WHAT I FORGOT TO TELL YOU…..

WHAT I FORGOT TO TELL YOU About Art at the Source this weekend….
It’s been a hard year…
So hard that I totally spaced doing any outreach to all you folks who signed up for newsletters! (screaming emoji face here….)
A lot of (non-fatal) health issues continue, a major marriage hiccup with my long-term relationship for a year now, issues with longtime apps going broke/being discontinued on my computer and phone, and more…..
And then I was rear-ended in Sebastopol in early May and my beloved Scion XB was totalled. I won’t go into the details, but the accident, the paperwork, the unavailable insurance agents, the search for another used car was overwhelming, to say the least.
Heck, I haven’t even written much in the last few years. And you know me. I love to write about stuff! (Normally.)
So I didn’t expect any visitors the first weekend, and with all the wonderful marches, protests, support for pride week, etc. I don’t expect many this weekend, either.
But some people DID come, and I’m so grateful they did!
Some had never been to my studio, some have and wanted more things. Everyone who came was wonderful! In awe of my work, offering insights and suggestions for more galleries, happy to hear the stories behind it all.
It reminded me once again that it’s never about the fame or fortune.
It’s about doing the work that’s important to me, even at one of the lowest, hardest point in my life.
And remembering all the gifts that are right here in front of me…..
The people who stopped during the accident to make sure I was okay.
The people who shared stories about their own marriage woes.
The people who not only appreciate the work I do, but who also were happy that I support THEIR creative work.
Getting ready for these open studio tours takes a lot of work. But in the end, I have a clean studio again (er….for a week or two…..) I have a place where I can do the work of my heart. I have building managers who are kind and supportive. There are people who constantly remind me that I am a force for good in the world, even with baby steps.
So if you can’t come this year, no worries! I hope you find a cause to celebrate/support, people you want to be with, activities that make you happy.
But if you miss my studio, by all means…come on by!
Hope to see you there! Er…here!
Studio: 33Arts 3840 Finley AVE (Bdg 33)

I’m still standing….kinda…..

I don’t even know where to start today.

The last few years have been really really hard. Lots of multiple health issues, none fatal, for which I am grateful. Relationship issues. Lack of sleep. Too tired to even go for a walk.

Then a month ago, I was rear-ended by a young driver from behind, and my car was totaled. She screamed at me that I had ruined her car. I pointed out that a small piece of plastic had fallen from the front of her car, and that my car was totaled. Didn’t get through.

Losing my beloved 2006 Scion xB was really really hard. Working with my insurance company was complicated. Finding a new (old) car was tricky. The paperwork was overwhelming.

But here’s what’s helping me get through…

The people who recognized me and stopped to make sure I was okay. People who stopped to help me get my stuff out of the car (only one door could open.)

I was not injured at all! So many people shared their painful stories of being rear-ended, too, and I’m really grateful I didn’t have to go through that.

I’m grateful that, despite the complications in my marriage right now, my partner did show up, stayed with me to give me a ride back home, help me find that new old car, and assured me everything was going to be okay.

Now I’m freaking out about getting ready for Art at the Source 2026 (open studios tour this weekend and next) and realizing this, too, is manageable.

I have so many potential projects in my head right now, and I’m tempted to start working on every single one. But something pops up in my mind every single time:

One step at a time. 

One day at a tiCount

Count the blessings.

Be grateful for the helpers.

 

 

TREASURES FROM THE DEEP: Things I Found When I Cleaned My Studio

(This was an article I wrote for Handmade Business, formerly The Crafts Report magazine, and I don’t know the date. And it’s my studio back in New Hampshire. Trust me, my next studio cleaning here in Santa Rosa CA will be even deeper…..)

My studio could qualify for a Guinness World Record for “world’s densest collection of matter.”

I have a lot of stuff. When I get more stuff, I just squeeze it into tinier and tinier spaces around my other stuff. I swear, a little more stuff and I might be able to create an actual black hole. Which, as you science fiction fans know, is so dense, light cannot escape it. (Maybe that’s why I can never find my scissors: “Oh, there they are, in that black hole over there…”)

Don’t get me wrong, I love my studio. It has almost everything I need to make my art. Almost. (Fiber, jewelry, and mixed-media artists never have everything we need. That’s why we’re always shopping for more!)

But things had gotten so out of hand, I couldn’t work efficiently in my space anymore. I had to spend too much time clearing a tiny space to work, and then I had to search for all my missing tools. (“I have dozens of scissors in here, I know I do! Why can’t I find one pair?!!”)

Right after my last summer show, I decided enough was enough.

I embarked on a major cleanout of the Aegean Stables…er, my studio. Fortunately, I wrote an entire series of online articles about the process, so you can learn from my experience. (I hope I can still find them!) (I did!) https://luannudell.wordpress.com/category/cleaning-the-studio/

There are many rewards for cleaning out a studio, but the best one was all the stuff I found:

*Small piles of birdseed. Mice. They were raiding my birds’ food dishes. Yes, I’ve called an exterminator. The reward? We hopefully caught them before wires were chewed. (That’s my rabbit Bunster’s job, after all….)

*$150 in large bills, in a small box on the very top of a very tall shelf, and no, I have no idea why I put it there. (I’m blaming this one on mice, too.)

*The dresses a dear family friend made for my daughter when she was two. (Whey my daughter was too, not the friend.)

*Photo portfolio of my early work. Hey, I forgot I’d made such cute things! That was a nice little trip down memory lane….

*Packet of fair information for my last show, sent to me….10 months ago. The show was two months ago. Fortunately, I was completely honest with show management about losing this packet, and they were very good about sending me a new information packet without a single snide comment. I’ve pled menopause in the last three years, but I don’t know if that excuse will fly much long. I think they’re on to me. (I really wish I could still use that excuse for all the things I space, but that ship has sailed.)

*A bout three dozen magazines I’d been meaning to read. And I did read them, when I took coffee breaks, and then I gave them away! (Applause, please?)

*The original book I had lost for so long I finally bought a new copy. I’ve now lost the new copy. (I’m blaming mice again.)

*A $750 necklace which had been AWOL for so long, I was sure someone had sotlen it. (Maybe big mice….? With a fashion sense?)

*Leftover birth announcements for my daughter. She’s 20. (She’ll be 38 this year, so…I wrote this in 2008!)

*A forgotten chocolate stash. I think I was hiding this from my teenage son who uses my computer. He’s already found all my stashes in the kitchen.

*Instructions for my new merchant services terminal. Yay!

*Not one, not two, but three boxes of Uniball “Vision” pens. I love’em, and I’m always losing them and buying more. Then forgetting what I did with the new boxes. I’m set for the next three years. IF I don’t lose the boxes again.

*Ten measuring tapes.(Same scenario as the pens.)

*ALL my scissors, ditto. I’m too embarrassed to admit how many there are when they’re all together….

*Brand-new jeweler’s variable speed drill. I knew I had one in here somewhere. This one had been stuffed under a table behind several storage containers while cleaning up for last year’s open studio event.

