Thinking about Absolutes and Wondering Which Camp You Are In



Image from the Internet



There aren’t many absolutes in my world.

No blacks or whites.

Too many wonderful middle greys in between to put me squarely in one camp or the other.

But a week ago today I found myself rethinking this philosophy. Maybe I do have some absolutes after all.

My step-son, Brian Radatz of The Ride Factory in Ybor City, won best in his class in a prestigious motorcycle show.

His class was Radical. Even if you aren’t a motorcycle enthusiast it is easy to imagine this would be a large and difficult class to win.

Yet win he did. On his very first time out of the gate.

Hmm, why did this Cinderella story come true for Brian? And why am I blogging about it on an art blog?

Because, you see, motorcycle shows are no different than art shows, it is just the objects that are different.

No matter what the object is, no matter where the object is made, say in a house or in a garage. Objects they are. Make we do.

And when we choose to put these objects up for review by our peers, we are allowing them to say which object they think is the best.

Judges are just like the rest of us; each of us has a preference. Some of us prefer fine craftsmanship.  Every piece meticulously crafted and put together. While others’ prefer a message.  Something that speaks to our heart and soul. And sometimes it’s a combination of the two, though it is my belief that we lean closer to one way or the other. Content or Craftsmanship.

Which makes it our camp.

I’m not saying either one is better, just that we have our tendencies, and it’s good to know our preference so we can fine tune that part of our work.

Brian’s bike was in no way better built than the other motorcycles. Not high tech either. But he had a concept and he followed that concept all the way through. And the judges saw what he was doing and liked it.  (And I am thrilled they did!)

The stars aligned for Brian this time.

I hope he understands that the next time the judges might walk right past him with nary a look. And I hope too that he doesn’t take it personally. He can’t, because it isn’t personal. It’s not about his work so much as it is about the judges’ opinion.

He needs to have clarity in his vision and follow it through, no matter what anybody else says.

And that goes for any type of show we enter.

So, no matter what you make, and no matter what camp you are in, I hope you knock ‘em dead the next time you show. And if not, well, we all know that you did your best.

Happy creating to you!

Do You Consider Yourself a Lucky Person?

If yes, why?

I understand some things are about luck, like say, winning the lottery. But if one hadn’t bought the ticket in the first place, then they never would have won. It took their effort, the buying of the ticket which enabled them to win.

So is it luck? Or applied effort?

My belief falls in the latter group.

Wise words from the drink coaster I use every day, “Luck is good planning carefully executed”

Yep, that’s what I believe.

Luck looks like luck to outsiders, but the one doing all the work to put themselves in the right spot at the right moment didn’t get there by chance. It was lots of prep work prior to the moment when the stars aligned in their favor.

Luck? Nah.

Tenacity, perseverance, and hard work, all wrapped up in one.

May you too have some luck come your way. And you know the kind of luck I’m talkin’ about.

Have a great weekend!

P.S. This isn't a plug for the lottery; I never buy tickets myself, so I shall never be in the running for that windfall.

Do You Donate Your Art?



T-Shirt design by he said tee shed
 at http://www.hesaidteeshed.com/

I saw the above on Facebook this past week and it reminded me of a conversation I had with a friend earlier this year.

She has a “No Donations” policy. Period. And here is why.

• The work we donate is always first rate as our names are attached to it.
• We work just as hard on the free work as the work we will sell.
• If there is no return on the investment, why spend all of that time and energy on it?

I donate art because of guilt. Or because I believe in the cause. And because somebody has asked me to do so, and I’m fairly obedient (though my husband might disagree. :)

So, I am wondering, why do you donate your art?

And if you don’t donate your art, why not?

I know I’d love to hear the ins and outs of your decision, and I bet others will too.

Thanks much, and may your day be a creative one.

Rules Were Made to Be Broken

Today I read a blog post by Seth Apter of The Altered Page on blogging tips for artists and found it interesting, so I am sharing it with you.  Give it a read, I think you might find it interesting too.

One thing Seth said really stood out for me. It reads:

The idea of posting interesting content, day after day, can be daunting to many artists, who would often rather be in the studio than writing blog posts. However, if you think of your blog as an extension of your creative endeavors, the two activities can seamlessly combine.

Spot on. What a great way to think about writing, as an extension of your own work. I will share this advice with my non-writing artist friends to see if it will help them overcome their writers block.

Later in the post he advises to always include an image with your blog post. Advice I have heard often before, especially since we are visual artist, but a rule I choose to break for a variety of reasons.

First of all, I get overwhelmed from the visuals that confront me on a day to day basis. It’s like a visual vacation to see only the text and let my imagination make up the visuals, if they are even necessary.

Also, blogging in and of itself takes time. To feel like I must include an image each time overwhelms me with guilt and guilt is something I am trying to eliminate from my life.

