Word for 2009
Forgive me blogging brethren, for it has been seven days since my last post. I have been on a mission to finish working on my website and the Colorado Potters Guild website. So much of the work has gone on behind the scenes and isn’t really visible (I’ll share later). I also haven’t posted because I’m following my New Year’s Resolution (of sorts).
In the past, I have made resolutions every new year that are long forgotten by February. Last year, I decided to banish the tradition and instead looked back on the previous year – mainly concentrating on my successes. After reading a post written by Christine Kane a several weeks ago about New Year’s Resolutions, I decided to think about the resolutions differently and look forward.
Christine Kane has a great idea – instead of making New Year’s resolutions, she advises her readers to think of a word that will act as a guide for the new year. As the image above suggests, I have selected the word, “focus” since I have a tendency to be a little scattered and am easily distracted. What does this word mean for me? It means I will finish tasks I start and I will concentrate on what I am doing whether it’s cooking dinner, writing a blog post or spending time in the studio.
That’s exactly what I’ve been doing the past week – focusing on my finishing the websites so that I can concentrate on other activities. Thanks to the folks who asked if I was okay – I’m perfectly fine, and have just taken a bit of a posting break over the past few weeks. I promise that regular blogging will resume now! 
Meanwhile, my daughter is back in school and we are getting reacquainted with following a routine which is good for all of us, including the dogs. I’ve walking the dogs in the park in the morning, have a ton of podcasts to catch up on, and am not at a loss for ideas for new work.
Do you make resolutions, do something else, or nothing at all?
~Cynthia
Affirmations for Artists in Today’s Economy
Art Biz Coach, Alyson Stanfield, just released a short, but powerful video of affirmations as a tool for artists and craftspeople to use to respond to today’s belt tightening economic climate. This is an uncertain time period financially and politically that has the potential to play with artist’s psyches in crazy ways and affect pocket books. The video includes a variety of art work in different media and I’m humbled that Alyson asked if she could include an image of a set of my nesting bowls in the video.
Nesting bowls
When times become difficult, it’s a natural instinct to batten down the hatches and abandon seemingly frivolous pursuits to get a “real job” that offers a steady predictable paycheck. In my opinion, that is counterintuitive to living a fulfilling life and I think that if what you do is your calling – whether it’s pottery, painting, metal smithing, printmaking, photography – or even accounting, car mechanics, cooking, teaching - now is the time to make a deeper commitment to yourself and your art (and I write that with respect to all professions – there’s an art to everything). I am not discounting being able to pay your bills, visit a doctor, being able to put food on the table and a roof over your head either; but letting the squirrels run amok in your brain is not the answer.
Rather, now is the time to get inventive to satisfy all needs and wants! I know it’s worth it because I spent 15 years too long in a 17 year career with an airline that strip mined my soul and made me miserable – all for a steady paycheck and benefits. The more senior members at the airline called it “the job with the golden handcuffs.” Ouch. I have committed myself to my chosen path and I’m so much happier – just ask my family. My solution to the economic times is to evaluate my market, find ways to save money on supplies, tools and equipment, economize kiln firings, making smaller less expensive work in addition to more experimental work, looking at advertising & marketing message, and even trying to make my work better while not compromising my path or values.
It can be tricky to accomplish, but not impossible. In some ways, my husband, daughter and I have already accomplished the tough work to weather leaner economic times years ago when I left my job after the events of 9-11. We’re now planning for the moment when he will voluntarily leave his job to do something else. It’s exciting and full of endless possibilities.
Another one of my favorite blogs is written by musician and public motivational speaker, Christine Kane – check out this post on whether it’s time to shrink or expand for a bit of inspiration and whose message goes hand in hand with Alyson’s affirmations.
Visit Alyson Stanfield’s website for information on workshops and subscribe to her blog for great tips and information about the business of art, a topic about which artists often learn the hard way.
Meanwhile, I’ll be spending the day glazing work for the Colorado Potters Guild Fall Sale and Show that opens on Thursday evening. I fired my last bisque load yesterday and think that I’m going to glaze everything just in time.
~Cynthia
P.S. It’s come to my attention that a few emails sent to my address sometimes bounce and is returned to the sender as undeliverable. I think I’ve taken care of the problem now, but if you receive a similar message, I can be reached at cynthiaguajardo at gmail.com (substitute @ for at)