So…how did the cleaning go?

Well, things are a little less dense in here. It’s a working space again. The so-big-they’re-scary dust bunnies behind my computer are gone. I’m $150 richer. And a little heavier after eating all that rediscovered/recovered chocolate. But I’m also smarter, because I read all those magazines. I gave one birth announcement to my daughter and tossed the rest. She and I carefully repacked the tiny dresses and put them in a safe (and more appropriate) place. (Update: Now my grandchild wears them from time to time!) I’m happily back at work in a well-organized, fully-stocked, nicely-equipped studio with several clear work surfaces.

And armed, hopefully, with more discipline to put stuff away when I’m done and throw away/donate stuff I don’t need, and not to buy more beads or fabric. Er…for at least a few months.

  • (Update: I now have even more stuff! But I have a great place to donate the stuff I know I’ll never actually use or get to. The Legacy arts and crafts thrift shop in Sebastopol CA is a great place to donate and buy supplies. I volunteer there, and bring in stuff from time to time.) (And then I buy more!)
  • Most of my studio space has storage underneath my displays. And yeah, I LOVE rocks and shells!
    BOXES!!!
    Yep, when I start a new project, I make TONS of options, use what I have time for, and put them away until I have time to put MORE together….
    I’m gonna be honest here, this is about 1/20th of my bead stash…. (And NO, NEVER GONNA STOP BUYING BEADS.)
    My paint collection.
    Another project I stocked up for in advance!

    My most boring section of stuff….

 

OPEN STUDIO, OPEN HEART

(Another article from Crafts/Business magazine! Jan/Feb 2005) (And just in time for our upcoming open studio events…)

You know what we hope for when we open our studio to the public?

We hope everyone in town decides our work will make the perfect Christmas present, and hordes of shoppers will descend upon us, buying everything in sight.

It doesn’t quite work that way. In fact, this was my fourth open studio this year, and true to form, there was no form. No rhyme. No reason. Like life itself, it was the usual mix of the predictable and unpredictable.

There was the unexpected spat with my teenage daughter. She used to beg to help me with these events. Now she wants to spend the weekend with her boyfriend. Her boyfriend! Heck, I gave her life! It’s a battle I won this year, but I foresee humiliating defeat on my end in the years ahead. Time to look for a new show assistant.

Just before we opened, I got a phone call. An eager customer asking for last-minute directions? Yes, she was looking for directions, but no, she was not an eager customer. She had a box of sewing goods to sell to me. This is my pet peeve–people who try to sell you something during an event we’ve spent hundreds, or even thousands of dollars to participate in so we can sell something. I can attract a Mary Kay consultant from 500 miles away just by setting up my booth… I felt a sharp retort coming on, but held it back, offering the person an appointment after the open studio event.

Saturday morning was brisk. One woman spent quite a bit of time browsing. First, she wanted to buy a stamp I’d carved. (They are not for sale.) Then she wanted my  handmade buttons, which I don’t sell separately from my artwork. “One of those people” was a thought that crossed my mind, but “Be nice, be nice” followed shortly after. I’m glad my mother raised me right, because the woman eventually bought severyal pieces that accounted for half my sales for the weekend. She’s happy, I’m happy. I move on.

There was the art teacher who wanted me to tell her how I make my artifacts, so she could use it in a school project. I get this all the time, too. I simply pointed her to my books on polymer clay and the comfy corner chair. She’s happy, I’m happy. I move on.

There was the couple who traveled for hours to visit. There were the passersby who saw my “Open Studio Today!” sign on my front lawn and dropped in on a whim. The person who showed up with a lost earring for me to replace. The person who decided they couldn’t live without another necklace from me. And the person who couldn’t find anything of interest in my entire studio except for my private collection of turquoise nuggets.

One woman came by just to see our guinea pig. (He was part of our promotion to attract families.) She made me promise to come and visit her guinea pig someday.

Our new neighbors dropped by. The boy spent the entire time rubber stamping a card calling for victory against a rival hockey rival, while the mom and daughter ‘ooh-ed’ and ‘ah’ed’ over evry piece of jewelry.

Truly something for everyone! They were all happy, and they made me happy. I move on.

Finally, as closing time drew near, there was one woman who stayed forever, looking at everything but buying nothing. She finally asked hesitantly if I would look at her artwork. I was exhausted, and I could feel that sharp retort just below the surface…but resisted.

The look on her face…. I remember that look. It’s the kid on the outside of the candy store window, looking at the wonderful sweets she thinks she can’t afford and can never have. I used to have that look myself, when the thought of being an artist seemed like an impossible dream. I remembered, too, all the kind and wonderful people who helped me along the way, offering encouragement, advice, and support. They were the ones who said, “Come in!”

I did look at her artiwork. It had promise. I made a few suggestions for preserving and presenting it better. I told her to keep doing it. I was so tired, I don’t even remember most of what I told her.  But I remember she was happy when she left, so I must have been kind. That made me happy, too.

The woman with the box of sewing goods? She showed up right on time the next day. It was a wonderful collection of vintage goods, just the sort of things I shop for, and the price was right, too. She was happy, I’m happy.

And we all keep moving on…..

Moral of the story: Art events aren’t about making money today.

It’s not who comes by (buy?), it’s who comes back.

And sharing our stories, our inspiration, and giving support to others is powerful in so many ways!

Open studio.

Open heart.

RETIRE? WHO, ME??

(This is an article I wrote for The Crafts Report in May 2008. Still works!)

Yes, sometimes I think about retirement. Quite often, in fact.

Wait for it….

Bwuha hahahahahahaha!

Okay, I needed a good laugh.

Seriously, I don’t know what I would retire from.

Let’s face it, when you are an artist or a craftsperson (or pursuing any creative interest), you already have a lifestyle that’s probably very different from your parents’. Your retirement will probably look very different, too.

Retire from the rat race? What race? I don’t even work 9-5, Monday through Friday. I may work 20 hours one week or 20 hours in one day. I don’t work Monday through Friday. I work Monday through…well, the next Monday. And the next, and …..

Retire from an idiot boss? I have only myself to blame for anything that goes wrong around here.

A grueling workload? A ridiculous schedule? Boring, mundane work? I’m out here puttering even when I don’t have to be.

The commute? Walking out of my kitchen through the mudroom to my studio takes me all of eight seconds, if I don’t trip over recycling bins or step on the darn rabbit. (Update: It now takes me 8 minutes to drive from my home to my art studio at The Barracks on Finley Ave. Not too bad!)

Of course, there’s the hard stuff, too. Sometimes I don’t know why I chose this. Nobody pays me. Regularly, that is. (Except for this magazine and that could change.) (Update: Yup. A few years later, they let me go because I “wasn’t funny anymore.” I was heartbroken til my editor told me it was because they were losing money and it would be cheaper for the staff to write their own articles than to hire an outsider like me. Thank you, Larry!!)

I don’t get vacation time, sick pay, or maternity leave. Okay, the maternity leave is a stretch, it’s way too late for that… Holidays? Please. If I hadn’t been sick, I would have been working Christmas day. Overtime? You’ve got to be kidding.

