Questioning

I have making only rare appearances lately, because I have had to make a choice. Write on the blog, or try to keep my head above water? I have a few posts in my head that need more time and reflection to do them a good service.

Today, I am going to cheat. We have had a book floating around the house for the last few weeks. My husband took a trip out to Kripalu, a yoga retreat center in western Massachusetts, and brought back The Book of Questions, by Gregory Stock, Ph.D. It is a wonderful way of opening up conversation with kids who are teens and older, with a spouse or partner, or a friend. It is also great to just flip through on your own and ponder.

Here are a few of the questions, from a quick and random flip through:

1. What has been your biggest disappointment in life? your biggest failure?(#197)

2. Would you like to be famous? in what way? (#85)

3. If you knew you could devote yourself to any single occupation - music, writing, acting, business, politics, medicine, etc. -and be among the best and most successful in the world at it, what would you choose? If you knew you only had a 10 percent chance at being so successful, would you still put in the effort? (#36)

4. Would you rather be extremely successful professionally and have a tolerable yet unexciting private life, or have an extremely happy private life and only a tolerable and uninspiring professional life? (#14)

4a. The follow-up to this question: Since so many place great emphasis on a happy private life, why do people end up putting more energy into their professional lives? If you feel your private life is more important to you, do your priorities support this? Are you simply unwilling to admit that work is more important? Do you hope that professional success will somehow magically lead to personal happiness?

5. A close friend asks - and genuinely wants - your honest opinion about something, but your opinion is one that he is likely to find quite painful. For example, your friend is an artist and asks your honest estimate of being successful. You think he is an atrocious artist who hasn't the slightest chance of success. What would you do? (#144)

The book is full of these kinds of questions, and some silly and outrageous ones too. If you have a long car ride ahead, or maybe want some entertainment other than television for a vacation trip, I highly recommend getting a copy of the book. You will probably learn a few things about yourself as well as those around you.

Following a Path to Joy

Almost eight years ago my dad died suddenly from a heart attack. He actually had at least three heart attacks over a few days. The second one brought him to the hospital, and he ended up with a stent in his heart. But, his heart never stabilized, and later that night he had another heart attack that ruptured his left ventricle. This one was fatal.

At first I was doing what I could to help my mother through this difficult time. But over the next few months, I found that his death affected me more than I thought it did. I found myself slipping into a deep depression. Finally, I sought out a therapist. Eight years, and several therapists later, I think of my Dad, and miss him, but I have also made some deep changes in the way I live my life, and along the way found more joy than I thought was possible.

Why am I sharing this with you? It relates a bit to the post I had recently about Critical Balance. Until this crisis sent me to therapy, I did not realize how much all the negative "stuff" I carried around in my head, and repeated to myself over and over again, inhibited my creativity, and diminished my life overall.

I continue therapy, even though depression is gone from my life, because I have come to realize the work to stay present, and not get caught up in all that "stuff" is something that is on-going. Once a month I get to check-in with the best therapist I could ever have. And once a month I meet with an amazing group of women, and we reflect and share on different aspects of our lives and our experiences. In this process, I can see better where I have been, and how far I have come. I can find where the residue of pain still resides, and carefully explore and heal. And I stay in touch with "me." And if you want to find your voice, there is no better place to start!

This past week, we met, and we wrote about the joy that is in our lives. We were in tears, and laughing, sometimes simultaneously as we shared our reflections. Tonight, I shared with my kids what I wrote, and given their response, I decided to post it here, with the background. I have come to believe, the work I did "on myself" was the best work I ever did to nurture my creative being.

So here goes....

I start to reflect upon my day and the little moments that made me smile, or feel in that moment. What unifies those moments is simply presence. Presence to what is. Presence to a moment that can’t be captured and preserved on film, or in words, or in any way at all as completely as just being there at that moment.

My mom calls to thank me for coming over and for the card from me that she found after we left. We talk for maybe ten minutes, and it is a nice re-connection and reinforcement of our relationship and our bond as mother and daughter.

I take a tray of beads out of the oven. As I collect them into my hand, and then into a container, the subtle sparkle and pattern catches my eye and makes me smile. Yes! This time it worked. These will make some nice pieces. But, just now, they bring me a moment of joy. I roll them around for a moment, in the container, enjoying the visual and tactile experience.

Later I am making cranes. I cover a sheet of clay with a variety of cane slices. The mix of color and pattern sings on this one. I smile in a moment of “yes!”

Packaging and sorting cranes to fill orders. These normally tedious tasks feel good today. I enjoy seeing each crane on the shred, and in it’s own little box. Soon two orders are picked and in boxes to ship. I take pleasure in the ease with which this happened today.

At dinner, I take in Colleen. Her eyes sparkle as she talks. A smile illuminates her already luminous face. We all laugh together as Kaela exudes joy and excitement at all the possible directions her life could take. Each fulfilling an aspect of her being. She can barely get the words out in a coherent sentence, she is so happy about all that lies before her like a feast.

My life is one of abundance. Simple moments. The excitement of the dog to do a trick and get a treat. The sound of my coffee press makes as it slides down. Dave’s voice on the phone.

I had moments of stress and frustration today. But the joy of the moment can be found like sparkling jewels scattered throughout my day.

My little mantra these days is “Create abundance.” Perhaps I don’t need to say create. Maybe it is just about noticing. Being present to all that is here for me already.

....so, what do you think? Does it make you want to start noticing the jewels in your own life? I can guarantee they are there. It is not about the big "wow!" moments. Those are good, but the sustenance comes from finding joy in the moment. The mundane, everyday moments. And, when we find it there, we have less "need" for the other kinds of that the commercials want us to believe are only a purchase away.

If you'd like, feel free to leave a jewel or two in the comments!

Judy's Brain Bits

This charming little phrase came out of a conversation with my husband this weekend. I was telling him that I couldn' t possibly cram one more thing onto my to-do list, or activities. I was full, beyond full, with commitments. If he tried, my head would explode, and he would have little bits of grey matter scattered, all over the place to clean up.

To which he replied, "Judy's Brain Bits". Over much laughter, we decided it would make a great name for a rock band!

So, what is on that list threatening the integrity of my cranium?

Preparing for ACRE is near the top. I have been trying to design the "invisible booth". A booth that seems to magically disappoear...fading back so all that is apparent is the work. Instead of trying to Wow! anyone with my booth design prowess, in an obvious way, at least, I am trying to Wow! them with my work. So I have been planning displays, determining what to rent, what I need to buy, and how to ship things. I have been figuring out which pictures I want to use for oversized images. I thinnk I have settled on the ones below.

I have been working on that mailing list, and deciding on a special offer to put on the postcard. That has to go out by the end of the week.

I need to come up with a "starter set". A way for someone to easily order a starter collection of jewelry to carry in their shop or gallery.

