"The thing I remember best about successful people I've met all through the years is their obvious delight in what they're doing......and it seems to have very little to do with worldly success. They just love what they're doing, and they love it in front of other people" Fred Rogers
That must be why successful artists are always looking for their next show. That’s where they get to love it in front of others.
I personally really love and look forward to my upcoming shows for that very reason. It's my time to tell my story!
I often thought in making my art, that I need to work in a "fish bowl" where people could see me work. Of course the other side of this coin is the need to work in my private studio, which is where most of the work gets done.
I once had a shop that was about the size of a large closet, which was also a fish bowl of sorts. It was 1988 and hand painted clothing was popular. In the front of the shop, right across from the front door, was a beautiful oak drawing table. I would put a solid colored shirt, coat or dress on a wooden board, and it became my blank canvas.
So women would come in to my shop and watch me paint. They would try on this or that, and sometimes come up with something for me to custom paint for them. I would show them the clothing pieces that I could order and then I would paint them a one of a kind outfit. Watching me paint worked: they got to see me “loving what I do in front of them", which motivated them to make a purchase.
My little shop at the beach is long ago history. I no longer work in a fishbowl. I now spend many hours by myself in my country studio, squirreling away at jewelry pieces and collage.
My biggest satisfaction comes when someone sees my work and “gets it.” They may not see all the thought processes that went into it or the decisions I made to design it this way, not that way. They don’t see the way I had to juggle my schedule so I could sit in my studio and produce. They won’t know the expense or the fatigue, frustration or the coming up dry that occurs in a cycle. What they do see is the hand-crafted finished product, which hopefully tells a story and captivates their imagination. And when they get it, they get my obvious delight coming through! The biggest compliment I hear at shows is “Oooh, this jewelry is FUN!” Yep, it IS fun, because I absolutely LOVE what I’m doing, and I love it in front of you!
Why do we artists go to such lengths to make our art, with little or no regard for worldly acclaim? Why do we have such obvious delight in what we’re doing, even to the extent of loving it in front of other people? Do we require working in a fish bowl to get that need met? What do we do when no one is watching?
I expect that at this year’s shows I will show some of my best work ever!!
Here’s my 2016 show schedule:
May 21, 22 Riverside Art Works Riverside Illinois.
June 4 Old Mill Festival, Noblesville IN
June 25, 26 Columbus Art Fair, Columbus IN
July 30, 31 Glenview Art Festival, Glenview, IL
August 6 Noblesville Art on the Square, Noblesville IN
Sept 10, 11 Downer’s Grove Art Fair, Downer’s Grove, IL
Sept 17, 18 Park Forest Art Festival, Park Forest, IL
Sept 23-25 Funky Ferndale, Ferndale, MI
Oct. 8 Monument Circle Art Fair, Indianapolis, IN
I hope you will stop by and see me, so that I can love what I’m doing in front of you !
For a preview of my new work please visit my online shop.
That must be why successful artists are always looking for their next show. That’s where they get to love it in front of others.
I personally really love and look forward to my upcoming shows for that very reason. It's my time to tell my story!
I often thought in making my art, that I need to work in a "fish bowl" where people could see me work. Of course the other side of this coin is the need to work in my private studio, which is where most of the work gets done.
I once had a shop that was about the size of a large closet, which was also a fish bowl of sorts. It was 1988 and hand painted clothing was popular. In the front of the shop, right across from the front door, was a beautiful oak drawing table. I would put a solid colored shirt, coat or dress on a wooden board, and it became my blank canvas.
So women would come in to my shop and watch me paint. They would try on this or that, and sometimes come up with something for me to custom paint for them. I would show them the clothing pieces that I could order and then I would paint them a one of a kind outfit. Watching me paint worked: they got to see me “loving what I do in front of them", which motivated them to make a purchase.
My little shop at the beach is long ago history. I no longer work in a fishbowl. I now spend many hours by myself in my country studio, squirreling away at jewelry pieces and collage.
My biggest satisfaction comes when someone sees my work and “gets it.” They may not see all the thought processes that went into it or the decisions I made to design it this way, not that way. They don’t see the way I had to juggle my schedule so I could sit in my studio and produce. They won’t know the expense or the fatigue, frustration or the coming up dry that occurs in a cycle. What they do see is the hand-crafted finished product, which hopefully tells a story and captivates their imagination. And when they get it, they get my obvious delight coming through! The biggest compliment I hear at shows is “Oooh, this jewelry is FUN!” Yep, it IS fun, because I absolutely LOVE what I’m doing, and I love it in front of you!
Why do we artists go to such lengths to make our art, with little or no regard for worldly acclaim? Why do we have such obvious delight in what we’re doing, even to the extent of loving it in front of other people? Do we require working in a fish bowl to get that need met? What do we do when no one is watching?
I expect that at this year’s shows I will show some of my best work ever!!
Here’s my 2016 show schedule:
May 21, 22 Riverside Art Works Riverside Illinois.
June 4 Old Mill Festival, Noblesville IN
June 25, 26 Columbus Art Fair, Columbus IN
July 30, 31 Glenview Art Festival, Glenview, IL
August 6 Noblesville Art on the Square, Noblesville IN
Sept 10, 11 Downer’s Grove Art Fair, Downer’s Grove, IL
Sept 17, 18 Park Forest Art Festival, Park Forest, IL
Sept 23-25 Funky Ferndale, Ferndale, MI
Oct. 8 Monument Circle Art Fair, Indianapolis, IN
I hope you will stop by and see me, so that I can love what I’m doing in front of you !
For a preview of my new work please visit my online shop.
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