It’s hard for me to picture what would be different if I retired. It’s not just because I love what I do. We all know about the boring bits. Sometimes I even get tired of making little horses.

And it’s not because I have no life, though sometimes I wonder why so many of my friends are glassblowers, jewelry-makers, weavers, etc. who live hundreds of miles away from me.

I do this because this is my life. It’s everything I ever dreamed of doing. And I didn’t have to wait until I retired. I’m doing it now. 

My work is just as important to me as anything else I care deeply about: My family, my friends, my pets, my activities, my volunteer work. This work–the good, the bad, and the ugly–enriches my life. My life would no longer be whole without it. I suspect this is true for many, many artists.

So how are we supposed to retire??

For most people, retirement means finding the activities that make you happy. It’s a time to think about the legacy we want to leave the world. Maybe even a time to redefine ourselves, to make new choices.

And though artists may be behind the eight-ball when it comes to our 401(k) and pension plans, there are a lot of ways we’re ahead of the pack when it comes to retirement.

We already know the kind of work that makes us happy. We do not have to postpone joy.

We already know how to take chances, how to try new things. That can be a rare skill in our modern world.

We know a bajillion uses for Velcro. And duct tape. We will never be bored.

We know how to cope. We’ve had to deal with so many professional crisises. (Er…crises) Glazes that crack in the wrong places. Bad weather at shows. Low attendance at open studios. Other people’s knock-offs of our work. We can really roll with the punches.

Hey, if we decide to chuck the house, buy an RV, and take our lifestyle to the road, you better believe we know how to pack that vehicle!

We know how to connect with people. From getting to know our neighbor at a show, to asking for help on an online forum, from talking to customers about our work to talking to suppliers about our needs, we’ve learned how to reach out to our community. Heck, we’ve learned how to create community wherever we go.

We already have a legacy–the work we’ve made that’s a result of our knowledge, perseverance, and creativity. Now we can focus on how to make sure that knowledge gets passed on to others. That may mean taking on an apprentice, or teaching classes, or volunteering to share our skills.

We already know we have the power of our choices. And though only so much in life is under our control, the part that is under our control is precious. We get that. We really, really get that.

We’ll also always have lots of great stuff to barter with.

When it’s our turn to retire, we may not end up in that luxury condo in Florida (though some of us might) and we may not be on the golf course at the crack of dawn (though I was never much for golfing anyway.)

But I’m betting that we will be the happiest, busiest, most productive, friendliest darn retirees you’ve ever met.

And if we should end up in the poorhouse, we will have a better collection of handmade quilts, hand-blown perfume bottles, hand-thrown pots, handcrafted jewelry and hand-painted gourds than anyone else.

More duct tape, too.

AN ARTIST’S JOURNAL: “GERBIL FOOD”

(An article I wrote for Crafts/Business Magazine in 2005!)

I remember the first time I told my editor my rabbit was hanging out at my feet as we talked on the phone. “A wabbit! A wabbit?”, he exclaimed. “I gotta get a picture of that!  Send me a picture of you and the rabbit for the magazine!” I declined, of course. It’s hard enough for people to take a humor columnist seriously without sticking a bunny in the picture.

It got me thinking, though. How important a role do pets play in my creative process?

Animals are a recurring theme in my creative process. After all, my entire aesthetic is inspired by a little horse painted on a cave wall 15,000 years ago. But other odd animal moments come to mind….

For years, our only pet was an aged cat, which also happened to be the most annoying cat I’ve ever owned. Unfortunately, it was also the most long-lived, reaching the ripe old age of 17.

If you’ve ever owned a cat, you know the down-falls. Especially if you also happen to be a fiber artist. I laid out the first sweater I knit, lovingly pinning to a damp towel to dry overnight. In the morning, I found our cat had also paid tribute to it in the form of a massive hairball she’d upchucked on it. (From then on, all knit sweaters were laid out with a second towel on top of them.) Most fiber artists have tales of cats and dogs sleeping on comfy piles of fiber, leaving a matting of shed fur behind. Cats also know what you need to work on next: You will often find them sleeping on it.

It gets worse. One day we had a cat. The next, we had five fancy fan-tailed pigeons, a gecko named Greg, a hamster, two rabbits (aka Bunster, the bood bunny, and Bubble, the bad bunny), a guinea pig, and two cockatiels. I blame this all on my children. Oh at least the cat died, probably from shock.

Last spring I packed up my booth for a show. I discovered the aforementioned wily wabbit had gotten loose in the attic–and chewed the edges off my rubber floor tiles. “Do the bunny pellets bounce?” asked one curious craftsperon when I lamented on an online forum. I got a laugh on the forum, but not from my rubber mat company. I asked if I could buy six replacement mats rather than the twenty mat minimum they usually require. “My rabbit ate them,” I added brightly, hoping this unusual verison of “My dog ate my homework” might garner me some leeway. He didn’t think it was funny. Maybe he’s heard worse excuses.

Then the “bad bunny” used my fabric stash to create a nest. (Rabbits are incredibly secretive. I had no idea what she was up to til she popped out of a bookcase in front of me one day with a mouthful of straw and a furtive air about her.) The mess took days to clean up.

The guinea pig got loose in my studio. Do you have any idea how hard a guinea pig is to catch once they’ve had a taste of freedom? The search-and-rescue effort was monumental. At one point, four people were involved, including “beaters” (using brooms to swish him out from under furniture) and “entreaters” (enticing him with carrots and other lovely food bits.) Every time he emerged, everyone pounced on him. Bob the gerbil nearly died of a heart attack, but was finally captured and returned to his cage.

Why do I do it? Because I’m crazy, according to my husband. That was after I told him the good bunny chewed through my computer power cable. He worries I’ve become on of those nutty people you read about in the newspaper.

But there are also the times when one of the critters does something so delightfully silly I laugh out loud. Gone for a moment are the worries about filling a tough order or racing to meat a deadline. A respite from the desperate lack of ideas on my next jewelry design, the next mailing campaign, the next article to write. Right there, tugging at my pant leg, begging me to play, is the most beautiful bunny in the world. She thinks I’m marvelous. And she’ll almost anything for Cheerios.

For pure comic relief, pets are worth it. Add that they’re being something soft to pat, something warm and cuddly on the couch, something to bond with my children over, and you’ve got the perfect antidote to the sometimes odd and lonely life of a craftsperson.

My last day before I changed my studio name, I answered my business phone with a cheerful, “Durable Goods!” There was a pause on the other end, and an elderly voice quavered doubtfully, “Gerbil…Goods?” I laughed and said, “I think you dialed the wrong number.” “Well, obviously!” the woman snapped, and hung up. My father-in-law later said I should have gone for it. “Gerbil Goods of Keene, New Hamster” was just too good to pass up.

Thanks and a hat-tip to my editor with two magazines I wrote for, Larry Hornung, at The Crafts Report and Crafts/Business Magazine! There will be more posts like this.)

THE WISDOM I FOUND TODAY That REALLY Helped!