I have decided I will be putting together a video of how to fold a crane from polymer clay, that I will put on YouTube. My reason? To solicit donations for The Crane Project. More to come on the video later. The project is plugging along, slower than I would like right at the moment, with a few setbacks, but when I have a few hours, I am in the studio, cranking out cranes. I have about 200 cranes produced, but I have also applied for one grant, and have another grant application that has to be submitted in the next few weeks. The last one is with the Artist Valentine grant program I had written about earlier.

The other grant was with a group called Creative Capital Foundation. They have a great approach that focuses on developing artists in ways that will make their investment more meaningful in the long run. They also ask the artists to donate back to the organization a portion of any income generated by the project they fund. Paying back, so that others can benefit in the future. I will find out in June if I proceed to the next phase for that grant application process.

I have been playing around with a few other design ideas, one can be seen above in the green shibori necklace, in the second row, on the left. I am calling it Shibori Fringe.

Several orders have had to go out, and I am behind on one.

I had a wonderful opportunity to go up to New Hampshire for an evening meeting of the New Hampshire Polymer Clay Guild one night last week. I have gotten to know quite a few members through regional retreats, or through visits to the League of New Hampshire Craftsman's Guild fair at Mt. Sunapee, each summer. So, it is always nice to revisit and reacquaint, as well as to meet a few new faces. The reason for my visit was a roundtable discussion about the business of craft. Kathleen Dustin was also a part of the meeting, so it was wonderful to hear some of her insights into the market, pricing, and her approach to selling her work.

The things that remain on that list, untouched...

Making sure I have all the samples I need for the show.

Finalizing my price list, and getting it printed.

Figuring out how I will ship my materials to Las Vegas for the show.

Putting together an up to date press kit for the show.

Application for a display space nearby for next year....perhaps for the cranes.

I am sure there are many other things I have neglected, but they will pop up and make an appearance in that challenged grey matter if they are essential. And sometimes I forget a few things I intended to do, but the world never ends, does it? Perhaps those things were meant to fall of the list.

Deadlines

My daughter and I were having a conversation the other day about working. She told me she could never be an entrepreneur. She could not imagine working so hard. I love it when someone makes an observation like this. It makes me pause and step back from what I am doing everyday, and see it in a new light.

I do work a lot. Every day. All seven. Too many hours by most any standard. But, for the most part, no one is making me work so much. No one but my own drive and desire. We recently had someone here doing some work on our house, and I commented to him about the hours he worked. He did this as a second job. His weekends, and long evenings were spent in a second job. He quickly questioned my comment in light of my own behavior. He had observed my workaholic tendencies as he spent time in our house. Once again, I had to step back and look at things from another point of view.

As my daughter and I talked, what I began to realize is that the "work" part of what I do is often around deadlines or drudge work that needs to be done. That is the part that most feels like work. But it is only a fraction of the time I spend "working". In comparison, I probably spend less time per week in these tasks that feel like work, than my husband spends at his job in a week. Most of what I do, I enjoy tremendously and so, feel pulled to spend the time doing it.

As I juggle several deadlines in the coming weeks, I am feeling a bit more overwhelmed and under more stress than I normally do. As I work towards these deadlines, I wonder if this is where the line between doing this as work, or as an avocation may lie. As a job, deadlines are regularly popping up on the radar. Show applications. Dates to ship work. Submission deadlines. Deadlines for running an ad, or doing a mailing. With a deadline we can't always follow our muse into the studio. Sometimes we have to shift our focus to the task that must be completed.

But, deadlines may also serve a purpose. A reason to push a piece further. A reason to get the photos taken. A reason to create a body of work. Without deadlines, sometimes things will drift about, to and fro, perhaps never getting the final focus and push to move it to completion.

Are you able to follow your muse at will? If so, do you sometimes find that it is hard to maintain focus or commitment? Or do you find that other obligations are your biggest challenge? Does the idea of the commitment of deadlines keep you from moving from a passionate avocation to an artrepreneur? Are deadlines a spur to move, or a roadblock in your life?

Dream a Little Dream for You...

At the Synergy conference in Baltimore I taught a class called "Should I, or Shouldn't I?" The premise of the class was to help people decide whether or not they should take the leap into making their craft into a business. Now, you might think since the name of this blog is Artrepreneur, I think everyone should make that leap. But that is not the case.

I started out that class with two questions:

"What would you be doing in your life if you knew you absolutely could not fail?"

and

"What do you need to think about differently to
have the life your desire?"

I found these questions in a post on Tammy Vitale's blog. I was in the middle of preparing for the class, and these two jumped out at me as being the perfect way to launch my class. What is you dream? And what is in the way? In order to really decide what is right for you, these are questions you need to answer. I can tell you what my answer is, but it has nothing to do with your dreams, and your life. These questions, by the way, come from a book by Ken D. Foster, called, Ask and You Will Succeed: 1001 Ordinary Questions to Create Extraordinary Results

I wasn't always so clear on this idea that everyone needs to choose the right path for them, and where they are in their life. I guess you could say I was a little bit evangelical in my desire to have others experience how wonderful it is to be able to be in business as an artist. I was projecting my own enthusiasm on others. For someone who needed a nudge in that direction, and wanted to know that it was possible and worth the risk, I might have been on target in my encouragement. But for people who did not have that dream, I was completely misguided. If I subjected you to this, I can only apologize.

What I have come to understand, particularly as I began to explore this question of Should I or Shouldn't I, is that if it is not something you passionately or deeply desire, you should probably not travel down this rocky path. It ain't easy. To quote one of the artists who responded to a survey I did to prepare for this class:

“…, be realistic about what you'll earn. It's probably never going to be as much as you'd like. You should have a passion for what you're doing and the feeling that you'd shrivel up and die if you COULDN'T do it!”

There is more wisdom there than I could possibly express in a million blog posts. It is a struggle. But if you have to do it, you should! And if you feel like you can't, then it is matter of figuring out your particular roadblocks, and whether or not you can work around them.

So why did I decide I should? When I was a little girl, I spent hours upon hours drawing, and making things. I would sit on the front step with a friend, and we would draw. I would take classes as often as my parents would sign me up for one. I went through magazines that my mother bought, looking for craft projects I could do. I had to make things. I had to draw. Nobody ever had to compell me to do it.

But, when I was a deciding on where to go to college, and what to study, I found myself putting all that away. It was put in the hobby box, and it was time to get serious and pursue a career that would provide me with a paycheck. I was good in math and science, so I studied chemistry. Was I passionate about math and science. No. By my junior year, I knew I was going down the wrong path, but I was so used to doing what was expected of me, that I continued on. When I graduated, I knew I was not a chemist. Not in my heart at least. So, I went into sales, selling industrial gases. I was not necessarily drawn to sales either, but I knew it was going to be a better fit than the lab.

