Progress

So far in 2011, I have created 19 new works! Some are good, some are not, but that is expected and I am okay with it. 19 is oh-so-close to meeting my monthly and therefore, yearly, goal of 130 new paintings. To achieve this goal, I aim for about 10 new pieces a month, so I am one short. Grr.

Here is a short, top three list of my favorite recent paintings:

New painting post tomorrow!

Goals 2011

For some reason I have had difficulty writing this post, preferring to paint or do any number of other things first (watch 30 Rock reruns - That's important, right?). In other words, procrastinate. Usually I love love love writing up goals and lists (!) but for some reason, this year is different.

A bit of fear seems to be hanging out like a little cartoon cloud over my head, and I've felt anxious. Change can do that to you, it seems. With switching my day job and cutting my hours, comes the voice. Lots of people have that small voice of self doubt that creeps up and tells you that no matter what it is you want to do, there is no way you can succeed. That it's impossible and you can't have *insert hearts desire here*. Lately, every day I need to prop myself up and get rid of the negative voice telling me every sort of pessimistic thing. They are always super melodramatic things like: I will never sell another painting in my life, or I will never have another solo show, and on and on. With much effort, I have quit eating my weight in cookies, gathered my determination, replaced the negative with a positive outlook, and have prepared my goals for the upcoming year. They are as follows:

Art-Related

Create:

• small paintings - 65

• medium paintings - 45
  


• large paintings - 20
  


• extra large - 5
  

My goal is to basically triple last years number. I would like to create 130 new paintings for 2011. I'm not going to get too hung up on the exact number of what size paintings I create, these are just some guidelines for reference.

Business-Related

• Send out a large (researched) mailing of brochure/cover letter packets
  


• Send out emailed submissions from researched list
  


• Update mailing list quarterly
  


• Schedule at least 1 solo show for 2012
  


• Have at least 100 large postcards ordered for April
  


• Have new brochure designed
  


• Have new brochure printed quarterly, as needed
  


• Have 50 business cards printed, more as needed
  


• Update website at least once a week with new paintings and current events
  


• Update blog at least once a week
  


• Update Etsy site weekly
  


• Enter 2 "good" juried shows within the year
  


• Overhaul my record-keeping system for inventory
  

My focus this year will be mostly on production of new work and finding a gallery. I want to push my art-making as much as possible. It would be nice to see a quicker progression in the work, and the only way to improve is to paint, paint, paint!

Production!

I'm going to be brave and post my updated production list. Right now I'm feeling pretty good about it, mainly because I have either met or exceeded my painting goals for January, February, and March. I've added the little chart beneath to keep track of what I produced each month. What makes me even happier is that the ratio of not-so-wonderful paintings to wow-I-love-this paintings has been leaning more towards the later situation. So I'm pleased. I've left March off of the bottom chart because I still have time left, and I'm expecting to get 2 more which would put my March total at 7. Awesome.

Goal Keeping

The image above is a sample of my new, really basic way to keep track of my progress in creating enough work. It's very simple, but I'm willing to try it out. It's like having a to-do list (which I love!) for painting. Same principle applies here, each "painting" icon is categorized according to size, and when I complete one, I scratch through the size painting I created that day. It's a small bit of satisfaction that also helps me visualize where I'm at and how far I have to go the rest of the year. I also will total how many paintings I created per month. So month to month, I will refer back to the list in the studio and check in on my production.


I don't want to give the impression that I really don't like painting and see it as only one more thing to check off of a chore list - that's not true. But if I painted only when I felt like it, or on a whim, I would get very little done. I'm hoping this "list" helps keep me tuned in to the big picture. Nothing is more important than staying on the ball and creating lots of work.

Goals 2010

Here goes:

Art-Related
Create:

5 new 7 x 6" paintings
20 new 16 x 13" paintings
20 new 18 x 14" paintings
15 new 24 x 20" paintings

That would bring me to a grand total of 60 paintings for 2010, which averages out to a bit more than 1 painting per week. C'mon I can do that!

Business-Related

Send out a large (researched) mailing of brochure/cover letter packets
Send out 3 larger packets each season
Update mailing list quarterly

Receive representation at one gallery
Schedule 2 solo shows for 2010

Have 30 brochures printed quarterly
Have 100 business cards printed
Update website at least once a week with new paintings and current events
Update blog at least once a week
Enter at least 3 juried shows within the year
Improve upon my record-keeping system for inventory



Okay, so many of the goals for 2009 carry over to 2010. But the most important goals for the year are, as always, getting gallery representation, booking solo shows, and creating 60 paintings. One of the biggies is already taken care of - since I already have a winter/spring exhibit in Charleston and a late summer/fall show at Ligonier Valley. Technically, the later show isn't a "solo" show, but it requires a lot of work, so I am counting it as one!

