did for some of the speakers at Alt ~ simply because there are way more people with online presences than there were in 1999 and even when I started in 2006. But do not let this keep you from going forward with your vision in this online world, because you can find your way
• There is a lot more support than competition in this community which I'll be honest, pleasantly surprised me.
• Groups of bloggers who know each other are not cliques. They are simply people who came up in this world at the same time and have taken the time to get to know each other over the past decade. That creates a bond.
• If you are going to form an opinion about someone online, at least meet them and visit with them in person before you finalize that opinion
• Artists: If you are trying to get any of these design bloggers to post about your work, just know that they now get hundreds of submissions a day. And some have a whole room dedicated to products people have pitched them. Target your submissions accurately. Be patient.
• Attend conferences like this. Just do it. There is absolutely no comparison to what you will learn and the friendships you will make in such a short span of time when you start interacting with your online colleagues in person. Same for retreats. If you've been on the fence, make a promise to yourself that you will attend an event in the next year...yes, that one, you've been meaning to attend...
• If there were 'no new ideas' before, then now there really are no more new ideas. Things are just moving too fast and we have access to almost everything and everyone. If you've got an idea, chances are someone has the same one, and they will execute it.  Don't let that keep you from acting on your idea as well. Just be sure to bring your own unique voice to it, because that will make it feel new again.
• Engagement. It's all about engagement. Nope, not getting married {yet} This is about "how engaged are your readers, your community, your twitter followers, facebook friends etc?"  Turns out this is what matters the most. Common sense really, right? But lately I think everyone has been so caught up in the numbers of it all, how popular they are, that they've lost sight of how loyal those people following them actually are. Fine if you have hundreds of thousands of followers, are they listening? Do you have a loyal following, even if it is only 5 people? If you do then you are building something of value. Now of course if you have huge numbers following and they are loyal, then you've really got something and those are the people who are definitely monetizing this online world. 
• The people with the huge and loyal followings have been building it for years. This is not an overnight venture. This is dedication and relationship building that takes serious commitment.
• If you are going into this to get BIG numbers and that is the only way you are going to feel validated in your work, you might want to re-visit exactly why you are doing what you are doing.
• Because the people we admire most, sure they are good business people but they started their businesses from their heart. The online world is too transparent for it to be any other way. People will recognize if the work you share with the world has heart. And yes, you can succeed with genuine heart, oh and honesty and integrity too.
• This online landscape is changing faster than most of us can keep up with, even those who are leading in this new frontier are making it up as they go *incredible*
• Which means there are no hard and fast rules and this goes for pricing as well, for those of you who are monetizing your work
• Having blog and event sponsors is absolutely a possibility if you have engagement with your readers even if you do not have a huge following yet.
• Events are where it's at. Throwing a party, getting married, celebrating a milestone ~ make it special, make it beautiful and unique and blog, blog, blog it!
• Magazines are here to stay, as they should because so many, like the new Anthology are like books, pieces of art you want to keep
• Be honest in your online presence and in your blog
• The opinions about what to share personally on your blog, are just that personal and they vary widely. There are no rules. It is totally and completely up to you
• Social media does work to grow your following, when done right
• There are some new thoughts on etiquette and ethics in this online world of today and Grace took the time to write up a great and thorough article about this very subject that you will definitely want to read
• People I had a chance to meet for the first time and get to know better  that you should definitely check out if you don't already know them EZ, Erin, Jamie, Liz, Kellen, Christine, Joy, Meg, Grace, Gabby, Laura, Heather, Tina, Danielle, Sarah Jane,  Karey, Ali, Amy, Joslyn {and that's still only a fraction of the people I met and still want to meet}
• And NieNie ~ I'm speechless when it comes to expressing how I feel about meeting NieNie. She is such an incredible human being and just as beautiful in person.
• And hilarious. Did I mention, that a lot of these ladies {and Ben} had me cracking up. Talented and funny ~ now that is a double threat
• Speaking of a double threat. Know your worth
• Ladies, {men you still seem to do better with this one than we do but if you need a little reminder as well}: We need to value the work we do ~ stat.
• The project runway speakers, Seth Aaron and Mondo = totally inspiring and I admit I haven't even watched the show.
• Opportunity is all around you. look for it. 
• Think outside the box
• I am an artist, and for a girl who didn't really want to blog,  I have officially accepted ~ I am also a blogger.
• Confident, accomplished energy is at ease, grounded and lovely to be around. Desperate, needy, chip on your shoulder because it's not happening fast enough is rather unpleasant to be around. You don't have to wait on anything to 'happen' before you embody the confident energy ~ just be it.

That's it in a nutshell. The rest of the info I brought home with me is still sinking in and will find it's way to this blog to share with you, I am sure. Want to see more photos and read more posts? If you are at all passionate about this online creative world I highly recommend attending Alt in the future. Just remember, after reading so much about these kinds events, go in with an open heart and no expectations ~ let it be your own experience.