I went on to get my MBA, which I actually really enjoyed. Marketing has lots of room for creativity, and I enjoyed the math of finance and accounting. I went on to various marketing jobs. Always believing that I was going to find the job that was the right fit for me. I had thought the idea of starting my own business was attractive....but doing what??

I never did find the job that was the perfect fit. I wanted to fit it. I tried to make myself fit in. But I didn't. Sunday night became a time of dread. Back to work on Monday. Pretty soon it was Sunday afternoon, or Sunday morning. I would start buying the occasional lottery ticket when the misery index climbed. It was my way out. My path to my dream. If I win the lottery, I can go to art school, and be an artist!

Eventually, I was taking a career planning class at one of my jobs,....a particularly miserable job....and the main question we had to ask was, what is your ideal job. My answer, Artist. As if,.... But I could identify what it was about being an artist that I wanted in my job. Creative. Independent. Self-directed. Maybe I could find those things in another job?

I went on to one more job earning a regular paycheck. This time with a small start-up company. I ran marketing department, and had several people reporting to me. It wasn't too long before I found this job did not fit either. I also found myself pregnant soon after I started this job. A job that had me on the road often, and frequently over the weekend as well as during the week. I envisioned myself traveling all the time, and having a nanny to take care of my soon to be baby. I then thought about how I was away on weekends. How I was often working ten or twelve hours per day. Was this kid even going to know me? How much of an influence would I even be in their life? That was when things shifted for me. That was when I finally gave myself permission to step off the path that I was on, which I never really wanted to be on.

After this, it took me nearly ten years, and lots of false starts to find out what I wanted to be doing the rest of my life. But I did find it. I don't have the big paycheck or title anymore. But I also have never been happier. I am living my dream. One day I realized it had been years since I had bought a lottery ticket. I didn't need the escape hatch anymore. I was where I wanted to be.

So, are you living your dream? If not, what is in the way? What can you do to make your dream a reality? Even if you decide to pursue the dream it may take many years to get to the point that you realize that you are finally doing exactly what you want to be doing with your life. But, it does not mean that you shouldn't take that first step.

The Elasticity of Time

It has happened once more. The time seems to stretch out in front of me. I am not panicked. Everything seems doable. And then,

SNAP!!!!

The time might have been stretching out there....much like a rubber band. And now someone let go and, Whoa!!! What happened. All the sudden days went to hours, and time is in compression. The to-do list far exceeds the time allotment. I am like a stressed out designer on Project Runway, as Tim Gunn is telling them they have one hour left "to finish their garments, and get their models to hair and make-up." "Make it work!" he exclaims.....and they are missing the skirt, or pants, or some important part of the outfit. You can literally read the panic on their face. "I am going home" it says.

Well, so far, no model has walked that runway half dressed. A few things have been glued and pinned together and sent down that runway with a prayer. But no one has been half dressed.

Things will get done. And some things won't. As I drove back from dropping my kids off for their afternoon class, and the list was cycling through my head, over and over again....how can I make this happen. It occurred to me.

I couldn't. But it was okay. I had the essentials together.

Pare back and breathe. Let the most important things come to the forefront.

Laundry. Packing. Finishing up the presentation. If I don't bring a single thing to sell, it would be fine. It is not the reason I am going to the National Polymer Clay Guild, Synergy Conference. It is an opportunity to spend time with other artists, and to give a presentation. Those are the things that matter. If I try to cram ten zillion other things into the next 18 hours, I will make myself and everyone around me insane. Not worth it. None of it would make as much of a difference to my experience as spending a bit more time on refining my presentation.

Sometimes it is easy for me to get caught up in the possibilities. Perhaps it is a hang over from Girl Scouts. Being prepared. Not disappointing anyone. But the price of that sometimes is a high degree of stress, and a lack of focus on what really matters.

Now, I can fit in that workout tonight before I go. Maybe, when I leave the house tomorrow, everyone won't be breathing a sigh of relief that I am gone!

The thing about rubber bands is when they are relaxed, they are more flexible. So, now that the tension is out of that rubber band of time, and everything is shorter, it is time for some of that flexibility. Time to let go of the things that don't matter.

Writing this blog. Completely optional. But when I have learned a lesson as important as the one I am learning today, I like to share. I hope it helps someone else.

Now, I have some packing to do.

Hope to post from Baltimore.

How Many Balls Can I Juggle?

The problem with juggling so many balls in the air right now, is that there is little down time to reflect on what is going on, and perhaps share a bit of that with you here. What I have been thinking about is what we can do if we just take a step forward. I had written previously about whether or not you live life waiting for a permission slip to follow your dreams or you big ideas. I guess I find myself having signed an awful lot of permission slips!

But, somewhere along the line I went from the person who seldom stepped outside of the prescribed lines, to a person who is willing to act on her dreams. I don't know why or how that happened exactly, other than perhaps the experience of doing it again and again shifts the axis of your world a little bit. The voice that says"Yeah, but you can't do that..." has been quieted. She still is there, but there is another voice. The one that says, "Well, why not?" Or, "I can at least try."

And it is about the trying. If we stay too focused on the end goal, and how big and overwhelming that goal may be, we will never begin. But if we say, let's just see what we can do. It gives us room to fail, without calling ourselves a failure. Why, because we tried. And with each small step that we take to move closer and closer to the goal or dream, it seems less impossible. We can do the small steps.

There is that critic that says, "Sure, you can do a little bit of it, but come on. It is too big, it will take too long, cost to much,....it is just TOO HARD. Give up now before you get disappointed."

Have you had that conversation with yourself? Does the critic always reign supreme and get in the last word? Or are you persistent, and passionate enough about your dream that in spite of all the logic that the critic is throwing your way, you still want to go ahead.

I am in over my head. If I listed all the things I am juggling right now, you would consider me certifiable. But you know what, I am making progress towards each goal I am working on. I am learning a lot about how much is possible. "No" is more impossible for me these days.

I am learning to say, "Why the hell not?"

Ask yourself that next time. Why not? Why shouldn't you go after your dream, or your BHAG. Look around you. Look at some of the amazing things that people have done and accomplished. Were they any more special than you or me? Most likely, not.

I had a conversation recently with a "high profile" artist. Someone with a "name". She was trying to tell me how her career, and where she was, was simply a fluke. Luck. But as she told me the story, what evolved was the story of someone who created her own luck. She had an idea....a "crazy, half-baked idea", if the critic had the final word. She began to figure out what she would need to do to make that idea into reality. And she started taking the steps to make it happen. And as more of her story comes out, it is clear this is a pattern in her life. She doesn't wait for someone to plan her career for her. She dreams her dreams, and then acts upon them.

We all have dreams. But not everyone is willing to go after their dreams. Preferring the safety of what they already have, and know. And not every dream is possible. But, more are possible than most of us are willing to believe, or act upon.

Frankly, sometimes in life we have to approach things like a bungee jumper. Be scared, trust the cord, and jump anyway.