I subscribe to AvaCare Medical, a company that offers medical equipment that I’ve actually never used. I can’t even remember how I found them, it’s been years!

But I keep subscribing because every Monday, there’s a bit of insight and wisdom that always lifts my heart. And today is no exception.

Worry doesn’t take away tomorrow’s problems, it takes away today’s joy. 

Whoa Nelly! So true!

I dream every night, regardless of how often I wake up, and it’s hard for me to even remember those dreams. Most of them involve small problems that I’m running around trying to fix, difficult people I’m trying to deal with, etc. The dreams are an exciting, mostly just plodding through the night. And even after I wake up, I find it really really hard to remember what I was dreaming.

This morning when I woke up, I couldn’t remember that dream again. But I do remember that it was very frustrating. There was someone who was demanding something I couldn’t do, couldn’t find, couldn’t deal with, and all I really remember is I was wearing crappy clothes for crappy day and the person was demanding I go somewhere or do something that required something dressier. Which I didn’t have. And it was a really long dream, too. GAH!!!

So I woke up frustrated, confused, without even remembering why. I mean, usually I just wake up and go, what was I dreaming? Can’t remember.

I did have a few tasks on my to do list, and wasn’t getting anywhere dealing with them. I even ran to a nearby store that had the product I needed, and when I got there, they were sold out. Again, frustrating!

And then I read the AvaCare Medical post in my email.

I’ve been struggling with a lot of stuff in the past year so, and I won’t go into the details. They were depressing, I was sad, I was scared. But I finally got to a point where I realized that it’s something that is not under my control. And that whatever happens, I will be alright.

I love being at my studio, and I love love volunteering at The Legacy, an arts and crafts thrift shop in Sebastopol. I love making Pearl earrings, and I hardly ever sell any. But I do love to give them to people I encounter who are either doing something very kind for others, or having a very bad day. That makes me happy. I love doing crossword puzzles, and I love watching murder mysteries because they are problems that aren’t important to solve, and that calms me down too.

But that quote about how our worries today doesn’t help at all, it just destroys today… Really resonated with me.

So today I’m going to concentrate on setting side my worries, to realize that none of them are fatal, none of them are doom-ish, that letting them take over my brain is not helping.

I mean, I’ve known that for years, and I’m sure you know that too.

But that insight, that fretting can destroy everything right now, today, really woke me up.

It’s helping. And I hope it helps you today, too.

 

Right now I’m sitting on my deck with my dog Nora, waiting for our neighbor’s dog Jackson to come over and play with her. One of the highlights of my day!

HOW TO OPEN STUDIO #27: Connect Your Audience With Other Artists!

I only show four cards because others were already gone!

Last year, for our Sonoma County Art Trails open studio event, a fellow artist near me reached out with a terrific idea:

She suggested everyone in our area (about 5-7 people) bring their postcards (with all our contact information, etc.) to our exhibit at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts….

And share them with each other!

It was brilliant! Yes, I love people who make a point of coming to see MY work. But visitors also appreciated seeing the work of others within a few miles of my studio, and snatched up those postcards. In fact, so many visitors took cards, I had to reach out to these artists and ask them to bring MORE to SebArts!

Since I knew most of the people and their art, I was happy to share my enthusiasm for their artwork with my visitors.

And the visitors had encouragement to do some more exploring, too!

Shout-out to Trish Nugent for this idea! (I’m linking to her listing for Art at the Source this spring….)

It helps us have more conversations with visitors. It helps other artists. And the other participating artists help ME!

 

Thank you for visiting my studio! Here’s our next event…

It took me awhile to add all the new subscribers who came to our Sonoma County Art Trails this year. But I’m grateful for everyone who signed up for my newsletters–THANK YOU!!!

My next open studio event at the Barracks will be First Saturday in December, 12/6, from 11 to 4(ish) at 3883 Finley AVE (NOT the community center.) I’m in Bldg. 33, 33Arts. Studio Santa Rosa will be open across the parking lot, too.

I have to warn you….My studio is COLD! Especially in the winter. So bring a sweater! 😁 I’ll try to get my heaters working….

I also made a necklace for a friend who needed something to hold her eyeglasses. It worked! I made more large flat circles with polymer clay in shades of turquoise, pink, orange, brown, and green with big hole holes, and coordinating colors of waxed cotton cord that will be adjustable. I really enjoy making the polymer pieces, and I hope you enjoy them, too! (Photos below)

I’ll also have more of my less expensive jewelry pieces, in case you want to shop for the holidays: Handmade leather rings with mother-of-pearl buttons, pearl earrings, simple polymer artifact necklaces, etc. (More photos below)

And if you’re not up for shopping, or just overwhelmed by all the Black Friday/Cyber Monday/Givign Tuesday emails, simply enjoy browsing my happy creative space! In fact, if you, like me are totally overwhelmed with the hundreds of requests a day for donations in my email inbox, then take all the dollar signs out of this for now, and just breathe….

I’ve chosen some charities that are meaningful to me, for causes big and very small. Locally, I focus on anything I can do for homeless people, especially Sam Jones Hall (right across the field from our studio building) and for Catholic Charities, (who I just learned offers all kinds of services for all kinds of people who are struggling right now.)

And recently I met two neighbors in our neighborhood on Finley Avenue who know what it’s like to be homeless, and are now leading remarkable efforts to work with these people. They (and their families) are my (newest) heroes!

And in case homeless people still annoy you, check out this article I wrote three years ago about why, maybe, they annoy you. And how to find some compassion instead.

So do what you can, however you can.

Take exquisite care of yourself this season. Share the love, and keep a little hope in your heart.

And if you come to my studio this Saturday, know that I never ever hound anyone to buy something from me. My mission in life is to ensure that you see the value of YOUR creative energy, and to honor what works for YOU.

 

New necklaces that can hold your eyeglasses!

I LOVE MOP buttons!

These are oldies but goodies, and I finally figured out what to make with them.

My classic faux ivory necklaces.

More necklaces in the works!

 

Classic faux ivory

HOW CREATIVITY REALLY WORKS: It’s Not Always Simple. And PERSISTENCE works.

Just before we moved from New Hampshire to California, I took a fascinating workshop which helped so much with my creative work.

And now I can’t remember much of it…. (screaming emoji face here)

I googled “Theory U” and “Creative U”  (the basis of the workshop) and I can find things that kinda look like it. But I think our workshop leader had taken that process and transformed it into something makers/creatives (of all kinds!) can use to help themselves. (“Creative U” pulled up stuff that might be helpful for you, too, but it’s not the same thing at all.)

Short story: Creativity isn’t a straight path. It has its ups and downs. A LOT of downs. A LOT of downs….!

But if you persisit, you will find the way UP.

Okay, Theory U….

First, imagine a giant capital “U”.

Start from the upper left of the “U”. That’s when you get an idea, an inspiration, a project, that excites you.

You jump on board, thinking “I’ve got this!”

And you start to put into production.

As you dig deeper into your project/idea/inspiration, you hit little speed bumps in the road. (You are going DOWN the left side of the U.)

