Let's make more art!

I plan on making 2015 a super creative year! It's off to a great start and we aren't even quite through January :)

I taught a Creating Layers and Altered Book workshop to art groups in Ottawa and Brockville. On Friday I drop off a large painting, 'Six of One, Half a Dozen of the Other', to be hung at a new OMMA Gallery in Ottawa.

I became the Communications minion for OMMA (Ottawa Mixed Media Artists) and met with John and Molly Sorensen of 'Before the Rush' art show to discuss my creating short video interviews and photos of the artists for promotion.

I joined the WCAS (West Carleton Arts Society) and attended one of their wonderful 'Articulate' fireside talks. Larry and I will be going to their Spring Into Art conference in April and I have signed up for a 5 day workshop in June with Lila Irving.

Monthly coffee meet-ups are planned with fellow entrepreneurs Lianne and Roger Sands to toss around ideas and inspire each other. Bi-weekly get-togethers are planned with Laura Starkey and Jamie Carter to have fun while taking time off. I look forward to going on a long dog-walk with the wonderful Karen Mackay soon...  we have lots to catch up on!

Larry and I went to the Ottawa Press Gang wayzbrunch to see what fellow printers and book artists have been up to. On Sunday we are being treated to lunch by the lovely Hugh Barclay, letterpress printer and artist.

Currently being worked on in the studio are 2 commissioned Faerie Rounds, a stack of Muse Journals, a CBBAG-OV (Canadian Book Artists & Book Binders - Ottawa Valley) 'swap' book arts project and paintings in various stages. I have some intriguing ideas for a new painting series.

I have many workshops planned for my studio this year and some studio playtimes too. Three more out of studio workshops are already in the works, including a two-part Extreme Texture workshop for the ACE students at Queen's University in Kingston.

I am always curious to know what you are looking for in the way of creative opportunities, so I created a 'Let's Make More Art!' survey. I want your input on art offerings that will fill your creative wants and needs - online and off. Thank you to all who have given their wonderful feedback. I look forward to many more responses... keep them coming! They will help me plan the rest of this creative year!

Take the survey by clicking on the picture below :)

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Make Art Work

I took a day last week to boost my business skills - in a creative way. ART WORKS is a one day arts & entrepreneurship conference in the Ottawa area, designed to give resources and information to artists to help transfer creative skills to a business context. This was the third event - 40 artists attended the first and 200 attended this one! This was my first time and I happened to choose two lively and engaging presentations that got my mind whirling with ideas.

"Branding & Message Essentials for Creatives on Social Media" was presented by Erin Blaskie, New Media Princess :) I get so fired up by people who are genuinely passionate about what they do, and Erin is definitely living her passion. She shares information so enthusiastically and with such wonderful humour. I love the stories that go along with the information... it makes for a very entertaining experience. You can check out her "Slide Deck" for this presentation here. I didn't even know what a Slide Deck was until now! And there are MANY links to all kinds of information listed on the same page. I love this techno world!!!

"Sell the Hell Out of Your Art!" with Shawn MacDonell of Creativision was SO much fun. He is quite the story teller and his presentation was an interactive experience. The first thing he did was get 5 volunteers to come to the front and "stomp" on the empty box on the floor in front of them. No more "inside or outside the box" quandary - he totally removed the box! Also, he said, it helped with his recycling chores :) Shawn is one of those people who is himself, no matter what. You take him as you find him. I was impressed to see that he was wearing jeans, sneakers and a sweater. He said we were lucky that he didn't have shorts and flip-flops on - he wears those until it snows! All the other presenters wore business suits, which I found quite incongruous for an artists' conference. Surely you can dress creatively and present business information? You can check out Shawn's blog here. Among other things, he helps people find their creative side and lives his own life with passionate purpose.

I am now wearing my "Artrepreneur" hat even more proudly, happy to be part of a group of such creative enthusiasts. We are an ever growing group and there is no stopping us!

"If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door". Milton Berle

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