All posts tagged goals

Things learned from Dewey Beach.

By On October 25, 2009 In Art making With 3 Comments Permanent Link to Things learned from Dewey Beach.Permalink

I covered a bit about the trip in the last post. Now I want to talk about the experiences and what I learned.

I think this was my seventh Greyhounds Reach the Beach? Let’s see… three years in the storefront? or four? then the year the vendor tents blew down when a nor’easter blew in and we ended up in the Atlantic Oceanside. Then we missed a year due to family circumstances. Then two years at the Best Western. How many is that?

It’s a good time. It’s a long drive and the preparation for this show is a toughie but it’s fun. This year was especially fun. I remembered why I need to get out and do shows.

My friend, P, says that you need to be around “your people” from time to time. I thought she was nuts.

“Your people.” What the heck?

She’s right. I spend a lot of time in my studio, making work. I love the blog because the work gets to be “out there” at least in cyberland. If its good, it speaks to someone who buys it. Off it goes. I rarely get to meet the person on the other end of the transaction. But in a show environment I get to meet everyone. I get to see reactions to my work. Hear people’s comments (both good and bad). Meet the dogs. I enjoy this.

This surprises me.

I wouldn’t describe myself as a people person by any stretch. Introvert. Really. A lot. I make the work… for me. Me. Me. Me. All about Me. I do want people to like my work — actually I want people to react to my work — if they don’t like it my feelings aren’t hurt — those comments can be beneficial too.

I started selling my work myself because I didn’t know any other way of doing it. There were no other Greyhound owners where I lived – I didn’t anticipate them walking into a local gallery and buying my work. I figured I had to go where the Greyhound people were — to Dewey Beach! This year I realized I enjoy selling my work — talking with past customers, meeting new Greyhounds (and whippets, and IGs and Cresteds….).

Right now I’m debating over next year. It’s getting harder to leave the dogs – yet, taking them along? The pre-show stress for this event is a nightmare. I always get ill when I return and the stress is off. Christmas orders take a beating – I build up for Dewey Beach then am exhausted from the event and the drive. And the drive. Wow. Long.

I know this all comes down to goals. What are my goals for my work? How does Dewey Beach fit? Does Dewey Beach fit?

Must. Create. Plan.

Random thoughts about success.

By On September 24, 2009 In Art making With 2 Comments Permanent Link to Random thoughts about success.Permalink

No secret I’ve been getting ready for a big showing of my work. Greyhounds Reach the Beach in Dewey Beach, Delaware. Its a good event. Stressful but good. Getting ready — spending long hours in the studio, trying to get the work that needs to be completed finished, working through new ideas and trying to breathe life into old ones — makes for a lot of time to think.

Now much of the time is spent thinking of nothing. Empty head. I call it “head in a bucket” time – because that is the best way I know of to describe the feeling – but really it’s not thinking. Simply, I’m as non-thinking as possible. This usually happens when I’m working on sculpture.

Then there is a bunch of time when I think. Today my thinking time is centered around a blog post I read this morning. Success. What is success? What is successful? And so on.

I came to the conclusion that I achieved success when I felt like I wanted to be called an artist. As in, “Look there’s Sarah. She’s an artist.” And I didn’t cringe when I heard the word. When I kinda liked it. Not that I think I’m Picasso. Just that it was the best word to describe what I was doing with the majority of my life. And I was okay with it.

So here’s the rub. I have a “day job.” I didn’t always have a day job. For years, I sold my work to pay the bills. Lived off of what I made. It worked okay. Then life changed. I got a part-time job at the public library as the Director of the Public Library. Then I was nominated by the governor of North Dakota to be on the state library board. Soon people started introducing me as a librarian. Huh?

The feeling is like when there is another person in the room with the same name as you — and that person is gregarious and knows everyone — and you’re new to the crowd. They always talk to her first. You hear your name called. React. Then figure out they are talking to her.

This is Sarah Snavely. She’s a librarian.

Actually I make the majority of my income selling my art.

Oh then why are you working at the library?

Because it’s more fun to pay the utility bill with my salary than from the sale of a sculpture. Because I get health insurance as part of the job. Because I need some time out of the studio too. Because I like making a difference in my community. Because I believe in public libraries. Because I like to curate art exhibits for the library. Because it takes me out of my shell and makes me interact with people. Because I grew up in this town and know the creative void that exists for the young people here.