The more you dig, the deeper you dive–DOWN. You start to worry that you aren’t going to figure this out. You hit obstacle after obstacle. “This” doesn’t work. “That” doesn’t work.

It continues.

You finally hit the bottom of the U.

You feel like you’ll never figure this out. You’ll never get it done. It’s never gonna happen. You feel like a failure.

Most people give up at this point.

But…

If we persevere…

If we do trial-and-error instead of “I’m gonna get this PERFECTLY right out the door”…

If you experiment, have patience, take tiny baby steps forward…

We begin to go UP the right side of the U.

The more we experiment, the more open we are to our process…

The more we see a small light at the end of the tunnel.

Suddenly, we have hope in our heart that we can do this!

Every step forward creates our ability to see the next step, and the next, and the next…

And finally, we get there! To the top of the U!

You did it! You created your dream project! Ta da!!!!

Yay YOU!!!

Now for the second hard part….

Everytime we start a new path, we will have the same experience.

This experience will repeat itself. Every. Single. Time.

But once we see this, it’s not as harsh.

I had a project–actually, TWO projects–that I’d held in my heart for decades. I tried to figure everything out in my head, every single time.

It didn’t work.

And then Covid hit. And I had all the time in the world to figure it out with a different method: Trial-and-error.

Trial-and-error is frustrating. It takes time. It means trying something you’re sure will work and finding out it won’t.

And so you try something else, and something else, and you keep experimenting.

And finally, it does!

Thomas Edison didn’t invent the first lightbulb, but he created the first one that was reliable, able to be mass-produced, and affordable.

Thomas Edison is famously quoted as saying, ” I have not failed, I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

The key to his success? Persistence.

That’s where my smaller shrine series began, and my migration series (herds of migrating animals–horses, bears, fish, otters, etc.–mounted on driftwood from the California coast.

I had all the time in the world to fail. Until I succeeded.

I wish I could offer more insights and wisdom into Creative U, but though I spent a lot of time trying to track down that workshop leader, the illustrations, my notes, etc. I can’t find them. (If I ever do, I’ll let you know!)

But the experience was so powerful, it still sticks. And Covid pulled it back to the surface again.

I know so many people, people I care about so much, who get a brainstorm, who work so hard to get their creative work out into the world, only to hit a roadblock…and walk away. They are overwhelmed by failure, thinking they will never be “good enough”, never achieve their dreams.

It’s vital to know that it’s extremely rare to knock something out of the park on your first try, or your second, or, as in Edison’s case, your 10,000th try…

What’s also crucial is to undersand that everyone hits that roadblock.

And you can always go over, under, around…and through.

I started a new project this year, and it was tricky. But I also know now that if I experiment, if I try different things, if I explore different options, I’ll find my way.

And I did!

Small Cabinets of Wonder! And somehow, I knew I could do it! (Eventually….)

My original dream was a slab of wood that could go around corners, etc. in an art gallery or museum display. But I love driftwood, and “smaller” works for me, too. Er…but I DO have a giant piece of driftwood….hmmmmm…..

My “Migrations Series” finally came true!

Small shrines was a long-time-in-the-head project, too!

ART TRAILS OPEN STUDIOS TODAY! (This weekend and next…)

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER…I Hope!

I totally forgot to let you know, but I have another open studio this weekend and next….

There are three of us at 3840 Finley AVE Bldg. 33, 33Arts (NOT the Finley Community Center) who are participating in the new Santa Rosa Open Studios event this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, September 13 & 14, and next weekend, Saturday and Sunday, September 20 & 21. We’re shooting for 10-5.

I have new work, and I’ve redone my display areas, too!

Mor information, maps, etc. at https://sropenstudios.com/

Hope to see you there! Er…here!

Small Cabinets of Wonder!

HONORING OUR PAST: What’s Old Is New Again

From the beginning to today, my little horses have evolved in many ways. I love them all!

I know I’ve shared this story before, but I’m sharing it again!

Years ago, back in New Hampshire, I was with a dear friend, Ruth Parent. I was deep into my journey as a polymer clay artist. And I was frustrated with my oldest horses. (See the picture above.)

My earliest horses were very flat, and at first had only one side. Very tiny heads, big butts, etc. I’ve moved on to horses that were a little thicker, different proportions, etc.

I told Ruth that I was embarrassed by my older horses.

She said,”Did you love your older horses when you made them?”

I said yes.

She said, “Did your customers love them?”

I said yes.

She said, “Did you customers buy them?”

I said yes.

She said, “Then your current customers will love them, too.”

Welp, that discussion changed everything.

I had new appreciation for my older horses. And as the years go by, there were more changes, different designs, and more respect for my older work.

Some of them still annoyed me a little, though. And I finally figured out what the annoyance was.

They didn’t have tails!

So my latest project has been creating new little tails and applying them to almost all of my old horses.

Now I love them all even more!

Sadly, my friend died recently. I did get to say goodbye by phone, because I now live 3000 miles away. And I later found out that hundreds of people came to her home to say goodbye in her final days. She was an amazing force for good in the world.

Her wisdom and kindness live on in my heart.

And I hope this also encourages you to embrace your older work, too. So many many creatives hate their early work. As we get better with our skills, we may find it embarrassing to see how bad we were when we started out.

We need to understand that nothing in the world is perfect. We all start somewhere, find what we love, do the work that matters to us, and move forward in life.

And every single step of that process is what makes us who we are today.

Now go to your creative space today and make something. 🤗



Now all my horses has tails!


 


 


 

	


	
YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY…Are Amazing!!
	

		
 


Every photo, every image I’ve ever posted in my blog, came from my phone!


 


 


 


 


I’ve written articles before about “young people today”, including the series “Why Millennials Don’t Buy Our Art“. (I wrote the series for an online art marketing newsletter I wrote for for almost 12 years, and it was the one series that got the most vicious blowback I have ever gotten from anything I have ever written. (Why are so many older people so resentful of younger people?? Do we really believe we’re better than they are? Or is it because we’re scared they’re actually better than us?) I had to repeatedly ask my editor to remove the horrible comments, because I “don’t feed the trolls”.)


And now, today, this popped up in my head….


You know who else is always on their phone? Me! An old person.


Why?


Because my phone is a critical part of my life.


I start out every morning reading our local newspaper, the Press Democrat, in print. (We’ve always subscribed to local newspapers to support local journalism, for many many decades.)


But I love having the online versions too. First, extra comics! Extra crossword puzzles! (I love crossword puzzles because they help my mind settle. They are problems that are not important to solve.)


Then I check my emails, and that’s a gift, too. I get notifications from friends and family that have posted on various platforms. I see links to articles that are interesting, critical, entertaining, or insightful. They help me get my brain and my heart into a better spot, and a more powerful place.


Every single day, I learned something, discover something funny, entertaining, powerful. And then I share those articles online with others, so that they make enjoy or benefit from them, too.