A Day to Spread the Love

Valentine's Day has gotten a little more complicated around our house now that we have a tween and teen. My younger daughter doesn't want to have any thing to do with public displays of affection. My oldest loves the holiday, but feels unsure about handing out Valentine's to her friends....what if no one else is? Remember those days. I gave her advice that I am not sure I could have followed at that age.



I told her to,"Listen to your heart. You are all about expressing your love and friendship. This holiday is made for you. And the world needs more love and kindness. Give out the Valentine's to friends. Don't make the world a little sadder just so you can be like everyone else."



I can sense her pull to follow this instinct. But the same pull in the other direction to fit in. To be like everyone else. There is comfort in that instinct. But there also may be a certain flatness. A little less joy.

In the financial world there is a term called beta. Beta is a reflection of risk. A stock that has a high beta value, is one that has a high degree of volatility. There is a great chance for big returns, .....or big losses. Sometimes in life, and in our art, or our businesses, we face that choice. Do we play it safe, or do we take a chance on the big return? Just like in our finances, it is best to have a balance. Maintaining some degree of safety, but also taking some risks. Knowing what your risks are, and being prepared to accept them if things don't turn out the way you want.

My daughter went off to school today with about a dozen valentines. She plans to hand them out to friends at lunch time. She worries about friends who may not get one, but see that someone else did. She worries about whether or not she should give on to that "special friend". But, she is going to give them out in spite of her worries. Taking the chance of looking silly to some. But also being able to tell her friends that they are special to her.

Readers, this is my Valentine to you. I hope that someone expresses to you today, how special you are to them. With flowers, chocolates, a card, or words. And I hope you can step outside your comfort zone and tell someone that they are a good friend, or that they make your life a little more special.

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart.

-Helen Keller

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Something to Think About..

Just a link today. Something to ponder over the weekend. A less is more kind of post.

Facing the Absolute Truth

Fact. We will all die eventually. A woman who has crossed my path in recent days has me thinking about how we come to terms with that fact, may just affect how we live the time we have.

Kimberly is my hero right now. Kimberly will be turning forty in February. In spite of doctor's predictions. I first met Kimberly, in passing, at a retreat last year. This was a day long retreat focused on personal growth and healing. At the time, she was not expected to live another year. Yet, she was spending a day, reflecting, examining, and opening her heart to the possible. Now you might expect given the circumstances that she might have spent that time in agonizing about how unfair it was, and why was this happening to her, and she had so many things she still wanted to do.

Kimberly was there to live her life, long or short, in the fullest way possible. This year when I went to the retreat again, there was Kimberly. I can't tell you how it made my heart lift to see her. Her hair was thin, and her face puffy from the ravages of the medications she has been taking. But her spirit was clearly alive. Her smile lit up her face, and her voice was one of hope and optimism.

We got to talking over lunch, and at one point we began talking about the cranes. I shared a few of the stories I have heard over the years from people about their connections with the cranes. This was when Kimberly exclaimed that I may have just solved her problem. She was planning a birthday party, for herself, in Key West, Florida next month. She and a dozen of her friends would be meeting up to celebrate her life, and the fact that she was still here to celebrate this birthday. She wanted to give a gift to each of her friends. Something that they would have, long after she was gone, that could help them remember her, and what her life was about. The cranes were the answer.

I will be making a dozen cranes for Kimberly in the coming days. They will have her birthdate under the wings. They will be small enough so someone can hold it in their hands, and remember Kimberly....and just how cute, and wonderful, and spiritual she is,... or was.

I have been blessed to have people like Kimberly come into my life. The cranes have brought these stories to me again and again. And each time I am connected to something way bigger than me.

I can only hope that I can face life with the courage, spirit, and joie de vivre that Kimberly does each and every day. I think of her, and I smile. Life is challenging and full of bumps and bruises. But, are we embracing the potential that it has to offer, everyday? Do we embrace life enough to want to work on our personal growth even as we stare down death?

Have you ever wondered what kind of art would you make if you were told you only had six months to live? Have you ever thought, maybe you should not wait until then to begin to make that art? Maybe, you won't get the six months warning.

Send your prayers and thoughts of healing Kimberly's way. The world could use someone like her a while longer. And go make some art like your life depended upon it. The world will be a richer place because of it.

Possibilities

How often do you start a sentence about an idea with "I can't", or "I am not ready to..."? You are in a conversation about your work or your business, or whatever. A thought pops up, and suddenly you find yourself uttering those words.

The problem with these words is that they often leak out before we had time to consider them. Could we do it? I can't begin to tell you how many times perfectly wonderful opportunities landed in my lap, and my first reaction was to push it right off. Oh, no. Not here. Not now. I can't. I don't want to do that. No. It isn't right for me.

But, fortunately, I have reconsidered my initial response in some of those cases, and found myself thinking maybe I spoke too quickly. Maybe, I could. Maybe, I should. Maybe I would be a fool not to. When you do that enough times, you start to slow down that knee jerk response of immediate dismissal. You start to realize that often times what is happening is that you are protecting the status quo, rather than listening to your heart. You are making a decision based on emotion and fear rather than any good rationale. Nowadays, I am more likely to say, "I'll have to think about that," if I am faced with an idea that seems out of the question.

If you find yourself in this "I can't" mode, stop for a minute and play with the idea of "What if....." What if you said yes? What possibilities might open up to you? Maybe no was the right answer. But make sure what you are turning down or rejecting is really not a good idea. Or allow yourself to at least begin the journey, with the knowledge that you can return to more familiar ground at any time. Just because you put your foot in the water, it doesn't mean you are committing to a mile swim.

Susan Lumoto is doing some wonderful exploration with polymer clay right now and sharing it in her blog. Exploring textures and forms. Not sure exactly where it is going, but knowing that she needs to just say yes to the exploration, and she doesn't need to know where or why just yet. Her daughter made a suggestion about making the forms into jewelry, and rather than rejecting the suggestion, and saying, "No, I hadn't planned for this to be jewelry," she went ahead and listened. She played around with the suggestion, and a gorgeous bracelet emerged. I hope she continues to play with the the vessels...they are very cool! But clearly, Susan is onto a wonderful new path, full of new discoveries.

She is just one example of someone who has opened themselves to the possibilities. There are many, many more. Try to pay attention when you find yourself presented with an opportunity that "doesn't make sense for you." Give yourself permission to rethink your initial response. Maybe the next time some wonderful opportunity lands in your lap you will embrace it rather than shoo it away! Or at least give yourself time to think about it more fully. It is scary sometimes to realize how often the very things we want and need are presented to us, and we push it away. Fortunately, those chances have a way of coming around again, and again, in new forms. Eventually, if we are lucky, we begin to open ourselves up to the possibilities.

Maybe 2008 can be the Year of Possibilities.