Why does it feel like I’m less successful as a artist because I have another source of income? Stupid head.

End of week.

By On September 4, 2009 In Art making With No Comments Permanent Link to End of week.Permalink

Clay foot

After slightly panicking (see the last post…), I started to distill my racing thoughts into some concrete goals. It’s been good.

I’ve got a list of super-short term goals which I’d like to have accomplished in the next month. I’ve also got some short term (6 month) and long term (2 years) — there are a few 5 year goals too. Feels like a good place to be.

On the studio front — studio shelves are filled with drying memory boxes. Next up are the small dog figures for the box tops. I’ll post photos tomorrow. Good night. Good week.

Those pesky thoughts and plans.

By On September 1, 2009 In Life in North Dakota With 5 Comments Permanent Link to Those pesky thoughts and plans.Permalink

What does one do after a weekend at a retreat about planning? Lots of thinking about “The Future”.

I’m pretty sure my brain has the consistency of curdling milk. Otherwise I don’t know anything. Lots of questions swirling around my head.

  • Should I go to Graduate School?
  • Should I apply for the big grant?
  • Should I apply for this other big grant?
  • Is the work I’m making meaningful?
  • What is the best way to articulate that meaning?
  • Does it even matter what I think?
  • Should I quit my day job?
  • Did I make the wrong decision with the tan garage door instead of white? (And is this the equivalent of a Harvest Gold refrigerator?)
  • Why did I agree to Greyhounds Reach the Beach again this year?
  • Should I buy a 16 passenger van so that I could move (therefore make) bigger sculptures?
  • Are my Greyhounds getting enough exercise?
  • Am I getting enough exercise?
  • Is the winter going to be hard?
  • Should I buy a treadmill?
  • Do I really need health insurance?
  • Why don’t I live some place with — more artists, a better public rec center, a farmer’s market, better restaurants, a bookstore?
  • Should I “pare down” — getting rid of a bunch of stuff that I rarely use, but like nonetheless? My book collection? The kitchen table? I live in half of this house and the rest is unused.
  • Am I vitamin D deficient?
  • Should I pop more allergy meds and go mow the lawn or hire it done?

And so on…

I know the only way out of this mood is to make a list of things to do. To brainstorm possible ideas of how I’d like my life and work to be. All the above stuff are details — what I need is to figure out the big picture — to sift through how much of my dissatisfaction is what I think other people expect of me and what I expect of me.

Oh bunk.

Four days out of the studio and I lose my way… Anybody got a compass?

Question.

By On May 17, 2009 In Art making With 2 Comments Permanent Link to Question.Permalink

Sunday — dog park in the morning (check) and library duty in the afternoon.

Monday — officially begin to panic about the artist retreat this coming weekend. This is the second meeting of the artist who were awarded the Bush Foundation’s Dakota Creative Connections grants.

I need 5-8 images of my work (check), a finished piece (close!) and a piece to bring along to the retreat. I’m thinking that — just for ease of travel — a work in progress might be easier to transport than a finished piece. But we’ll see…

The work is easy. The problem is I need to answer this question (and bring the answer with me to the retreat):

Please describe an actual collaborative experience you’ve had with 
someone as it relates to your work as an artist that you can now describe 
as either a spectacular success or an abysmal failure. Identify the key reasons 
you believe it was a success or failure.

Um… okay? Gotta think about this one.

Yard work.

By On April 19, 2009 In Life in North Dakota With No Comments Permanent Link to Yard work.Permalink

I have vowed to replant my lawn. When I use the word lawn, I mean “weeds and dirt.”

Today I worked on removing every shred of stuffed animal stuffing from the yard — stuffing that has been ground in by twelve Greyhound feet tramping through a muddy yard. I *almost* considered watering the yard to mud to remove the bunches of white polyester patches. If I can’t get it all up with my rake, I will resort to the water.

As I was picking up the remnants, it occurred to me that the yard is no longer level – it’s banked. The corners are banked. Greyhounds.

I’d really like one of those lush yards with plenty of space for the dogs to run and me with my laptop and coffee enjoying the view. But not enough to actually make that yard…

Instead I’m shooting for green. Weeds welcome.

Today is going to be a good day.

By On April 19, 2009 In Life in North Dakota With No Comments Permanent Link to Today is going to be a good day.Permalink

Winchester in the backyard
I need to take a few morning photos! Have lots of evening like the one above.

