Snowman #5
acrylic on board, 7"x5"
Another snowman--I had such fun painting them!
Along with the holidays comes a lot of end of year work for me.
Alyson Stanfield, Art biz guru, taught me to reflect on what I've accomplished. We tend to forget the positives and focus on the negatives, and looking at what you've accomplished is a great way to lift your spirits for the Holidays. Not too much more will be completed before Christmas, so now is a good time to reflect on what's done.
I'll show you what some of my personal goals were and what parts of them were accomplished. It really helps me to have a list like this, although life is certainly much more fluid than any list. The list is really meant for personal use, so it's a little confusing. But with the list, it's a simple matter of turning something red when it's done. When I have a little time a look at the list and it reminds me of what I had set as priorities.
The "reds" are things I've worked on or done, the "blacks" are remaining to do. I'm proud of what did get done, and the always present gaping lapses will be reevaluated for inclusion in 2012.
What's your method for keeping yourself on track?
“Intentions”
2011
In the Studio
Work to complete two
paintings a week in addition to three dailies
not quite, but did better on the daily paintings
Solo Show Feb - 25 new paintings completed
Continue to improve technical skills
Take at least one workshop – did Mitchell, February
Look
for the “wow” factor in each painting working on this!
Learn
more about color values and how value is affected by hue.
Ongoing,read a couple more books, I can never learn it all!
Improve drawing through small studies
Accept commission work that forces
drawing – 1 complete
Used sketchbook more often for preliminary drawings
Finish
inventorying paintings
Catalogue
at least 1 letter group per month or look for
assistant!
(leftover - no progress again!
Spruce up Studio – Repainted, made shelves, purchased new chairs
Collectors
Improve collector relations
Better
recognition for multiple purchases
Sent new book to collectors with 5 paintings or more
Send
post cards for solo show
Develop
testimonial page on website or blog?
still thinking about this. 2012?
Better
gift and appreciation recognition
Gift of book to multiple purchasers
Give post card to studio visitors
Purchasers of Studio Paintings
Sent a postcard or small watercolor thank you
Reach out to Everglades community
Participated in Friends of the Fakahatchee Safari - members
Donated to two support groups
Teaching
Color Confidence – January
Florida Landscape – Acrylic - March
Make handouts consistent with beginning year format
and info
Added “internet” homework assignments to expose students
to wealth of info & ideas
Think
about adding a plein-air day class in the fall - didn't
Traditional
Marketing –
Update in January for year
Improve
consistency of marketing materials - better, can do better
Postcards - done
Rack cards done
Advertise monthly with Artist Colony
Advertise in Everglades Magazine – done, no date yet for printing
Developed and print book - done
Internet Marketing
Upgrade website to newer version of FASO
Keep
current! Add new paintings and Events first
of every month
Change website to reflect my name for
better recognition
Improve
blog consistency - Yikes, needs work!
Assign
days for special topics?
Mon-Everglades,
Wed-my work, Friday–Arts Com?.
Go
back to dailys with "buy now" button?
Newsletter
Sent email newsletter but not regularly
Think
about breaking up newsletter and sending monthly again?
Improved Facebook Image
Twitter – OK for now
Added Google +
Arts Community
Hold
fun event quarterly for Colony - didn't, will work on this in 2012
Marco Island Arts Advisory Committee – Arts Afire Awards
Chairman
Marco Island Art League
Teach 2x yearly
Attend first Tuesdays - did when possible
Show in member shows - did whenever possible
Support financially or other as possible -
developed and chaired Luncheon for the Arts
National and Florida National Association of Women
Artists
Showed once in each
Florida Artist Group – show 1X, have to let membership drop, just can't do it all
Support other artists by attending their shows when possible.
As usual, life takes it's own path, and some things I intended didn't get done, and others took much more time or effort than I had though. I experimented and became much more comfortable with glazing, and am pleased with the results of several new paintings. I didn't foresee the Snowman Extravagamza but had a ball doing it and will most likely do it again. All artists have to be prepared to follow where the paint takes you FIRST!
All in all, I've made some progress and am pleased with the year. Later in the month I'll look ahead to the new year and make a new list of "intentions." to help guide me.
If you'd like to know more about some things to grow your art business, check out Alyson's book on the right hand side of the blog page. It's a great way to start the new year. You can put it on your Christmas list, or just give yourself a present. She;s giving some free gifts along with it, too!
This works for non-artists, too. Think about the various aspects of your life and how you'd like to improve over the next year. It's hard to get ahead when you don't know where you're going, and a list of intentions can help lead the way.
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