Rule # 1

Never do a show in a gymnasium.

This falls under the category of lessons learned. Rule #1 is never do a show in a gymnasium. This is the second time I've done a show where my booth was in a gym. I'm trying to find the humor in all of what happened this weekend and as I looked at the limited number of pictures we took, this one of the basketball hoop jumped out at me. Earlier I published our show check list of things we need to take with us. Now I feel like I should publish our list of what to look for when doing a show. The first item again, just to be clear, is never do a show in a gymnasium.

Here I am on Saturday morning, filled with optimism of the things to come.

Our Booth

Rule #2, when you have a 6' x 8' space, it's probably not the best idea to have two artists and mediums in tight quarters. We tried our best to economize on our displays. As you can tell, it may still have been too much in a small area.

There's that basketball hoop again!

Other artists had nice arrangements as this picture shows another fused glass artist (on the right side of the photo) is adding the finishing touches to her area. She had ProPanels and only set up 2 walls. On a corner, this allowed a nice open area and her set up looked great. Loved her work too.

Where are all the people?

As this picture and the next one shows, traffic was....light.

The weather on Saturday was a factor. It was rainy and windy. The people who did venture in, appeared to be scanning, but not really interested in buying. Could be that whole, it's just after April 15, tax day...no money to spend.

We met a delightful lady who had her PHD in Literature and she was witty, charming, and a ray of sunshine. She was the neighbor of the glass artist I met across the aisle from us. Another pleasant surprise was an online friend, Sandy Cahill Johnson, has a friend in the area who stopped by and introduced herself. I certainly enjoyed that.

Sales however were almost non-existent for everyone and the day felt like a really slow Sunday.

Unfortunately we had a personal situation come up at the end of the day that didn't allow us to participate again on Sunday, so things may have improved as the weather was better.

As with everything we do, we learn from the experience. I think both Dan & I will plan to do more exhibitions rather than shows where we need to man a booth. Rule #3, do more exhibitions. And while doing a show together was nice, the size of our booth was really too small to adequately display our work. So if we do another show together, we will opt for a larger space. Rule #4, 2 artists + 2 mediums = larger booth area.

We came away from this experience thinking that we need to preview a show venue to avoid the gym situation. Rule #5, preview the show venue when possible.

Group shows are fun to do and meet fellow artists in the guild. I had a great time interacting with the artists close to our booth. For the future, I think my preference will be to stick with juried shows where there is exhibition space used all the time. Rule #6, apply for juried shows.

That pretty much sums it up. I know a lot of you were interested in seeing pictures and I hope you appreciate my tongue in cheek humor and the Rules we came up for our next show. Feel free to add, suggest or derive your own set of rules for approaching shows....I would enjoy hearing your take on this or sharing your experiences.

Until next time, aspire to be more as an artist and a person.

Our Show Check List

Dan and I are getting ready for the Parker Artists Guild Spring Art show this coming weekend and I ran across our show check list. I found this somewhere on the web and have customized it for us. I thought it might be beneficial to publish this on my blog to as an aid to those of you who also do shows from time to time. You may have your own list and maybe a few items on this one could be added to yours? I would be curious if any of you have your check list to review prior to a show. I find it a great tool when thoughts start to scatter the closer the show date draws near!

Here's our check list:

Show Checklist
Office Supplies:
______ Doc from show vendor
______ Receipt books
______ Price List
______ Notebook
______ Small clipboard (optional – used for writing checks)
______ Binder with stock pics (optional)
______ Postcards/Business Cards
______ Change fund
______ Cell Phone & charger
______ Deposit slips
______ CHANGE FUND!
______ Tissue Paper
______ Plastic Bags
______ Name Stamp
______ Calculator
______ Pens/pencils
______ Scissors
______ Scotch tape
______ Masking Tape
______ WD40 (for removing sticker glue)
______ Paper towels
______ Lint roller
______ Trashbags
______ Price Tags
______ Sharpie marker
______ Tape measure
______ Band Aids
______ Rubbing Alcohol/Peroxide (clean ear wires, etc)