Yesterday was a much needed studio day. Today is back to super busy. How did my life get so schizophrenic?

Had a nice walk with Winchester this morning. Have 15 odd jobs to get done before this afternoon when I have library duty. So much for Sunday being relaxing… But it will be good. The sun is shining.

I dream.

By On March 3, 2009 In Art making With 5 Comments Permanent Link to I dream.Permalink

studio_7214

I dream of the perfect studio. Do all artists do this? I think so. Nothing remarkable here.

And I know that my studio is perfectly adequate for me. I hope this doesn’t come off as a “You ungrateful twit” type of post. I’m happy with what I have. Really. I just have a dream… that is all. More of a mental exercise….

I’ve mentioned how I’d like radiant heat in the floor. Wouldn’t it be great to have windows to the south so the light on the sunny winter days could pour in, plus all the passive solar heating? Plus designated area with proper ventilation for etching so I’d be more motivated to get back into making prints? And a gas fire kiln to go along with my electric kilns and while your at it, a place to pit fire and raku! Then install the kilns in a kiln shed so I could work in the studio during firing. While I’m at it I should install a dumb waiter or something like it to move things from the bottom floor to the second floor.

What I *could* do is: clean out the second floor and set up my photo area there, add a couch or something for the hounds to sleep on off the floor, figure out another place for the show/display stuff.

Maybe I’ll just make Art today instead…

Saturday progress.

By On January 10, 2009 In Art making With No Comments Permanent Link to Saturday progress.Permalink

I used the entire day to work in the studio. Whew. Feels great.

The first thing I did (after turning up the heat in the studio) is unload the kiln. Here are a few pieces from the bisque firing.

In the works : Unloading the kiln

The boxes in this load are some of the largest and tallest boxes I’ve made. Also I finally fired the latest Angel Greyhound sculpture. And a few tiles made it into this firing.

In the works : Unloading the kiln

This box is about 6 inches x 6 inches x 10 inches not including the figure at the box’s top.

In the works : Unloading the kiln

Here’s another view of the Angel Greyhound sculpture and a small sleeping Greyhound which will become a box top figure.

In the works : Unloading the kiln

What happens when I miscount the number of pieces I’ll need to make a covered box? I make an open topped box. This one has a different Greyhound headstudy on each side.

In the works : Unloading the kiln

Another box – this one has the same footprint as the box above, but is shorter. 6 inches x 6 inches x 6 inches? About that. The image on the box’s side is my new Greyhound angel design.

In the works : Unloading the kiln

Another box — same size at the box above (minus the figure). This is the first series I’ve done using multiple designs on each box side. The bunny motif and far seeing sighthound image are new designs. I’m anxious to see how these boxes will look glazed.

In the works : Unloading the kiln

Another view of the Angel Greyhound sculpture and taller boxes.

In the works : Unloading the kiln

The new flying Angel design on 6 x 6 inch tiles.

In the works : Unloading the kiln

A better view of the two largest boxes! There is a lot going on on these boxes — they have a distinctly different look from my other boxes. I’m thinking they should be glazed with multiple glazes.

The disadvantage of these larger boxes is that I cannot fire the kiln as efficiently as loads with smaller footprint boxes. But one must try something new from time to time…

After unloading the kiln I rolled out more clay for new Almost home for hounds tiles. Then off to glazing the previously fired tiles.

In the works : Glazing tiles

These are 2×2 inch, 1×6 inch, and 2×4 inch tiles which will make up the border of the mural.

Remember my goal for 2009? Cleaning out the studio. Well I’m one step closer on that front. I’ve cleaned out and dealt with most of the clay that was piled on the shelf of my slab roller.

In the Studio : Dirty Slab roller

See! Just four small bags of clay plus a few sculpture supports! Imagine 20+ bags of clay in various sizes — all collecting dust. Dust is a big no-no! Now all the clay is wedged and ready to use.

In the studio : Dirty Slab roller

I’m going to wheel the slab roller out of the studio and clean all the dust off of it.

Feeling quite satisfied on a job well done. Now off to walk the dogs.

Goal!

By On January 2, 2009 In Art making With No Comments Permanent Link to Goal!Permalink

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.

Email wrestling.

By On November 25, 2008 In Miscellaneous With No Comments Permanent Link to Email wrestling.Permalink

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.

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