Resolve to Vote

This is an important year coming up. I am asking you to make a resolution to participate in the election process in the coming year. I will not give you any other advice or opinions about resolutions you can or should make. I will not impose my politics on you....and anyone who knows me, knows I have strong political opinions! But I will ask you to register to vote if you have not done so yet, and then get yourself to the primary or caucus in your state, and exercise your right, and your responsibility, to vote!

Your vote matters. Being informed about the issues, and where the candidates stand on those issues is one of the most important roles you have as a citizen in this country. I know I am being a bit preachy here, but I could not be more sincere in my desire to want each and every one of you who is a citizen of the United States to participate in the election this year. Better yet, if you have some time, work on a campaign. You will learn a lot about the election process being on the other side, and you will be welcomed with open arms. You will learn that your voice can be heard even louder if you are willing to work on a campaign. You will learn about the challenges that a politician faces in the process of getting elected.

This election matters. Your vote matters. I will step off my soapbox for now. But, please, do vote!

Resiliency

If I was to pick one characteristic that is essential for a successful Artrepreneur, resiliency would be up high on the list. Dictionary.com defines Resilience (noun) as;

1.the power or ability to return to the original form, position, etc., after
being bent, compressed, or stretched; elasticity.
2.ability to recover readily from illness, depression, adversity, or the like; buoyancy.

We can be bent, compressed, or stretched very close to the limit in all sorts of ways. Illness. Financial setbacks. Creative slumps. Slumps in the economy. Tools or equipment that break down. Problems with customers or suppliers. Too much work. Too little work. Bad shows. Rejection. And on, and on, and on.

Things happen.

This is the one thing I can guarantee. If you choose to be an Artrepreneur the road will have curves and bumps. Some of the ride will be exhiliarating. But some of it will make us wonder why we began the journey. In order to continue the ride, we will have to be resilient. Without this characteristic, it is impossible to accept the inevitable challenges, and do the work necessary to adapt or accomodate.

Accepting what is, and working to do the best you can with that situation is essential. As much as we might desire to do so, we cannot control ever aspect of our lives or our businesses. There are external forces that can come at us with no warning. If we get depressed, outraged, or angry in response, we will not be able to succeed. The essential muscle we need to develop is one of resiliency. The "ability to return to the original form, position", or the "ability to recover" can be what allows one person to succeed and another to flounder, irregardless of their comparable artistic ability.

First, we need to accept we are not fully in control of external forces. We can't control the weather, the economy, or anyone else's behavior. Remember, things will happen.

The one thing we can control is your emotional response to the things that happen. If we take events personally, we will struggle to recover. Our energy will be spent on feeling hurt and injured,......and stuck. We only have so much energy, and the more we spend it fixating on how we were wronged, or how unfair life is, the longer we are going to be spending in that state.

Instead, we need to spend our energy gathering information about what has happened, and what we can do about it. Figuring out our options, and coming up with a plan. This is not something that comes naturally to most people, but if we are lucky we learn it when we are young. It takes practice, and conscious effort for many of us to be able to make this small shift and do what is necessary to adapt rather than react.

Life is not fair. Things will happen. As an artrepreneur, you are even more vulnerable than in most jobs, where you might be working for someone else. Your job is broadly defined, and you are the one who ultimately has to decide how to deal with the things that will come your way. You can be creative and try to come up with solutions. Or you can complain and be upset about how hard it is or how unfair it is. One keeps you stuck, the other will move you towards a new place.

It is only when we are tested that we can figure out how good we are at being resilient. When we get blind sided do we react? And if we do react, are we able to stop the reaction, and move into problem solving mode? Pay attention, and see where you fall on the spectrum. And if you find yourself going into reaction mode, how hard is it for you to move out of that state and to get back on track? Don't ask yourself for perfection. When you find yourself in the middle of a rant, pause. Stop and notice what has happened and shift. Let go of this place and shift to problem solving. Get your creative juices focused on figuring out where to go next, and how to get there.

With practice and time, one day you will wake up and notice something different is going on. The world may be crashing about you. Problems surround you, but you are no longer paralyzed by them. You are doing what you can to work through the situation, so that you can keep moving towards your ultimate goals, whatever they may be.

The other night, I was sick with a cold. I had missed out on a family holiday get together. Our roof had an ice dam and we had leaks in the living room and my daughter's room. My camera appeared to be dying. I still did not recieve that purchase order. And I had cracked a tooth that night on a hard pretzel. Lots of reasons to whine or complain. I did go to bed a bit worried that night about the house. But not in tears or terror. The next morning I got out of bed just like always, ready to hit the ground with much to do. This was when I paused. Here I was surrounded by crappy situations right and left, and I was not in a funk or a panic.

Somewhere along the line, I had learned to accept, and to move. Somehow, I had managed to stop reacting to life. The cold is gone. I had a few needed days of rest. My husband cleared out the ice dam, and we had cleaned up the mess. The tooth is repaired for now, but will need a crown. The purchase order appeared this morning in my e-mail. And I have a new camera. Financially I have taken a few hits, but nothing that we cannot recover from with a little time. Lots of angst could have been wasted over some relatively minor events.

I can't say I never ever complain. But I try not to get stuck in that place. It is wasteful and draining. We all have challenges to face, and obstacles to overcome. And sometimes, it really does just amount to continuing to move forward anyway.

Topsy Turvy Holidays

I feel like I am suffering from holiday jet lag.


My holiday season began in late July or early August, when I began making work to send out to galleries, or for shows for the holiday season. It became the most intense through October and up until just before Thanksgiving, as I pushed to get as much work out the door as I possibly could.


When I shipped off the last package, I felt a sense of completion. A sigh of relief that I was largely done for this year with my holiday orders. I was able to have a bit of breathing space, even as a few other shipments went out, and one last show was done. I had room to experiment in the studio, and start thinking about where I was going in the next year, and what changes I might want to be making.


This weekend I was going through pictures on my computer looking for a specific photo, and I ran across a picture from a few years ago of my daughters decorating the Christmas tree. It hit me across the forehead with a smack! Christmas! It is coming. Not just in the stores. But here. I had to do something about our Christmas. I was done with the business of Christmas, but now I needed to start planning for and acting on a holiday that was right around the corner. Our tree had to go up. I had to seriously do some shopping, and gift making. Casual conversations with my husband about what to get for someone, or what he could bring to the office party had to come into focus and be acted upon.


Maybe this creates more short term stress for me, but I think I needed that breathing space of not jumping right into the holiday. I needed to have the closure from the business side of the season before I made the shift to the world around me. I see lights going up as I drive around town. Wreathes. Christmas cards have arrived. I feel completely out of sync with what is going on. But it is time for me to jump onto that moving sidewalk and get engaged in this season.


I must admit I have enjoyed the space it has given me...being out of sync. I have had the frenzy and stress already making and shipping my work. I am not anxious to feel that again. Maybe this topsy turvy holiday is a good thing. It helps to stay out of the fray of excess that can be overwhelming. Whether I am fully decorated or not, the holidays will come. And in the end, I will have gifts to give. But what I have enjoyed the most in the last few weeks is taking a bit more time to relax, and spend time with my family. If I jumped into the holiday craziness right away, I might have missed that.

