Tracing the thread - blog to blog

Sometime last year I started reading various artists’ blogs. I had been sent a post from Nicole Pletts, an artist friend. In this particular post, Clint Watson - Fine Art Studio Online, mentioned a number of artists who use the Internet to market themselves and their work.The FASO newsletter, sent out daily, is an excellent resource for artists to share knowledge and to debate pertinent issues.

One of the first blogs I read in my search for a plan to become a full time artist, was Self vs Self by Hazel Dooney. She is a fierce proponent of the artist being in charge. Her writing reveals her approach to art and life in an uncompromising way.

 In a recent interview on The Zone, Michael Short talks to Hazel about her move away from the gallery system and her use of social networks to promote her art 

I have discovered many interesting blogs  - there are millions - and am constantly overwhelmed by the number of artists who share their knowledge so generously.

Obviously, most would like the blog to make some cash along the way, but there is so much information available that is free of charge.

 Although you don’t meet face to face, you get to know the artists and their work. It then becomes a true social network and one can make many new friends.

Now, as I look back on the thread of blogs I have read, I can’t always remember how I landed up on a particular site. Somehow, those that are now most relevant have been directed to me in an almost serendipitous way – I needed to read that blog and meet that artist. I'll share more of these with you in later posts.

Now in case you think I do nothing but read blogs – I am going to do some painting…

The Artist's Plan

“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans – John Lennon


When one is planning a move that involves not only relocating to a different continent, but also changing career focus at the same time, there needs to be a plan.

After having received a regular salary for many years it’s a big step to make the decision to earn one’s living entirely from art. Moreover, when you are going to be living in a place far from anyone who even knows who you are or that, in fact, you are a painter, you need to find a way to introduce yourself.

So, there has to be a plan. At the outset, I realized that a website showcasing my work would be valuable if not imperative. Then too, a blog would give me an opportunity to communicate with collectors of my work. Also, as my friends know, I love to talk, so this gives me another platform.

Years ago, artists had to rely entirely on print medium to publicise their art. Alternatively, you waited for a Gallery to show your work.Or you had to wait for someone to write an article for a magazine, give you a favourable review of an exhibition in a newspaper, or include you in a list of many artists in a Who’s Who of Artists. To merit a whole book – a book featuring your work, or a biography, generally you had to be very famous already. Most likely, the best that would happen would be that if you played your cards right with a friendly Art Page journo you would get a pic and a favourable mention in the local newspaper.

Now it’s a different world. The ease of online communication has allowed artists can be in charge of their own PR. The artist can create a website; write a blog, set up a Flickr page to display their art. They can direct the communication about their art.

The artist can talk directly to their collectors and to anyone else who cares to visit their website or read their blog. (Of course, sometimes the artist might just be talking with no one listening – is there anyone out there?)

Spring cleaning - clearing the clutter.

When I moved from a large home to a smaller one 8 years ago, I didn’t really tackle the hard task of de-cluttering. Rather, I took the easy route and brought most of it with me. Now it is payback time and I have to face all the things I didn’t throw away then.

There is limited space in a 20 foot container and I have to make final decisions about what is important – there’s just no room for “I might need it.”

I need to simplify my life and keep fewer things. Excellent advice on this topic came also from Leo Babauta of Zen Habits – it’s a great site for becoming more minimalist and living a simpler, more effective life.

I have based the purge on the following:

1. Have I used the item in the last year?
2. Do I need the item?
3. Do I like the item?
4. And more practically, is there space in the container for it?

If the answer is no to any of the above it goes in the discard box.

There’s an exception to Rule1: if I haven’t used it, perhaps it’s because I am currently not teaching art? Once I have moved, I hope to teach, so these items will be essential and I can be forgiven for holding on to them.

Books are a major weakness and I am loath to toss them out. It’s comforting to have bookcases full of books. I have decided that I will only keep a reference book that I’ll use or a book I KNOW that I will read again.

About a year ago, I started taking books to a book exchange and swapped two or three in place of many. It is not ideal but it was a start to having fewer books.

Now I have to be ruthless and the local SPCA has also benefited from the clear out– they have inherited my magazines as well as many books and general bric-a-brac. The satisfying part of sending unwanted items to a charity shop is that someone else will love what you throw away and animals or people will benefit.