And I have lots of apps on my phone. I can easily do remote deposits with my online banking app. I can identify songs I hear with Shazam, and then I can find them buy the CDs on websites on my phone, too. I can spellcheck, too. (Which I had to do with “millennials” because I always forget how many l’s and n’s are there….)


I have an app that allows me to communicate with my medical team when I have questions or issues going on. I can schedule appointments easily, and find directions to where they are. (They are all in about four or five locations, and my brain can’t remember who’s where.) And I use my maps app to get everywhere, because big cities are harder for me to navigate. (And because I can’t remember the best way to get there.)


I have an app for local wildfire alerts, apps to identify birds, plants, apps to pay bills, to search images, to locate earthquakes, to purchase items that aren’t available locally. I can get alerts and notifications about dangerous things to avoid,  watch out for, or prepare for. I can get notifications about what’s coming in my mailbox (the real mailbox!) every day. I can get reminders about appointments, events, and deadlines. I can take a picture of something and search for what it is online, where to buy something similar, or learn about its history.


I can look up the plots of my favorite TV murder mysteries to find out who killed someone. (Yes, I’m one of “those people”. I DON’T CARE, IT WORKS FOR ME.) I can also look up the actors who look extremely familiar, but I can’t remember who they are and find out who they are, and where I saw them in shows or movies.


I love shopping in real life, but it sure is a heck of a lot easier to order things online rather than running to five stores every day, only to find out they don’t have what I need in stock.


I was writing in my blort notebook* this morning when this idea popped up and realized I could blog about it. And guess what I’m doing right now?


Dictating this blog post on my phone.


(Yup, sometimes I also dictate texts and emails on my phone.)


When I come across a weird article online, I can look up information to see if it’s actually true or not. On my phone.


I’d rather read a real book, but if I couldn’t, I can read an ebook on my phone.


Even AI has its purposes. It can be a useful tool, but what I’ve realized that for most of us, it is simply scooping up the most popular content on the internet to provide answers.


For example,a young person visited my studio a few months ago, and I asked them what they knew about cave art. They shared decades-old information that is no longer true. I asked them where they had gotten that information, and they said from their teacher. I asked where their teacher got it, and they said AI.


I shared with them the newer version of who actually created prehistoric art, thanks to new discoveries and insights, and suggested they might share that with their teacher. They were so excited to hear that the newer theories show that women were the shamans and artists that created this art, that these were community events, that the animals painted in prehistoric art were not the animals these people hunted. They had symbolic meaning and importance. It wasn’t men and boys and hunting magic, it was entire communities that that gathered together to participate in these ceremonies.


So hopefully, AI will get better at sharing truth.


So yeah, phones can be distracting, overuse of phones can cause us to overlook what’s actually happening around us, and if we’re not careful, it can share all kinds of false information.


But I am so grateful to have a tiny little computer I can carry in my pocket anywhere I go, where I can look up information, read stories, play games, communicate with others, find new music, and places to purchase that music online.


Yes, phones can be distracting, and keep us from enjoying the beauty and good in the world around us. But phones can also helps us determine what is good, what is true, what is useful, and and what is a good way forward.


So let’s stop being afraid of what other people can do that does not harm us, nor them, in any way. Let’s be aware of the downside of bad tech, and be open to the upside of good tech.


Let’s be grateful for the little gadget in our purse/pocket that can help us find our way home in the dark.


*”Blort” comes from a good friend I had in high school and it means a way to gritch (her word!) and complain and get crap out of my head onto paper. And once I get that out of my head, I feel a little better, and that’s when I start listing the things I’m grateful for, each day. (“Gratitude list”) (Just realizing I can’t remember where “blort” actually came from. Chris, too?)


 

	


	
MAKE ROOM FOR YOUR ART #5: More Friends Helping Friends!
	

		
Don’t ask why I had so many cowboy boots, I can’t even wear them anymore!


My studio, the last week of packing up and moving out.


One of our three shipping containers we used!


We moved to California in 2014, eleven years ago this September! We sold our home, and then had thirty days to pack up everything, sell what we couldn’t take, and move.


I had a huge art studio in the barn attached to our beautiful two-story house, and the barn had an attic, too! Studio was stuffed to the gills with my display, workspaces, and supplies, and the attic was, too. (With other supplies and display items for shows, not workspaces. Too cold in the winter!)


One friend, the one I helped find studio space for in their home, set the mark right from the beginning, with their very wise insight.


They’d come by for a quick visit, and I took them up to my barn attic, lamenting that going through hundreds of boxes was nerve-racking and confusing. I would go to unpack another box, and realize it was empty, over and over and over. Such a waste of time!


They commented that when they’d gone through a move, they’d learned to MOVE THE EMPTY BOXES to a different spot, together.


Doh! Such a simple and amazing insight! And it really helped.


Another friend was an expert at this, and they offered some rare insights, too.


I had (and still have) a lot of stuff! And because I have multiple workspaces and lots of projects, I tend to have lots of the same tools and materials. Makes it easier to find a pair of scissors when you have ten (er….twenty) of them. (I have small, medium, and large scissors, LOTS of them. And I still lose/misplace/find them all the time.)


Friend would pick up something and say, “Do you REALLY need this item, Luann? Really??”


I’d think for a moment, and then say, “Yeah, I guess I don’t.” It would go into the yard sale pile, the donation pile, or the curbside “free” pile.


They did this about fifty times. And sometimes, like with the scissors, I’d go, “YES, I NEED THEM!”


Friend would put it down and say, “Okay!” No argument, no pressure.


(With the scissors, I kept about half of them, and guess what? Now I have even more….) (NO, I’m not getting rid of them!!)


Another person I did not know that well. They were a EMT at the time, had purchased some of my art, and they had a week off. They reached out to ask if I could use some help. (YES PLEASE!!!!)


They spent their entire week off helping me pack and move. (Yes, I gave them more art!)


I have more stories about this, but aging brain isn’t working, so I’ve reached out to some of the folks that helped me to remind me.


My point is, some people showed up for a very brief time, less than an hour. Some people helped me for a day.


And some people helped me for a week, or for many weeks.


I will be grateful forever for these people who showed up.


They kept me sane, they kept me grounded, they made me laugh, they brought cookies. They were essential for helping me get all that stuff taken care of in an unbelievably short amount of time.


This is what friends do.


Not all friendships are alike, of course. One of my favorite phrases about friendship is “A reason, a season, a lifetime.” I may have shared this before, but I can’t remember, so here it is again:




The phrase “a reason, a season, or a lifetime“ refers to the different types of relationships people experience in life.


  • 

    A reason: Some people come into our lives to teach us lessons or help us through specific challenges.
    

    • 

  • 

    A season: Others are meant to be in our lives for a limited time, bringing joy or experiences but not lasting forever.
    

    • 

  • 

    

    A lifetime: Finally, some relationships are enduring and provide lifelong support and companionship. 
    

    

    This concept highlights the transient nature of relationships and the importance of recognizing their purpose in our lives.
    

    

    • 



So once again, friends have many different roles in our life. Not everyone will be there in the same way, but that’s okay.