Artists are already accused of marching to a different drummer. I guess if we have most of our sales at this time of year, we also need to march to a different rhythm. I have heard of artists who celebrate Christmas with their families in July, so they can enjoy it more. I don't think I want to be that far out of sync. But I have recognized that I need a pause.

Are you able to listen to your need for breathing space? To take care of your need to regroup after a prolonged push? Or are you able to jump right in? Perhaps energized by the holiday activity? Or do you just forego all this holiday madness?

Cushion or Deficit?

Do you live with a cushion, or a deficit?


I am talking about time. Do you always give yourself a comfortable cushion of time to easily absorb the inevitable shocks, or are you forever running behind the clock?


I used to be one of those people who was always a bit early. I liked the ease that came with that. The space to transition gently from one activity to another. When I was a freshman in college we had "F" tests. Nearly every freshman had to take these tests, on the same day, at the same time,....... on a Friday morning, at 8 a.m. Masses of stressed out, sleep deprived freshman heading to take the test they crammed for all night. Talk about bad karma!


I learned to head out about 15 to 20 minutes early, as well as get to bed a bit early. I could walk to the test before the crowd, and just enjoy the morning. I was well rested. I had my pick of seats. I could give myself time to relax, and maybe even review a bit. Have everything I needed for the test out and ready.


It worked. And I continued into my adult life under the same plan.


But now,..... I find I am one of those people who is always running late. Or that I seldom have any slack built into the schedule to accommodate adjustments. Today my younger daughter missed the bus, for the second day in a row. Most days it is not a big deal. We can walk the dog together, and then I drive her to school, and she gets there in plenty of time. We get to spend a few extra minutes together. But today I had an early appointment with a local gallery. With traffic, I had to allow myself an hour. I had planned it out with no room for error. The error happened.


I debated cancelling the appointment, and rescheduling. I was trying to figure out every possible permutation of how I could cram everything in to the allotted time. It did not look doable.


I decided to persevere. I kept going ahead, as if I was going to be able to make it work, up until the point in time that I knew I had to be leaving. If I was not ready by then, I would call and reschedule. As I drilled holes in the last 6 cranes to make them into ornaments, I had my daughter open up boxes for the cranes, and put the inserts and fill into them. I could then just pop the cranes in the boxes, and close them up. Might as well make her do a bit of work in return for the ride to school! By the time we got to school, I was convinced that it would not work. I was going to have to reschedule. I came home and walked the dog. I got home and saw I was only ten minutes behind schedule....I could do this! I grabbed my work and headed out.

I left ten minutes later than planned, but was there right on time....in spite of traffic! I had created stress for myself agonizing over how this could possibly work. It did work, and we had a quick but productive meeting. She loved the new Shibori work, as well as the pods. She even commented on how the cranes were looking even better than before. I forgot a ziplock bag with some pendants, and the box with pins, but I had more than enough work for her to see. Rushing out the door, feeling anxious about the time, caused the oversight.

I could have more easily accommodated the change in plans, and had everything I needed for the appointment, if I had fully prepared the day before.

I had begun to do that the night before. But I pooped out before I finished the job completely. So I was left drilling and stringing up cranes at the last minute, and leaving some work behind.


Since that appointment, I have begun to clean out the studio. And I now have a calendar set up on the computer with appointments, and reminders. I need the breathing space that order can create. I can easily find myself exploring an idea when I need to be preparing for a gallery visit or a show. I will have to learn to tame in this instinct. Having the discipline to do the "work" first, and then spend time exploring. The new and improved Judy? I wouldn't go that far. But I am recognizing that the lack of a system has cost me time and energy. I can't keep doing what I was doing, with any degree of comfort. A change is in order. A change to more order.

Organization comes more easily to some than others. Having lived on both ends of the spectrum, I have to say, sometimes it can be situational. Many artists are digging out of the chaos in their studios this time of year. The focus was on getting the work done, and dealing with the mess later. In my case, later is here. Let the cleaning begin!

Internal Combustion

The internal combustion engine was a major technological breakthrough. No need to constantly feed the engine with an external source of energy, such as steam from a coal burner. Last night, when I got together with a group of friends, I saw a different version, but just as powerful source of internal combustion.

What motivates you and drives you? Where is your source of energy? Do you need to be constantly fueling up from external sources, or do you have an internal source?

When we look externally for love, affirmation, or direction, it can be a bumpy and difficult ride. It is like the engine with the timing off. Fits and starts. You may be riding along smoothly for awhile, but then, apparently out of nowhere, the car is hesitating, perhaps stalling. Or it may feel like driving around town with the gas gauge on E,....ready to dip below E,.... and not finding an open gas station anywhere. Panic. Anxiety. Frustration.

If the external sources of affirmation of our worth is what we are relying upon, we will be forever looking for others to refill us, make us feel good again, so that we can go out again feeling comfortable and confident. I used to live this way. I was forever looking externally for my cues. The external was always more important than the internal. It is exhausting. And completely unsatisfying. It makes for crappy relationships. And a constant need to be refilled.

Slowly, over time, almost without being aware of how it has changed my way of living, I have learned to look inside first. To figure out what I need, and to take care of my needs. Sounds pretty simple. And it is when we are taking care of the external needs. But, when you get used to looking outside all the time for your cues of what you should do, it is not easy to make that shift to understanding what you really need to make yourself happy. To look inside and see what your heart really wants and needs. And it is not easy to start to say "no" to those things that will only deplete you. If we are not filling our own needs first, we have nothing left to give to others when they need us.

This is what I found amazing about making that difficult transition. The more that I look inside for guidance and to satisfy my needs, far more comes from the outside than I could have dreamed possible. That old saying about how you have to love yourself before others can love you is true. It also applies to our work as artists. If we have to win competitions, get rave reviews for all we do, sell out at shows, etc, etc, etc.....there will never be enough to feed the demand. When we are feeding ourselves inside, and doing the work that comes from our heart, those external sources of admiration are easier to receive, but we won't need to own them. If we try to hold on too tightly to the praise, the notoriety, it will probably slip away, or become tarnished in our tight grip. We will become frozen in time. Afraid to move from that moment in the sun.

None of this is easy. But it is essential to living a rich and full life, as an artist, or otherwise. Our culture of externals is a big challenge to all of this. Face it, few of us will get rich as working artists. But we will have a full and rich life in so many other ways if we give ourselves the gift of doing the work we are meant to do. It is easier to find joy and satisfaction in doing work that gratifies your soul, than in being able to buy a bigger house, a bigger TV, a smaller cell phone, a newer car....whatever. Consuming to fill that void inside never works for long. We will always want more. But we can fill that void by creating beautiful work, and sharing it with the world. And we will do the planet a favor by consuming less of some of those other things anyway!