Table Setup & Display:
______ Hand truck
______ Small table for packaging (optional)
______ Banner or sign (optional)
______ DUCK TAPE
______ Lighting fixtures/extra bulbs
______ Power bar/extension cord
______ 25' outdoor cord and 3-plug adaptor
______ Table cloth/covering
______ Coverings for overnight (sheets/blankets, etc)
______ STOCK!!
______ Mirror
______ Display stands
______ Risers
______ Pins (for securing stock to table)


Stuff for Me:
______ Comfy shoes
______ Sweater
______ Bottled water
______ Munchies
______ Chapstick
______ Hand lotion/sanitizer
______ Medications (if necessary)
______ Touch up makeup/hair brush, etc.
______ Gum or mints

Extras:
______ Small tool kit (pliers, wire cutters, etc as needed)
______ Extra stock components (in case of emergency repairs)
______ Polish cloth
______ Ring Sizer


Oh, and another metalsmith friend, Wendy Edsall-Kerwin, recently published her perspective on How To Do A Craft Show. Wendy had some great tips and insights I thought I would share hers too. Plus I find Wendy's blog very informative and I hope you will check it out.

Until next time, aspire to be more as an artist and a person.

New Representation ~ Mountain Living Studio

Mountain Living Studio

741 Manitou Avenue

Manitou Springs, CO, 80829

This weekend I received word from Bianca Codiga, the owner of Mountain Living Studio, that my fused glass works have been accepted into her gallery. I am very excited about this new opportunity and look forward to what the future holds.

Manitou Springs has a great community of artists and is about a half an hour away from where we live. I have wanted to become part of one of the galleries there for a while now and I am pleased that another one of my goals has been achieved. Never underestimate the value of setting goals!

I will be bringing my work into the gallery a little later this month. If you are in the area, I hope you will stop and see all the wonderful works this gallery represents.

Until next time, aspire to be more as an artist and a person.

Parker Artists Guild’s 6th Annual Spring Art Show

The is the first year that Dan & I will be participating in the Parker Artists Guild Spring Art Show. We have heard lots of good things about this show. It takes place next month in Parker, Colorado, which is fairly close to us. Dan will have some of his photographs for sale, and I will have my glass work.

It is an indoor show, which will be good for us if the weather isn't kind that weekend. Let's hope we'll have some spring time weather, unlike the weather we've have over the past 24 hours! Whew, spring in the Rockies is not for the feint of heart!

If you are in the area the weekend of April 17 - 18, please stop by and say Hi.

Be Bodacious in Your Self-Care

I subscribe to Christine Kane's blog and e-zines. Her positive energy and thoughts are something I enjoy and this is one I would like to share with you, so here is today's e-zine from Christine. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

9 Bodacious (and Easy) Ways to Practice Self-Care
by Christine Kane

Just as there was a time when "google" was not a verb, there was also a time when "bodacious" was not a word. Bodacious is a blend of "bold" and "audacious" created in British English dialect late in the nineteenth century.

I love this word! Some days we need to be bodacious! And some days, we need to remember to apply it to our own self-care.

No matter how rewarding or noble it is to be of service to others - whether you're a coach, in retail, or taking care of an ailing parent - you cannot leave your self-care out of the picture. If you do, you'll soon burn-out, become ill or angry, and you'll ultimately be serving no one.

Here are 9 bodacious ways to practice self-care:

1 - Flowers!

This is so simple – and yet so powerful. Fresh flowers beautify any space. I always have an orchid on my coffee table. I see it the minute I walk in the door, and it reminds me to take a deep breath and cherish the beauty of my life. Create a Sunday ritual of getting fresh flowers to get your week off to a bodacious start!

2 - Take a nap.

