February 04, 2013

20% Operations and 80% sales in Retail AND how it applies to art

       

 "Writing is easy: all you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead " Gene Fowler (1890-1960)
 I have been working in retail for almost 3 years now. With the new company and my new position as Manager, we are urged to have a 20% operations and 80% sales mind set. This deeply applies to any art practice. Especially if you don't have any work to show, HOW can you work on showing it?
   It really has taken these 3 years for me to realize how important this is. The show I was just part of , Toronto Tea Festival, I did not have that much work to show. Even still I made sure the quality was up to par for the event.  I could have maximized the space if I had ordered 3-4 grid panels more in advance and finished the other two works that are on the back burner currently (and still are...).
      I have been reading a booklet I got from a workshop last year, "Self-Mentoring and Creativity in the Arts" by Adam Lodzinski, PhD.  By going over the section on motivation there are many different areas I can apply his points. I can apply it to my pile of receipts that need to be sorted for incom tax, cleanning my room after the "huricane" of getting things done for the festival, getting new works done etc. I can even apply this to work, I may not be in the "mood" to sell something but its part of my job and I need to go do it. The same for my art, I am the only one who can do what I am doing in my style and progression. No one else can replace me.
     As humans we tend to leave time to be lazy for ourselves very often. We may be fatigued but the work is worth it in the end.
     "Writing is easy: all you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead " Gene Fowler (1890-1960)

Toronto Tea Festival!

Tea Guild Board members conversing
by our Fabulous banners I threw together
With images we got permission to use.
 
Art section!
   Everything went well this past weekend at the FIRST Toronto Tea Festival. As I am on the Board of Directors and friends with Tao of Tao Tea Leaf, I was running around most of the day helping out where I could. I stayed up late the night before to finish my "Tea Grid" finally. It was very rewarding to see it displayed after the long hours doing each section till finish. The only thing I wish I did was have the ability to bring more work. I had a gut feeling at Deserres while getting frames that I should have grabbed one for "Dream Gate" (A large work I finished late last year) and perhaps had room for "Monkey King" which currently is in my brothers room back home (it was a birthday present for when I had no money to spare... I had a bit for paper then attacked it instead).I am planning to feature larger and/or more diverse works. I did not hear if anyone liked my pot watercolour tea work , Guwan yin or the charcoal drawing. I got great feed back for "Tea Grid", the two  fashion girls and a bit for "Song Tea Tools".  Currently from this feedback I have decided to start working on more "Tea Grids". I am deciding if I should do a small edition of prints from this "Tea Grid". I would love to have 15-20 on hand.Anyhow, from the experience of finishing "Tea Grid" I am wondering if I should combine the India ink with Sumi-e ink... Perhaps "Mini- Tea Grid 2.0" will be the test.



Anyhow, from the experience of finishing "Tea Grid" I am wondering if I should combine the india ink with Sumi-e ink... Perhaps "Mini- Tea Grid 2.0" will be the test.