This season of joy has become a season of externals. The newspaper is full of sales fliers for the latest and greatest electronics, which will all be obsolete in a year. Perhaps by taking the pledge to Buy Handmade that is going around the Internet right now, we will be able to reconnect with our more essential needs. Better yet, make as many gifts as you can. Give a gift of your handwork. Connect with your gifts, and share them with others. Give a few gifts to those who never expect to receive one. It may mean a few less trips to the mall, a few less dollars spent, but a few more hours connecting with your soul and spirit. And it is a chance to play outside your usual sandbox! Play in a different media, experiment with a idea. Have fun, and spread it around a bit! The joy will find you in the process.

Sunscreen for Artists and Craftspeople

In June of 1997, Mary Schmich published a hypothetical commencement speech in the Chicago Tribune. One she was never asked to deliver, but one full practical and good advice. The column became known as the "Wear Sunscreen Speech" . Since it first appeared, it has spawned numerous parodies, and been made into two different songs. As I visited Lindly Haunani's blog recently, I was reminded of the essay by Ms. Schmich, and came up with my own parody of the original, geared to the working artist/craftsperson.

Ladies and gentlemen of the world of art and craft,

Stretch.

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, stretching would be it. The long-term benefits of stretching have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering career path. I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power of your creative spirit. What was I thinking? You will not understand the power and beauty of your creativity until it’s blocked. But trust me, in 20 years, you'll look back at photos of your work and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really were. You are not as bad as you imagine.

Don't worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve a design problem by throwing a tantrum, or scrubbing a toilet. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4 pm on some idle Tuesday.


Do one thing every day that scares you.

Play.


Don't be reckless in other people's critiques. Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours.


Sketch.


Don't waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long and, in the end, it's only with yourself. Remember compliments you receive. Forget the insults. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how. Keep your old press clippings. Throw away your old rejection letters.


Color outside the lines.


Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your art. The most interesting artists I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their art. Some of the most interesting 40-year- olds still don't know.

Take good care of your hands. Be kind to your back. You'll miss them when they no longer work.

Maybe you'll prosper, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll be famous, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll be in a museum, maybe the Ugly Necklace contest is the only one you’ll ever win. Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either. Your choices are half chance. So are everybody else's.


Enjoy your creativity. Use it every day, and in every way. Don’t be afraid of it or of what other people think of it. It's the greatest tool you'll ever own.


Turn up the music and dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your studio space.


Read the tutorials, and then throw them away. Do not read too many books and magazines about your craft. They will only make you feel less than.


Get to know your fellow artists. You never know when they'll be gone from the craft circuit. Be nice to your collectors. They're your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future. Understand that galleries come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and price point, because the more success you have, the more you need the people who knew you when you started.

Do a show in New York City once, but leave before all your money is gone. Apply to the Smithsonian Show once, but don't plan on getting in. Build an altar instead.

Accept certain inalienable truths. Costs will rise. Prices will fall. Some people will copy. You too, will get old. And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young, people bought craft, nobody copied, and everyone adored artists.

Respect the innovators.

Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund. Maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse. But you never know when either one might run out.

Don't forget to take care of your hands or by the time you're 40 they will look 85. Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth.

But trust me on the stretching.


Finally, I quote Ms. Schmich. In May of 1999 she wrote,

"Occasionally someone asks, in a funereal voice, 'Does it bother you that people are writing parodies of your column?' No way. Because, ladies and gentlemen, if I could offer you one more tip for the future, this would be it:
Write parodies. It's a lot more fun than doing what you're supposed to be doing."

And she's right!

Resigning From Meddling

I handed in my resignation to my kids today. I am resigning from helping with any and all art projects they may have at school. I will provide materials and supplies. But beyond that, they are on their own, or must call on their dad.

I wonder if people who write for a living have a problem with this when their kids have a writing assignment. I can't help myself. They start describing some school project that is at all visual and creative, and I want to dive in. I try to just give a few suggestions for how approach it. But soon I find myself spilling out ideas, making suggestions for layout, or color, ..... I can't stop myself. Pretty soon I am thinking about the poster or diorama, or whatever, that I would make.

As you might imagine, this is not the best scenario for my kids. Inevitably they feel like I am taking over (no!), and are trying to figure out how to get me to just go away. So, in order to protect them, their work, and our relationship, I have resigned from helping with any and all artwork for school. I will help with math, science, writing, etc. It is easy for me to keep my distance there. But I am vulnerable to meddling in the extreme when it comes to art projects.

Sometimes our intentions to help someone, because we have the knowledge or experience, can be good. But we can lose sight of what help is wanted and needed. We can get too involved in someone else's outcome. Offering help is good. But needing to have it taken and acted upon crosses the line. Then it is no longer helping. It is meddling. Guilty as charged. I know this is not the only place that this comes up for me. But I am working on some of those as well.

How about you? Do you suffer from the need to help/meddle? How do you disengage yourself? What things are the hardest for you to resist? For me, it tends to be the very things I am most passionate about. I guess the passion can overtake our normal boundaries. All I can do is try to be conscious, and work to pull back when I sense I have begun to cross the line. It ain't easy, but neither is annoying those around you because you've gone too far.

Setting Your Terms

Setting terms is an important element of wholesale business. Whether you do wholesale shows or not, you still need to have terms...and stick to them! There really are two facets to this issue. Deciding what your terms are, and then how you live them. This part can applies to far more than how we run our business...I will explain more later.


Let's start with the definitions. What are terms? How do you decide what they should be? Terms are the conditions under which you do business. They cover things like minimum order size, payment, returns, and delivery schedule. There are norms of one sort or another that can serve as a guideline. But in the end, it is your decision what your terms will be. Let's look at them one at a time.


1. Minimums. Why do you need a minium? First off, it can serve as a screen. It filters out the person who likes your work and has a resale certificate, and hopes to get a bargain. You want to make sure you are dealing with a retailer who is buying your work because they like it and think it will sell well in their place of business. Minimums can be based on a dollar amount, or a quantity.....or both. I started out with a minimum of $100 and/or six items. Since a few items I sell wholesale for more than $100 it was important to have the quantity minimum too. A grouping or collection of work is more likely to generate interest in your work and adequately represent your work. Over time I have raised my minimum to $250, and/or twelve items. This is still low by some artists standards, and a few shops will not buy from me because it is too high for them.


Why have a low or high minimum? Part of it is how much risk there might be seen in carrying your work. A low minimum might encourage someone to try out your work when you are relatively new to wholesale. But a low minimum can mean more work for you. More orders, more paperwork, and packages for the same amount of sales. It is one of those balances that you need to check in with from time to time to figure out if you need to make any adjustments.