Favorite thing: I climb into bed for a nap in the middle of the day. Within minutes comes the soft ploop of cat paws on the cover. I can almost hear the cat thoughts: Hmm. The human has decided to lie quietly. I'd like to take part. Then the paws walk all around me until they find the very best spot for settling.

Cats know the truth: Naps are bodacious!

3 - Pay full price.

The amount of energy we waste on trying to get "deals" is often not worth it. If you see something you love, then get it. I'm convinced that we'd all be so much happier and wealthier if we just got exactly what we loved without looking at price tags and wasting time looking for sales. (We'd probably have much less stuff too!)

4 - Trampolines and swings.

I was at a cocktail party last year. The adults were up on the deck watching the kids jump on the trampoline. At one point, all the kids ran inside. I kicked off my shoes and ran for the trampoline. Three other women joined me. We laughed and jumped for about 15 minutes. It was the most fun I'd had all week.

Swings are fun, too. And they're easy to find! Who cares if you look or feel stupid? Being an adult doesn't have to mean being boring!

5 - Truncate your To-Do's.

How many items are on your to-do list today?

32?

20?

67?

A day should have no more than two or three mission-critical priorities for completion. The rest are extra credit! Give yourself the gift of completion. It is the ultimate self-care.

6 - Order out.

I love preparing meals. But some nights, it's just necessary to let someone else do the cooking. We have a great delivery service in our town. I don't mind the extra expense if it allows me a night of no clean up, and a little extra time to write or just be with my husband.

7 - Take a long walk with your dog.

Are you one of those people who gets home from work and marches your dog around the block with a grim look on your face? (Another to-do item checked off the list!)

Try this: Take your dog for a long happy walk. Revel in the delight and presence of your dog. It will absolutely lift your spirits.

8 - Read for fun.

Do you relish your days on the beach because it's the only time you'll allow yourself the joy of a trashy novel or some "light" reading?

Why not get a little bodacious and bring the beach to your work-week? Curl up at night and get lost in some fun fiction.

9 - Step AWAY from the computer. (And the phone.)

The challenge of this internet world is that we are "plugged in" 24/7. You are reachable all the time now. No one waits for "business hours" anymore. This is not healthy for your precious creative spirit, my friend.

Take regular breaks from Facebook, blogs, texts, cell phones, and email. (Yes, even this eZine!) Don't include your computer in any of the above activities. And turn off your phone, too! I promise, your computer and phone won't take it personally! (Neither will this e-Zine!)
=============================================================

Performer, songwriter, and creativity consultant Christine Kane publishes her 'LiveCreative' weekly ezine with more than 11,000 subscribers. If you want to be the artist of your life and create authentic and lasting success, you can sign up for a FRE*E subscription to LiveCreative at http://www.christinekane.com/.

WANT TO SEE HUNDREDS MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE?
See Christine's blog – Be Creative. Be Conscious. Be Courageous – at ChristineKane.com/blog.

Preview ~ Sunset, Sky-Scape Series

Dan & I are fortunate, we live in a country setting, just outside of Colorado Springs. One of the many remarkable things about living where we do is the wide open space and expanse of sky. This photo is one of mine that I quickly took, just outside our back door, as the sun was setting. I wanted it as a reference for those stunning colors.

I have always been fascinated by the sky. The way the clouds form, drift, take on colors. The glow of a sunset. The somewhat eerie aspect of a summer storm forming. Where we live, we have very little blocking our view of the sky and the colors that nature produces are marvelous. This idea has been taking root in my mind for a while now and when I saw the beautiful colors in this sunset, I knew I needed to capture it in glass. Sometimes I can create a marvelous sky in a stained glass window thanks to the color variations in a sheet of glass. Bullseye, Uroboros, Fremont, Youghiogheny and others create some wonderful glass for depicting skies. But now, I wanted to capture the sky in my fused works. The great thing for me is that I knew I could do this and I wanted to take my glass work in a bit of a new direction.

I'm still working with glass strip construction, but now I'm trying to create abstract versions of those colors in the sky that I see almost every day. The possibilities are endless, I think.