The point is, every single one of those people helped me get through an extremely challenging time in my life.


We can all be a force of good in the world (which we all need now more than ever!) But know that there are huge actions, and small ones, and every single one is a gift for all of us.

	


	
MAKE ROOM FOR YOUR ART #4: Let YOUR inspiration, inspire others!
	

		
Horse in progress


Announcing our very first First Saturday Open Studio event on Saturday (doh!) July 5 from 10-5 at the Barracks!


There are two buildings of art studios at 3840 Finley Avenue here in Santa Rosa, CA. The one across the parking lot from me, Studio Santa Rosa, has had open studios every single month since I’ve been here.


Well, now our building, 33Arts, is going to join them!


So hope you can come see lots of artists at one location this weekend! (After you recover from the fireworks….)


There’s one caveat in my studio: It’s a hot mess. You’re gonna see all my materials, tools, messy workstations, etc. sort of conglomerated so you’ll be able to walk around. (Some visitors ask, “Do you actually do any work in here??” Um…yes. Every. Single. Day.) I like my mess. It’s interesting, it’s engaging, and usually people are intrigued by it! (I do make it safe to explore…..)


You’ll be able to touch my artwork, pick things up, try on jewelry, and enjoy my creative space!


Here’s what inspired this latest post:


Some artists won’t be able to participate this Saturday. Work, schedules, etc. But some assume that, if they don’t have enough art ready to sell, it’s not worth the effort.


YES IT IS!!!


My mission in life, with my art, is to share my creation story, how/when I realized I had to do this work, to make ME happy. Not to make money, not to become rich and famous, but to do the work that’s important to me, my health, my sanity.


It’s also my mission to share how doing this work heals me, restores me to my best self.


And so I share the WHY over the HOW, the JOY over the SALES…and encourage others to do the same.


We all have creative energy in us, and all that matters is that it’s something that makes us feel…alive. Seen. Restored.


I wrote back to this wonderful artist, acknowledging that it might not be “worth” their time. But also gently suggesting that a) they could use that time to make more work, if it’s not busy; (Most visitors LOVE to see an artist at work!) and b) share their story, their work, their inspiration, etc. with others.


I’m always working on something during these events, even if it’s “just” sorting beads. (Which I find very soothing!) And yeah, it’s nice when I have a sale. But that’s not why I do the work I do.


And if, during these events, I inspire ONE PERSON to see themselves, to see the value of the work they do that matters to them, that makes them able to deal with everything else in life, then my work is done.


Make room for your art. The world needs it!


 

	


	
MAKE ROOM FOR YOUR ART Part 3: This Is How Friends Can Help!
	

		
 


 


My Migration Series reminds me that we are all unique individuals, but we also need community.


I love that some folks found my last post about making room (literally!) for your art helpful!


I saw some comments on other platforms that cleaning and organizing a space can be overwhelming, and so can even trying to FIND a space in our homes. Hey, I can help with that, too!


I was going to list all my previous experiences with this, but I don’t want a TL:DR thing. So I start with a new series instead!


A friend needed help with painting a room in their house. We were taking a martial arts class together when she mentioned this, and BOOM! a few of us offered to help! We showed up, moved the stuff, covered the floow, primed and painted the room in one afternoon. (Had some beer and pizza afterwards, too. REWARDS!)


As we were hanging out, we realized that a) group help made everything easier and happier, and b) we could pay it forward by helping other folks in our group with THEIR too-big-to-take-on projects, too!


All five of us ended up completing projects that we’d dreaded for months/years, we all had a great time hanging out together, and it felt really good to be of help to others.


I was the one person who didn’t really need help at the time. My studio was all set up and so was our home. Until….


I walked into our teenage kiddo’s room one day (we tried to always respect our kid’s privacy) to leave something for him, and realized their room was a blank. Mattress on the floor, minimal clothing but no place to put them, no decor, etc. Old, battered wallpaper. No curtains. It was bleak.


I decided to surprise them.


I found a bed frame, a small dresser, artwork they would (hopefully!) like, a rug, curtains, paint, etc. And then I called in the corps.


While the kid was in school, we went to work. There was a lot to put together, and we had to finish it before they came home.


Unfortunately, they had to come home earlier than expected. I reached out to a friend around the corner and asked if they could come up with a task my KID could help with, and they agreed. So when Kiddo came to the door, I told them Neighbor needed help with something and to go help them. Kiddo was angry about that, but knew the good neighbor and went to their house.


We ramped it up and got it all done by the time they got back.


Now first…Neighbor noticed Kiddo was hungry, and made some cookies them. Anger eased, kindness again prevailed.


Next, Kiddo joined us for beer and pizza (okay, not of age, they drank some pop.) They seemed really happy with the new decor: Simple but cozy, attractive, and fitting their taste.


A few months later, Kiddo had a hissy fit about something, and I started to say something, but hesitated.


They said with a sneer, “Yeah, I bet you thought if I had a pretty room it would change everything.”


I said quietly, “No. I thought if you saw how many people cared about you, that THAT would change something.”


They were silent and never complained about that again.


So the lessons here are, a GROUP of friends/acquaintances can work miracles, saving us time/energy/dread and giving us hope/accomplishment/and laughter.


And knowing that people around us can be happy to help? Pure gold.

	


	
MAKE ROOM FOR YOUR ART Part 2: A Friend Can Help!
	

		
It was a friend in Keene NH who helped me figure out a project that I’d carried in my heart forever! Thank you, Gary Spykman!!!!


Years ago, back in NH, I had a talented, funny,  awesome friend who didn’t have a studio. They were wistful about mine, so I offered to come and take a look at THEIR home, and see what we could come up with.


My jaw dropped when I got there. They had a good-sized home, with a full-sized basement that had good lighting, good floors, and tons of space.


The problem was, their partner was a professional artist, a real artist, with the best room in the basement for themselves.


And the other problem? Friend didn’t think they were a real artist. And so they didn’t “deserve” a space of their own. (Screaming face emoji here….)


Their partner was a good person, just clueless at the time about my friend’s wistful wishes for a space. So I dug in.


First, we cleared and consolidated the basement. One of my superpowers is squishing lots of stuff into small spaces, so we were able to create a lot more OPEN space.


But we realized that the partner’s room had the best light and space.


AND I realized that the partner’s room was big enough for TWO people. It could be consolidated, too, if partner was okay with that? (They were!)


So I suggested we move most of the supplies/tools, furniture that weren’t in daily use, into other spaces in the basement. Still easily accessible. (We set up shelves and cabinets right outside the room.)


Now that the basement was more organized, that was feasible! Everything was still totally accessible, but everything didn’t have to be in that room all the time.


Then we set up a small but highly-efficient space in the room for my friend. I can’t remember all the details now, but it gave them both room to do their work, without intruding on the other’s time. (Their media were different, and friend’s required a lot LESS room.)


Why didn’t my friend figure this out for themselves? Welp, it’s a pattern we all have. We try to figure EVERYTHING out ahead of time. (My personal Achilles heel….!!) We get stuck with what won’t work. Or we unconsciously believe our partner/family members deserve more than we do.