2. Payment terms. This is where the "greek" comes in for those new to wholesale and with little or no business background. Net 30 is the term you are most likely to hear thrown about. What in the world is Net 30?

Net 30 means that the buyer has 30 days to pay their invoice, with no interest or penalty. As a general rule, do not extend these terms to a buyer without first getting credit references. And when they supply those references...call them! Really. Call. Tell them you are working with XYZ Gallery, and they provided their name as a credit reference. Usually they will tell you they are a great company to work with, and have never had any problem getting paid. But it has happened that people call the references and don't hear that. Don't assume just because they provided the names and numbers it is all rosy.

One other form of payment, which I do not accept is C.O.D. I do not accept it because I have heard too many horror stories about artists paying to ship something C.O.D., which is more expensive, and the buyer refusing the shipment on the other end. So the artist then has to pay for the return shipment as well. They have work which they spent time and money creating, they paid extra to ship it, and then no sale. If someone cannot pay by check or credit card, then they are not someone I care to do business with.

What are my payment terms? Prepay on the first order by check or credit card, and Net 30 after that with references. Most people pay by credit card on the first order, and on all the following orders. I have occassionally given someone Net 30 on a first order when I have plenty of time to get and check references before the order ships. I have not had a problem with slow payments. I had one case where someone honestly thought she had already paid by credit card, and when I called the check was in the mail that day. People do make mistakes and slip up. It is when there is a pattern of this that you need to watch out for.

On wholesalecrafts.com there is a place where member artists can report your experiences with a buyer, and likewise check a buyer. It is a great way to make sure something has not changed with a buyer. A negative report does not mean bad news all the time. I have seen a buyer have one negative and five positive reports. The negative in context was not a problem. But if the negative was recent, and the buyer was difficult to reach and work with....that could be a warning flag.

Setting and sticking to payment terms can be a tough issue for many artists. We don't want to have to deal with this. But we have to. It is essential that we protect the interests of our business. Do your suppliers give you terms? Or do you have to pay for everything up front? Figure out terms that work for you and your business.

3. Returns and exchanges. Do you take returns? Or, will you exchange your work? Again, this is a decision you need to make based on what feels right for you. I take returns for full credit within two weeks. I figure if they get something, and then decide they made a mistake, that it was not going to work for them, they can ship it right back. No big deal. It has never happened. But it does give people a degree of comfort to know they have that option. I will exchange work for up to 6 months. At least my terms specify this time period. But I find this is one issue that needs to be decided on a case by case basis. If someone has a few pieces that just are not moving, I would rather take them back and send them new work that will sell better. And, they will usually order new work along with the exchange. Otherwise, each time they look at that work it is a reminder that it is not selling well. Is that what you want someone thinking each time they see your work in their store? On the other hand, you do not want someone to send you back shop worn merchandise a year or two later, and expect a full refund in return. Some may try. It does not mean you have to agree.

4. Delivery. When will you deliver the product to the customer? This is usually a bit of a negotiation between when you can deliver, and when they want to receive the work. Many buyers will want to get your work in their hands as soon as possible, but sometimes, they want to postpone delivery. I always make sure and clarify this issue at the time I receive an order.


5. You. Yes, you. Can you set your terms and enforce them? Too many artists have let themselves be bullied or intimidated by the occasional buyer who knows, or thinks, they can get away with it. I have read far too many sad stories on forums. Set your terms, and stick to them. Or if you vary, don't do it without fully weighing the consequences of a possible bad outcome.

As I considered this issue this morning, I realized how this extends far beyond how we run our businesses. Do you set the terms and conditions in your life? Or do you react to everyone else's demands? Life requires compromise and negotiation, but if you are the person who is always adapting to the demands of others, can you ever reach your goals? It is easy to forget about our own needs and goals if we are not making ourselves enough of a priority. And I am willing to bet, that if you have trouble with this in everyday life, it will be a problem in your business.

In business, and in life, we have to have some terms and conditions. And we have to be able to communicate them and make sure that when we let go of them, we do it with full consciousness and awareness of the consequences. We can't complain about the problem customer, or the fact that we have no time in our life for making our art,.....if we have allowed the situation to happen through our behavior. If we don't set the terms, others will. And we may not be happy with the outcome.

Wednesday Whine

You've perhaps heard about the Thursday Thirteen, or the Friday Five on other blogs. Well, I am borrowing the alliteration for the title today....a Wednesday Whine.

Mostly I love what I do. But after spending most of the last few days focused on the tasks I don't like so much, I am going to whine. Feel free to add your ..."I hate that I have to"..whatever .....in the comments. It is not all fun and creativity in the life of an artrepreneur. And today, I am going to whine and complain a bit. Sometimes I just have to get it out of my system!

I hate paperwork! I hate that I have to keep track of receipts, and create and file invoices, and that I have to file sales tax in every state that I do a show in, and they all have different filing schedules....not just different tax rates. I hate the time that it takes, and the sheer drudgery of it. But I am too cheap and too broke to pay someone else to do it. And every few months, the pile gets too big to ignore, and I spend several hours catching up.


I hate packaging and shipping an order. It seems like it should be no big deal. But it always takes way more time than I want to spend on it. Usually there is one or two items that I am missing when I want to send out the order, and so I have to go back to the studio and make those. Then I need to cross check again and make sure I have everything. Find a box. Package everything up so that it is not damaged in transit. Then I need to create an invoice. And make sure I have the information to charge the order to a credit card, or that I have checked their credit references. If not, I have to make one or more phone calls. I also need to include some support material if it is a first order. Find an address label for the box. All these tasks are at different places in the house, meaning trips up and down the stairs, or back and forth from my dining room (shipping room) and the studio (production department), and the office (accounting and billing). Finally, close up the box, and bring it to the post office. Whew. Can you see how such a simple little task becomes a black hole of time?

I hate doing all those tiny little jobs at the end of a project. The things that make a difference to everyone else but me. :-) I warned you I was ready to whine! Stringing cranes so that they can hang. Boxing cranes. Putting earrings on cards, ..... Things that make a piece more presentable and functional.....but my heart is never in them. They are work. Last night I must have strung and boxed about 40 cranes. I would rather just keep making them then do this last little step.....which is no longer a little step when there are this many to do.

I hate that no matter how careful I try to be, it is impossible to put shred in boxes without it ending up all over the floor and the table.

I hate pricing. Not just calculating the price....but actually attaching a price tag to an item so that people know how much it costs. Invariably I am putting price tags on pieces the night before and the morning of a show.

I hate that everytime I need to print out labels for a mailing. It seems like I am having to learn all over again how to do it, every time. It seems like I should have it down by now.

Okay, I feel a little better now that I got that out of my system. So, what are the tasks that drive you up a wall? What do you avoid, till you can avoid it no longer? Whining is for all those little things we are supposed to just do without complaint. But on this Wednesday, the Whining Window is open. Feel free to add your whine to the comment list. I am sure I left a few things off my list.....