Let me introduce the first in my new series. I call this one Sunset. The name of the series is Sky-Scapes. Sunset is not completely finished yet, but I thought I would be fun to give a preview of where it is, how it was constructed, and its inspiration.

The photo at the top of this post is the inspiration. While I have a great little digital camera, it's hard to do justice to the beauty of nature with it. However, I just wanted to make sure I had this image to refer to as needed.


These sheets of glass are the building blocks for Sunset. All Bullseye; it is my favorite. For this piece I decided to use a mix of opals and translucents. Others in this series are all translucent and some will be all opals....it just depends on the effect I want to achieve.


These are the strips I cut from the sheet glass. They are approximately 1/2" thick. I really like the thickness and the weight of the thick plates/bowls I do. They aren't for the feint of heart!


This is the start of the construction. I am improvising with things to hold the glass strips in place. I now have a new tool to help hold things in place and I'll preview that in another post.


It's ready for the kiln. You may notice that I'm changing up the randomness/mixture of glass and going for more of a jagged layer look, which I'm trying to create the effects I see in the sky.



This is how it looks after fusing. I really enjoy how some of the glass changes color a bit once it is fused.

Now Sunset is ready for the coldworking phase. After I complete that, I will slump it in the mold for it to take its final form. The next time you see Sunset, it will be one of Dan's photographs to showcase how it really looks and emphasize its beauty.

I hope you like the preview of this new series.

Until next time, aspire to be more as an artist and a person.

What to do?

One of my Experiments.....

I've been absent, my apologies.

Never fear, I have been working on my art....my glass art and my art jewelry. And I haven't felt I had anything worthy of posting on my glass blog, but then I thought I should share some of what I've been doing with glass that is .... as of yet.... unfinished.

So here it is, one of my experiments, and I definitely consider it unfinished. I mentioned a bit about my experiments back in a January post. I'm not completely satisfied with the result you see here and that is why I have not slumped this piece into one of the sushi plate molds I have. I keep wondering if I should do anything else? It has some imperfections, which I don't think the photo shows (my photo, not one of Dan's), but I can see them. Well, we all know what that's like when our critical eye sees something that isn't right. Maybe I should just set this aside in the small stack of pieces that will be recycled into stringers? As you can tell from all the questions I have about it, I have not decided if I should go through the effort of finishing this or just recycle it.

The inspiration for this piece started with this wonderful book I found at Barnes & Noble prior to Christmas. It was Alponse Mucha Master Works.
I loved the book. The colors, the wonderful art work. Unfortunately, the book is sold out, so I hope you can find a copy if it inspires you too.

Part of what captivated me was Mucha's graceful lines. I wanted to incorporate a bit of that graceful line work in my art, so I tried this little experiment. And ever since I found mica powders, they have taunted me a bit. I know how hard they can be to incorporate into fused glass (at least for me) and so I tried something new. It sort of worked, but not quite. At least I'm not happy with the result.

I used some of my favorite Bullseye Glass, that rich marzipan color I love. And then I used coppery mica powder to form the lines you see, mixed with clear fine frit in my attempt to have the mica fuse to the glass. It sort of did, but not all of it. So I decided I would add a bit of Glassline paint in a rust shade to emphasize the mica a bit more, and then as a contrast I thought it would be nice to have a bit of green in there (provided by a bit-o-frit). Over the top of all of that I added more clear frit to 'seal' the mica in place. After another firing in the kiln, all fused and the mica is in place. But, the surface doesn't look good and I'm back to not being satisfied with the result.

So, I have learned some things with this test and I'm not sure where it will take me. I have other things in the works too, along with shows starting next month, so I will have more to share. I think it helps to know that we all have things that just don't go quite the way we had hoped. All part of the learning process and that's a good thing.

Please feel free to share your thoughts, I always enjoy what my fellow artists think.

Until next time, aspire to be more as an artist and a person.