It's the last day of 2010, and I'm trying to stay optimistic as the next year lumbers in.
I've been trying to make a go at this working artist thing since I finished my degree in 2008, and although I haven't figured out how to survive, I haven't failed yet either. For the record I've defined failure as any of the following: having the utilities switched off, eating my cats, having my house forclosed on, burning extraneous doors for heat, or having to work a full time day job thereby sacrificing invaluable studio time. Those are in no particular order.
I had some surprises that got me through this year in the form of blogging. I will never be able to fully articulate how grateful I am to Brigitte Martin at Crafthaus and Mike Holmes, Susan Cummins, and Damian Skinner at Art Jewelry Forum. Not only did they all take a chance on my writing, they helped me attend the SNAG Conference in Houston and SOFA Chicago. When living as a studio hermit, these rare social events are important opportunities to recharge my batteries.
And I'm starting 2011 with a solo show--Nomen Dubium--at the Appalachian Center for Craft, so there's a reason to put my best foot forward. Though progress has been slow, sometimes painfully so, I seem to have had a general uptick as time passes as sales trickle in, exhibitions come along, and writing opportunities bubble up.
I'm going to grit my teeth and get through this year and hope that things continue to be marginally better by the end of it.
I've been trying to make a go at this working artist thing since I finished my degree in 2008, and although I haven't figured out how to survive, I haven't failed yet either. For the record I've defined failure as any of the following: having the utilities switched off, eating my cats, having my house forclosed on, burning extraneous doors for heat, or having to work a full time day job thereby sacrificing invaluable studio time. Those are in no particular order.
I had some surprises that got me through this year in the form of blogging. I will never be able to fully articulate how grateful I am to Brigitte Martin at Crafthaus and Mike Holmes, Susan Cummins, and Damian Skinner at Art Jewelry Forum. Not only did they all take a chance on my writing, they helped me attend the SNAG Conference in Houston and SOFA Chicago. When living as a studio hermit, these rare social events are important opportunities to recharge my batteries.
And I'm starting 2011 with a solo show--Nomen Dubium--at the Appalachian Center for Craft, so there's a reason to put my best foot forward. Though progress has been slow, sometimes painfully so, I seem to have had a general uptick as time passes as sales trickle in, exhibitions come along, and writing opportunities bubble up.
I'm going to grit my teeth and get through this year and hope that things continue to be marginally better by the end of it.
