Yesturday I had my second craft show where I took my painted glasswork to show and to see if anyone would be willing to part ways with their 'greenbacks' enough to take my artwork into their home and enjoy. In my first show I sold only 3 pieces and this show I sold 12. I guess on the bright side I sold four times what I did three years ago. I am still bummed. I packed four boxes and I am returning with four boxes. They are still stacked in the kitchen unopened. My apartment is a small one. I want to be able to live in it simply. My craftroom doubles as the kitchen and it is often a battle each Saturday when I want to paint and eat. It doesn't help that I am being my reflective sad mood again. Here is my best atempt to think well and balanced so read on.
~F~acts : (focus on what was done NOT wasn't)
I learned a lot about myself and my art. I learned that I could step outside my comfort colors and try other colors like orange and yellow. I learned that certain color combos can take a piece and elevate it to an elegant artwork like the purple velvet pansy with teal white leaves on a teal frosted Riesling wine bottle that curve and angled in with an breath of debonair. I learned that I can and have edged away from the teacher. I learned to look at pictures of the Master's creations and have tried my best to copy them even I will never be able too. I have learned that spring colors and flowers are a favorite of mine - it is right up there with landscapes. I learned more about God's romance for me through His beautiful landscapes and His detailed beauty of a flower as simple as a violet or as artisan as an orchid.
~E~motions : (focus on the positive feelings)
I had a lot of excitement going into this glass show even some good anxiety. I had some major good thoughts about presentation. I had found a cornflower blue tablecloth that all the glass I had painted would look their very best. I also used square and corner tiles with purple blue flowers to accent as price tags. I even transformed my neglected dry erase board with my purple blue flowers as well. I know that when I go to craft shows my shy side doesn't ask questions like I should so the dry erase board had info if they where shy and even could prompt questions. I was very excited as I keep hearing voices say I do well or 'I wish I could see all you do'. I love painting what I enjoy painting. It isn't much fun to paint what I don't want to. All that I was painting was what I wanted or what I say the glass says to me and even what others ooooed and ahhhhed over. I really thought my pansies would sell even thought it would sell out.
I wiggled in my skin when I finished what I call my show stopper. It was that teal bottle. I loved it and I couldn't wait to get others reaction. It didn't make it to the show. A lady at work bought it. I am now glad that it didn't make it to the show. It would have been a real downer to have no one buy it as it probably would have just stood their looking pretty just like a beautiful girl at a party where no one pays attention to. Oh yeah, the emotions are suppose to be good ones. Like I said before I am glad the teal pansy bottle didn't make it to the show.
~E~ncourage : short, simple, sweet acknowledgement. be generous!)
I must send a thank you to Mrs. Bennett. She made me feel very good about being there. She knew me in a life past but it was great that she remembered and was attentive. The event had a theme and a ton of detail was put into it all. I knew they really had to work hard at planning and advertising. They outdid themselves with the signs and the decor. They aimed to love with their details and it showed.
I must say thank yous to those I invited and who showed up. I had invited most of those who thought I did great work and wanted to see the whole of what I do, but the vast majority did not show. No family made it either. So to those who showed up and really encouraged me and I must encourage them back. Like mamma said, you do what is important to you...
~L~earning : (focus on NEW insights not the details
I learned to do what I love. Yes, I need to try to paint things that scare me to expand my work, but to get lost in color and flowers is quite intoxicating. At this point I could turn down a very dark path but from those four boxes of my glasswork, I need to celebrate them... I guess a new insight is to learn to celebrate the pieces... and figuring out how...
~I~mplications : (focus on new wiring, new maps)
My goal is to paint for myself. I have a few projects I wanted to complete. Now is the time. I won't be painting any more candles. It is not what I want to do - maybe for a gift but not to sell. I will not buy any more glass. I might even have to reject glass because I have no room nor outlet to sell. If and when I get an office of my own, I will bring in glass weekly like some of the women bring in flowers. Seems frivolous but if they can enjoy the whif of smelly flowers while crunching numbers, I can enjoy artwork like taking in a whif of sight that carries me away to someplace special.
~N~ew
~G~oal:
Well, I don't think I am doing well with thinking but I must get it out and start fresh. I plan to rearrange my studio aka. kitchen so that I can work better and not fight it every time I want to eat. I plan to enjoy my painted flowers at work since I kill plants on the side. My lasted victim? the pansies I bought for a buck. I need to be creative in cross stitching and looming so the painting will slow down dramatically over the summer months. I have gifts to make so I will doing those.
~current reality~
I have to much of my artwork in my over crowded living space.
~explore alternatives~
1. super stocked when it comes to gifts. Time to give them for all occasions and just because. Could unload on college friends that don't live near.
2. have a glass sale instead of a yard sale at my parent's place.
3. wait it out until September when the craft shows begin again.
4. take in a piece of glass each week to enjoy and possibly get rid of...
5. consignment
6.
7.
I need more alternatives. At this moment in time, I won't be doing any more shows. Especially since they begin in the fall for Christmas and all I have now is spring stuff. 1, 2 and 4 look ok to do.
~tap energy~
Uh, what energy? I have none! Maybe tomorrow or next week or next year ... I don't even have energy to clean my brushes and put them away! Oh well, I am in a mood. This too will past like my mother always says. ARRRgh! Blah!
{sticks fingers in my ears and blammbers and hides under the covers}
Ok, I will act grown up only because I should. I need to think on beauty. Focus my energy on the good facts and the good feelings. I am energizes by God Beauty. Maybe that is my calling ... to be energized by God's Beauty through my painting and vocally say it aloud when others ask what I do or why I paint...
Why do you paint? How did you know you could paint?
I love glass and I love God's flowers and colors. I like to express the Joy of God though my humble attempts to paint His Masterpieces. I like the joy I feel inside when I stand back and take it all in. I enjoy the figuring out how to make the strokes of the brush to create a flower. I express my gratitude often for His Beauty. It takes my breath away to imagine the Creator as He creates and the Joy He has when He stands back and marvels. I know He loves it much more than I could ever...
I loved glass and had a whisper of wanting to paint since I was a child. I searched to see if there was paint for glass and was pleasantly surprised to find it! I bought 3 different colors and daddled. The rest is history. The rest is the expression of my romance with God ...
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