Art making

Tis the time of year to be thinking about new goals. And I do love making lists…

I make a goal list on the first page of a sketchbook, and lists for every show I prepare for.

I have one goal for 2009. Clean out the studio.

I’m afraid it might take all year.

Today, outside the studio…

Sage and Annie played like 11 month old Greyhound pups.

Inside the studio…

I rolled out tiles…

And watched boxes dry.

Fairly good day so far. Happy New Year.

I’m planning work in a different way this time around. In part because I’m working on the Bush Foundation’s Dakota Creative Connections grant. (The idea/grant proposal was to amass enough work for an exhibition or two…)

I’m working with this idea of a collection of work that will live, at least for a time, as one chunk. Rather than making pieces as sketchbook->studio->collector. I’m trying to hold, at least, a few of these back. Weird.

I’m really looking forward to Friday. It’s been a busy week.

Monday started pleasant enough. I drove to Dickinson to judge an art show and ship a few packages.

Dickinson is roughly an 80 mile drive one way. If you order a large piece of art like a sculpture or large memory box - I drive that piece to Dickinson to pack and ship it. It is so much easier than packing it myself. I know that sounds like it can’t be true - an 160 mile drive to ship a piece of art? But it is easier to make the drive than lose pieces of art to breakage and then fighting with shipping companies over insurance.

I consolidate the trips mostly. This time I was shipping a framed tile piece and a box and judging the student art exhibition at Dickinson State University.

Judging was difficult… sort of. I know I must have disappointed some beginning artist. It illustrated how truly subjective judging is — I know nothing of the process that each artist went through to produce their entry.

I rushed back to Bowman after the judging and errands to an open house at the library for the newest Prairie Rose Art Association sponsored art exhibition. It was good.

Tuesday I worked at the library. Wednesday I packaged and shipped til the tape gun was out of tape. Every order was out the door and in the mail on Wednesday.

And today I worked on ART! …Or prepared for working on art?

This is a new block to use for the new box idea I’m working on.

The same block fully carved.

And a sketch for another carving. A larger version of the smaller design above it. I changed it a bit.

Here’s the block for the drawing above — new winged hound design.

I also did a new crouched bunny design and a simplified a previous curled hound design.

Good day. After a good week….

Working on the email today. I shoot for keeping my inbox down to ONE page.

Sometimes I do Great. Not lately.

If you’ve emailed me in the last… three months… gulp! … and haven’t heard back after today, Email me again if you would. I’ll answer. Promise.

It just happens. Even if I try to stop it.

My creativity pool empties.

This could be attributed to a couple of things — the after effects of a big show, cold weather, the lack of sunlight we in northern climates face. Is it because I push so hard to get ready for the Greyhounds Reach the Beach event in October? Or much needed rest after the long drive to get from North Dakota to Delaware and back? Or is because I came back to demands from my library job? Maybe it is the weather…

Evidentally I’m not the only one.

Whatever the cause, I can’t seem to do much in the studio. And I’ve tried. I cleaned and reorganized the studio. Ordered glazes and other materials. Started on a coffee table commission. Bought a new sketchbook for the new year. Thought about what pieces I’ll enter in the Art Show at the Dog Show. Added a few things to my etsy store and worked on a shopping cart system for this website — both need more work.

I need to get going. I know it. My email inbox is full of unanswered questions. Can I ship sculptures to Belgium? What is the postage on the sterling pendant to Switzerland? Do you have any memory boxes/urns in stock? And I’ve been promising — for weeks — more pieces in the etsy store.

Then there are my goals — go through the tile designs and decide which to retire, another sterling pendant design by January, get working on the Dakota Creative Connections grant, register for a workshop, test those glazes, photograph the new tile designs. Come on, Sarah, get going!

Anybody else feel this way?

One finish…

Or another.

Yesterday, after loading the truck with all the work and display ingredients for Dewey Beach, I drove to the Coyote Blues Village bed & breakfast near Hill City, South Dakota. This is the location of our first Dakota Creative Connections artist retreat.

I felt a little weird at first. I didn’t know anyone. But everybody seems cool — working on their own directions.

Today is the big day. Full report later….

Man oh man.

I’d like to share what’s been going on in my “artist” life — getting ready for my biggest show of the year — but at this point I’m not sure where to begin. My head is spinning. And my feet hurt.

I know that I glazed another kiln load of work (they’ll be out of the kiln tomorrow afternoon). And I talked to the construction guys who, after weeks of NOT working on the library, have decided to finish our expansion project the second I’m heading out of town. (Not complaining, hard to get carpenters in our little town, just timing?) I answered their questions… but I’m not entirely sure I made any sense…

Tomorrow is the meeting with the regional University concerning more library stuff. Then a library board meeting on Thursday. Friday I leave for Hill City, South Dakota for a three day retreat as part of the Dakota Creative Connections grant. Except I’m leaving the retreat early because on Sunday AM, Dad and I are hopping in the truck and heading for Delaware.

Huh?

But the weird thing is that my main concern at the moment is that the Bed and Breakfast I’ll be staying at in Hill City DOES NOT HAVE CELL SERVICE! Does that mean no internet too? Gasp!

Not like I need cell service to survive or anything. But how will I call home to check on the puppies?

I hate leaving my dogs. I’m a ninny.

The agenda for this weekend’s retreat looks promising. I’m going to have to figure out my answers to these questions, however:

When did I know I wanted to become an artist?

and

What has been my most profound experience in the development of my profession/practice?

Suggested answers welcome.