Right now I am getting ready to go paint, but next Monday I will have a New Painting post. One that hopefully will also include today's work!

2009 in Review...

Like I said, 2009 was very good to me. Lots of great things, both professional and personal, came my way. I have much to be thankful for...Derek and I bought our first home together and are now engaged and I have two solo shows on the horizon!



So, I will go through each goal that I set out early last year and sort of grade myself on each task. First, I put forth a very ambitious painting schedule:

Art-Related

-Create:
25 new 7" x 6" paintings
25 new 15" x 13" paintings
25 new 24" x 21" paintings


I would say that I created about 40 paintings overall this year (including the really bad ones that never saw the light of day after I made them). I suppose that's not too bad, considering we were house-hunting and moving, which is a real time zapper. This year though...it better be a different story.

Business-Related

-Mail out 3 small packets per month to possible galleries (only ones that I have researched)

This one makes me laugh - I didn't come close to meeting this goal. Which creates - Problems. I need to be on this one.

-Try to update my mailing list seasonally

Did pretty well on this one. After every event I added my new contacts into my excel spreadsheet. I include all the pertinent info (name address email) and also how I met each person to jog my crap memory.

-Make sure all work is wired and ready to hang after completion

Eh, this isn't too critical, and I find that as long as I have an early deadline for prepping work for a show, everything works out just fine.

-Receive representation at one gallery (not holding my breath on this one!)


This goal creates a bit of a grey area. I am very fortunate to have been juried into the David L. Dickirson gallery at Tamarack, but I'm not sure I would mark that as full "gallery representation".


-Schedule 1 solo show for 2009

I had not one but three(!) solo shows in 2009. That makes it the one area where I exceeded my goal, but I guess that's a good one to go over and above on....

Have 200 brochures printed


I did have brochures printed, but not 200. Printing in bulk certainly makes it less expensive, but the extra cost associated with printing in smaller batches is worth it to keep the brochures up-to-date.

Have 100 business cards printed


Ditto for the business cards.

Update website at least once a week with new paintings and current events


I would give myself an A+ on this goal, I was hardly ever behind on updates.

Update blog at least once a week


The blog is doing okay, there are only a few times that I fell behind. Not too bad. I look forward to expanding the blog in 2010!

Enter at least 4 juried shows within the year


Check!

Implement a better record-keeping system for inventory


Still not there yet, but I am developing a plan and have kept good records of sales.


So there you have it, my year in review...Up next, Goals 2010!

Gallery Seeking

It's been my personal mission lately to send out submissions to galleries that I think might be a good fit (as prescribed in my very own Goals 2009 list). Since I've been neglecting that goal all year, I'm really behind where I wanted to be as far as just sending out submissions/packets/etc goes. It's ridiculously difficult to find these "good fit" galleries in the first place. So I decided to pick a city outside of West Virginia and search, search, search!

First, I settled on Columbus. Friends who live there say it may be a good place to try. So, I compiled a list of galleries that qualify as a "good fit". Really hard. Practically the hardest part of it all. Sometimes it's easy - "Gallery A exhibits fine art photography". Okay, obviously not for me. Most of the time, it's not that simple.

Then I tried to find any information on how to submit materials for consideration. Next I attempted to assess if the gallery is looking for new artists in the first place. Most of the galleries don't mention on their websites (if they have websites) if they are looking for new artists or not, so out went emails about both of these issues. Of the galleries that responded to my emails, two were willing to look at my images and information. Of those two, one was interested in my work and thought I may be a "good fit" too. To get that far felt really great - I am going to Columbus on Oct. 9th to meet with the gallery. We'll see how it goes!

Goals 2009

I have recently celebrated a birthday, and being another year older makes me think about goals. I've noticed other brave souls write about their career-related goals on their blog, now is as good a time as any for me to do the same! Every artist has a different definition of success. Lately I've been thinking about what being a "successful artist" means to me. Keeping organized goals will help put me on a path towards my vision of "success". So here goes...

Art-Related

Create:

• 25 new 7" x 6" paintings
  


• 25 new 15" x 13" paintings
  


• 25 new 24" x 21" paintings

Business-Related

• Mail out 3 small packets per month to possible galleries (only ones that I have researched)
  


• Try to update my mailing list seasonally
  


• Make sure all work is wired and ready to hang after completion
  


• Receive representation at one gallery (not holding my breath on this one!)


• Schedule 1 solo show for 2009



• Have 200 brochures printed
  


• Have 100 business cards printed
  


• Update website at least once a week with new paintings and current events
  


• Update blog at least once a week
  


• Enter at least 4 juried shows within the year
  


• Implement a better record-keeping system for inventory