Artful Adventures

A Must Read book!

 

Several years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Annie Lockhart (that really does sound too formal!) at a class taught by Nina and held at Valley Ridge Art Studio, which is an absolutely magical place.  Turns out that Annie & I share a birthday, and the fun started from there, turning us into "Sweet Sistah's".  That said, I couldn't be any happier or more proud of Annie for this book that she wrote and was just released.  It is WONDERFUL!!!  Seriously, I buy a lot of books, and this is hands down, one of the best.  She makes you think about what you're creating.  After reading this book, you'll never again glue something to something-just because.  Or because it's trendy and all the kids are doing it:)  You'll think about those elements and what they mean, what do they add, and you'll soon have something that reflects you, not so & so.  Oh, just buy the book-you won't regret it!

How's this month of Love & Hearts going?

 Always a little late-didn't quite get this posted on Valentine's Day, but it's close:)  Besides, the whole month is all about hearts and love and reds and pinks, right?  So I use a black & white photo-go figure.  But the fact remains that this man standing next next to me, he loves me with all his heart, even after 30 plus years-and I love him right back!  Don't get me wrong, we have our days just like anybody else.  But anyone who can take care of me when I'm sick the way he has, sitting next to my hospital bed all too often so that when I wake up he's the first person I see, and still put up with me at home, (yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm not all that easy to live with)-is a keeper.  So there it is for the world to know!  Anyone else care to step up & tell us about your great love???  We'd all love to hear about it-seriously! Saunday, we made a quick run over to The Flying Pig for coffee-a regular week end event.  We have to wait until May 1 for the regular summer hours of 7 days a week, right now they're open Fri-Sun, and for some reason I miss Mondays there.  Don't ask me why because I don't have a clue, every Monday I want to go over there.  It's even more fun now, hearing about the crazy wild vacation that they just back from:)  Go ck out their blog and read about it, you'll be grinning and dreaming about what YOUR favorite wild & crazy vacation would be.  I have many-walking along a river's edge & seeing a grizzly bear, seeing a whale while I'm in a boat close enough to appreciate it, walking along a beach and finding baby turtles.  There's more, right now I'd just like to be healthy, walk normal, get this remodeling job done-but that would require them to come back to finish it first-it'll happen:)   Compliments of a glass artist at the gallery, here's a heart of a different color-just to be different!

 
 

Back for a bit---

 Gary can always manage to capture the beauty of something as everyday, and yet so complex, as frost on the window.  As beautiful as it is, it looks out of place to me right now, but then I feel out of place right now.  Winters in WI are long, and I've always broken them up by certain events-Christmas, Gary's birthday, Jeremy's birthday,
(and yes, Vicki, your's too:).  Simple things like turning the pages on the calendar, watching it snow and seeing the flurry of birds at the feeder.  But this year, I lost a lot of those days, and it seems like I lost winter right along with it.  There's plenty of winter left, so I'm hoping to see each & everyday of the rest of it from my home.  See, I didn't just take a blogging break, I got sick-really sick.  There's not much memory of most of December, and then I spent the last 10 days of the month in the hospital with 6 of those days in ICU on a ventilator.  Then I got to take another surprise weekend visit there about 10 days ago.  Is that it?  Who knows! Last week end I had an injection and was supposed to stay planted at home for a couple of days with an ice pack.  I did-but we did take a quick ride to the beach, I had to see it, see something real & familiar.  Just looking at it now makes it hard to believe that where all those tumbled ice chunks are now, is really hot sand in the summer.  Close your eyes and think about it, I'll bet you can almost feel the hot sand between your toes.  If you can't, try harder:)  While on the ventilator, there were, nights that I wasn't quite knocked out, and spent hours staring at the ceiling, trying to burn the memory of the shadows and shapes I saw into my brain, then I'd choose a color and try to imagine how it would sound and feel.  That's not as goofy as it sounds, there's a couple of gals out here, Watercolor Harps, who create music "to  escape into their impressions of the color palette with their 'watercolor' sounds - audible imagery - to match your mood or create a new one."  We've been fortunate enough to attend their first cd release party at The Flying Piga couple of years ago.  I'll be honest, I'm not entirely sure I got it at the time, but I so craved color, music, beauty all those nights, that I think I got it.  Sometimes it takes me awhile----.  We're starting to get our ideas together, and rather than dwell on all this negative health stuff, we're both (yay for Gary) will be creating art, new toys are here, designs being worked out, and we need a studio space now-after we get this addition done.  But there are still bright spots like this that just make you smile.  I'll try to post more often, and I'm looking forward to seeing what the rest of the world has been up to.

 

Want to speed up winter? Go see Alyson Stanfield!

In WI, the winters are notoriously cold and yet beautiful with all the snow and the brilliant red cardinals  on the branches, the just tend to be a little long.  But this year, in about a month actually, Alyson Stanfield is coming to Racine, WI to give a marketing workshop.  Can you think of a better way to end the winter and start thinking about spring?  I can't:)  It'll be held March 9-10, 2010 at The Sienna Center in  Racine, Wisconsin. This workshop is being conducted for the annual retreat for the Professional Art Quilters Alliance, but is open to everyone, and sounds exciting!  Just click HERE, for all the details, and start planning a little winter get away that you'll not only love, but will learn so much!  Oh, and there's a bonus if you sign up before Feb. 12!

Help spread the word, with Alyson's permission you can use this information and blog, facebook, tweet it, or tell all your friends!

How would you like to sell more art?

If you could use some fresh and practical ideas for marketing your art, check this out. 

Alyson B. Stanfield, author of “I’d Rather Be in the Studio! The Artist’s No-Excuse Guide to Self-Promotion,” is coming to Wisconsin in early March to help us get a groove on our marketing.

I’D RATHER BE IN THE STUDIO

A NO-EXCUSES ART MARKETING WORKSHOP

March 9-10, 2010 

Siena Center, Racine

**Sign up by February 12 and get a bonus gift from Alyson! 

http://www.artquilters.com/retreats/retreat10-03.html

 During these two days, you’ll learn

 

-- How to write a better artist statement that connects with your audience

 -- How to organize and expand your mailing list

 -- The tragic mistakes artists make on websites and blogs (and how to fix them)

 -- Email secrets that produce results

 -- How to increase traffic to your website and blog

 -- How to build your online presence with Facebook and Twitter without becoming a slave to your computer

And it’s only $100! Alyson says this is a crazy low price, so you should probably grab it while you can.

Two full days of ideas, examples, and motivation to help you get your art out of the studio and in front of people who can see it and buy it. AND, you’re going to leave with an action plan. 

Get the details and register (by February 12 to get the bonus!) at:

http://www.artquilters.com/retreats/retreat10-03.html

Please help fill the room by sharing this information with other artists who could use this kind of a workshop. 

Enjoy the rest of the winter-I know I'm going to give it the old college try!

Sue Pieper