So the power of friendship can be the gift of seeing what others CAN’T see in the moment. We (your friends and acquaintances) come from outside, looking in, and going, “What if…?”


So if you’re struggling with “how the heck can I…”, check in with someone you trust to walk you through it.


Your new creative space may be right in front of you!


 

	


	
MAKE ROOM FOR YOUR ART  Life is short, get going with it!
	

		
 


 


My studio at 33Arts, with a sampling of my new little shrines.


Here’s another blast from the past, a blog article I wrote on December 24, 2004, from my Radio Userland blog site. (It’s kind dead now, but my husband figured out a way to save my posts, and this is a good one!


MAKE SPACE FOR YOUR ART Life is short, get going with it!


Making space for yourself….


I heard it again this week. Someone confided in me that they were an artist, but didn’t have a studio.


They were waiting for a studio, or giving up a studio, or putting off setting up a studio.


I cringe, because I remember….


I remember the kitchen table thing, having to clear my work because it was time for dinner, the baskets of materials all over the house, all of it.


I’ve heard amazing stories over the years about the lengths people…usually women!…will go to, to put off their art. I’ve benn there and done that, so I do understand. I know what it’s like to feel like I’m not good enough, to feel I don’t have time, to feel like it’s too selfish to want more…


Does this sound like you?


If so, I hope I can be that tiny voice that gives you hope and reminds you who–and what–your are.


You are an artist. Make space for that!


I had such a voice when I was first started out. I was fortunate to attend a workshop led by Deborah Kruger years ago, called “Empowerment for Women in the Arts”.  You can read more about Deborah and see her amazing fiber artwork at https://deborahkruger.com/ 


It’s hard to tell what has to happen first for someone to get started on their path. Maybe it’s different for everyone. For me, it was believing it was possible for me to BE an artist. My exact words of insight were, “I realized today I have to be an artist, or I’ll die. I don’t even care if I’m a good artist anymore. I just have to be one.” The studio followed. (I told that to my husband when he came from work that day, and he said, “What do you need?” I replied, “A space I don’t have to clear for dinner.” Thank you, Jon!)


But a studio IS important. It is the promise you make to yourself to be the artist you’ve always dreamed of being, a promise made physical, and real.


Most people thing of a studio as a huge, lofty room with skylights, filled with everything you need to make art. That’s a DREAM studio, to be sure!


But I think of a studio as any place your dedicate to your desire to be an artist. Whether you sing, write, dance, paint, collage, knit, garden, it’s any space you care out of your life, your home, and your time, to be the artist you dream of being.


It can’t be a space that has to be cleaned or put away when other people need it. It’s got to be a place that stays “set up”. Not only so you can jump in and get started on your work with a moment’s notice, but so when you look at it, you are reminded prfoundly that just as that space is always ready for you, so is your dream. It’s always ready for you to pick up, jump in, and get started.


Look around you. When I visit someone’s home, I can always find the place dedicated to the children (and their jillions of toys), a space dedicated to the TV, a space dedicated to a beloved pet, an office for the partner who can work from home.


Surely, out of all these spaces dedicated to the needs of others, and dedicated to things, there can also be a place for…your art?


If your children “need” a separate room to play in, surely there is a table, a closet, a corner in your house where YOU can play, too? If your partner has a place for their interest/hobbies/collections/work, there surely is a place for YOU and your interests? Look at the “guest room” set aside for use once or twice a year. What is more important, a once-a-year guest’s ultimate comfort, or the daily joy in your heart that comes from making art? (Or at least know it’s there when you’re ready?)


Be selfish this year. Go on, it won’t kill you! Find a place for YOU. And your art, whatever your art is! (Creativity doesn’t fit into a tiny box. We all have creativity in ourselves, and all that matters is that it matters to US.)


Make a physicial place for it in your life, however you can.


I promise you this: You will never regret it. Ever.

	


	
THERE’S NO GUARANTEED WAY TO SUCCESS So Stop Asking!
	

		
 


When I’m here, in my studio, I’m so grateful I HAVE a studio! And wonderful building managers, and good people around me. And a social security check to pay my rent….


I’ve enjoyed posting answers to some questions on Quora.com. I’m always happy to share advice, insights, and encouragement.


But some of them are hair-tearing. And I just can’t go there anymore. I’m now very picky about which questions I respond to.


Since I blog, and have responded in the past to a few questions about how to start a blog, I get a LOT of requests that I have no interest in:


How can I make money with my blog? How do I write viral blog content? How do I get a big readership with my blog? I want to be a famous blogger! How do I start?


Seriously, I want to scream.


I know there are tons of articles, books, etc. assuring us that there are steps for success in every medium, occupation, path, career, etc. Everywhere we go, we see promotions like these. How to make a million dollars. How to be successful. How to increase your followers/readership/sales. Blah blah blah, etc. etc. etc.


Look if there were a sure-fire recipe for success, a precise road to follow to be famous and famous, wouldn’t we ALL be successful/rich/famous?


My advice stays grounded and encouraging. No way am I gonna promise you success, fame, fortune. Because…


It’s not about having an audience. It’s about having a voice.


I can’t remember who told me this, years ago, but boy has it stuck.*


A voice in the world…. YOUR say, about what’s important to YOU. Sharing what works for YOU. And encouraging others to having THEIR say in the world.


It’s about honesty and integrity. Perseverance. Writing about what’s important to YOU, what makes YOU happy, what keeps YOU going, and WHY.**


I write because it helps work through my own sh…..crap. It’s how I get from a feeling of despair or hopeless, into a feeling of hope and gratitude for what I CAN do, and what I ALREADY have.


I write because often, when I share what I’ve gone through, what I’ve learned, and what I’m grateful for, others write back and share how much my words helped THEM.


Am I a perfect person? Heck no! But if I have helped one other person in the world get to a better place in their heart, encouraged one person in the world to pursue their creative work, shown one person in the world what’s possible, then all of this is worth it to me.


And as my health improves, slightly/slowly but steadily, coming back to my blog has been an effin’ miracle. I feel at home again.


So thank you to all the people who have reached out to wish me well (back atcha!!), to those who have shared that my words have helped THEM, to the people who have shared their own insights, thoughts, experiences….


THANK YOU!!


Now go home and make/write/share stuff.


*Ironically, here’s what AI said about my quote: “The quote “It’s not about having an audience, it’s about having a voice” emphasizes the importance of expressing one’s authentic self and sharing one’s unique perspective, regardless of whether anyone is listening. It suggests that true meaning lies in the act of communication itself, rather than in achieving external validation or recognition.” Good work, AI!! (Seriously!)


**Okay, please don’t share recipes from Hannibal Lecter. Unless you’re a comedian, and joking. Even then…..just….no. Please.


 


 


 


 

	


	



	


		




		

	

	

	

	

	

	

	

	

	

	

	

		
				
						
					
									
  • 
						
							Privacy						
						
					
    • 
							
  • 
				
    
					
    
					
    
						
    
				
    
			
    •