But more importantly, it takes time to get a good image, time I don’t always have. Work is my main focus, allotting some of that time to a blog photo is not something I am willing to do. Granted, if you are selling from your blog good images would be a necessity, but I don’t fit in that category.

With my blog I am thinking out loud and learning from others in the process. At the same time I am fine tuning my own voice and growing as an individual and as an artist. But in order to find my own voice, I must listen first and foremost to myself. And sometimes that means I’ve gotta break the rules.

May you swim upstream a little today!

Q and A Mondays- Are you a 2D or 3D artist? Or both?

I recently wrote in my sketchbook, “I am a 3D artist.”

That statement came after a show in which I had both 2D and 3D work and I felt the 2D didn’t hold up to the 3D work.

It is a train of thought I have considered before.

Am I one or the other?

Need I be one or the other?

I know we artists all struggle with multiple personalities in our work and it is important for the work to be consistent, but does that mean it must be only 2D or 3D? Or does a consistent theme trump all else, no matter what the materials or method of making?

I think the latter is correct.

But, I could use your feedback.

What do you think? And do you struggle with similar thoughts?

Distracted Again

The other day I posted that I was thinking about starting an Etsy shop, but I have decided against it, thanks to your help. It is a wonderful tool for those that want to sell their work on their own. And it is so very gratifying when a sale happens. Plus you have direct contact with the buyer. Etsy is the perfect tool for accomplishing that. But…

But, in order to sell well, one must work at it and that takes time away from actually making art. I would rather make it than sell it, especially since I am not a natural born salesperson. That gift went to my sisters, so why do it? As the song says,
     You've got to accentuate the positive
     Eliminate the negative
     And latch on to the affirmative
     Don't mess with Mister In-Between

Sage advice that I shall take. No messin’ with the in-between stuff. Because in-between stuff is just another name for distraction. I shall leave the selling to the professionals, who are oh, so talented at doing it. And I love them for it.

So…. instead of thinking about selling my work, and having a body of work that is more suitable for sales, I’ve been working on these “skins”. They are far from finished, but I like where they are going.

Skinned-You Say, Kim Radatz©

Skinned-Wishful Thinking, KimRadatz©

Skinned-Wishful Thinking, detail, KimRadatz©

And yes, I know myself well enough to know that I will get distracted again and probably in the very near future. Hopefully I’ll be able to see the distractions for what they are and get back on track quicker.

As usual, time will tell on that front. I’ll keep you posted.

Stay warm tonight.

Show and Tell Sundays

Sundays are a great day for me.

I try to review the previous week and in doing so I am also readying for the one to come. As the Sundays of 2010 dwindle down, I thought I’d do a little thinking out loud and start sharing my Sundays with you. Hopefully this will help me to be more focused and productive too. We’ll have to wait and see on that front.

And this makes me wonder:

Do You Run or Plod?

Neither is better, me thinks, just another way to honor our own quirks.

I have a tendency to do both depending on the situation. Though this week I’ve been plodding along in a BIG way.

I won’t be too hard on myself for doing so with all the holiday obligations, I’ll just let the work roll off my fingers when they are ready to be complete.

I am happy to report that I have finished a few of the 8 x 8’s and some have even found a new home of their own. Always a good thing! But most are still in the works.

Here is a sneak peek of the current works in progress.

Group shot, Kim Radatz©



Good Friends, Kim Radatz©



His and Hers, Kim Radatz©

Carefree, Kim Radatz©

Now it is your turn, do tell about you.
 
And stay warm and creative as you work this week!

Selling Off Some Old Friends

You know, I too have been pondering the questions I posed the other day. Specifically, “What’s your workspace like?” and “Are you messy or neat?”

I am pondering these as I prepare for a garage sale we are having tomorrow.

In addition to the regular household items one typically finds, I am selling quite a bit of my mixed media supplies. It’s scary. It’s a bit like selling off old friends. Some of this stuff I have had forever and some items are recent acquisitions. But all are loved by me. I don’t just bring any ol’ thing home; it has to speak to me first. But now I am moving some of them out. And I’ve got to say, it feels rather nice. Scary, but nice.

I have long believed that cleaning out older work gives you permission to make more. But this time, it is more than making space, I am downsizing in a big way.

Maybe it’s because I had a very productive summer in my tiny studio in Minnesota. That probably is a major motivating factor. If I can produce lots of stuff in a small space, just a corner carved out of my bedroom, what can I do in my larger studio if I have wide open space? Make lots and lots more?

Time will tell on that front, and I will keep you posted. But for now I shall enjoy the empty spaces.

Oh, and to answer the questions- full of bright natural light; orderly; messy in the process and tidy between pieces. Some might say anal. I’m okay with that. Here are 2 quick views.

The pix don't look as bright as in real life, but you can get an idea.

East end of studio



one wall of storage

I hope you have a creative day in your studio!

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